Free internet access and PM2.5-busting pledges strike a chord, says Ongart
The Democrat Party’s campaign proposal to provide free internet access at one million locations nationwide has struck a chord with voters, according to deputy leader Ongart Khlampaiboon.
He said the free internet access project will be launched in 17 provinces across the country, with at least 100,000 to be set up in Bangkok, if the party lays claim to the technology wing of the next government.
Mr Ongart said the proposal will enable further development of a digital society and modern learning, and bring benefits to every group particularly students and low-income earners.
He said the free internet programme will go hand in hand with the party’s digital economy policy to drive changes in manufacturing, services, education, public health and national administration and drive up living standards.
Suchatvee Suwansawat, head of the party’s policy committee, said the free internet and pollution-busting policies have been greeted with enthusiasm by city voters ever since their introduction.
The party is proposing to push for a law to combat PM2.5 pollution and designate 16 inner districts as low pollution zones to serve as models for stringent law enforcement.
Watanya Bunnag, chief of the party’s working group on political innovations, said yesterday the Democrats’ next major rally will take place on April 13 on the Thon Buri side and urged city voters to tune in for “surprises”.
A TRILLION REASONS
Khunying Sudarat Keyuraphan, leader of the Thai Sang Thai (TST) Party, yesterday promised to promote health tourism with an aim to generate revenue of 1.5 trillion baht per year.
In addition to improving medical accessibility and streamlining medical care for Thais, she said the party has also set its sights on bringing in more income through medical tourism.
Khunying Sudarat said the party had the right candidate for the job as she introduced TST candidate Suwadee Phanpanich, who is contesting the election in Bangkok’s Constituency 1.
According to the TST leader, Ms Suwadee, former corporate secretary of Thonburi Healthcare Group (THG), has the expertise to assume the public health portfolio if the party wins the May 14 general election.
Ms Suwadee said Thailand has the potential generate big returns from medical tourism and all it needs is a strategy to increase its competitiveness and gain a larger market share.
THE POWER OF ONE
Pheu Thai strongman Somsak Thepsutin yesterday blamed the political system which favours a multi-party coalition government, for keeping parties from delivering campaign promises to uplift the public’s livelihood.
Addressing crowds in Sukhothai’s Si Samrong district, Mr Somsak, who recently defected from the Palang Pracharath Party, said Pheu Thai would be able to drive its economic policy effectively if it won the poll by landslide.
He insisted the party had a good understanding of their problems and its campaign pledges of a digital wallet, agriculture land distribution and better water resource management would be delivered.
Mr Somsak also raised the possibility of upgrading Sor Por Kor land documents to title deeds in some cases.
Sor Por Kor plots are state-owned land that are given to landless farmers to be used for farming only.
The law prohibits the commercial transfer of Sor Por Kor lands, except to next-of-kin.
UTN BASKS IN SONGKRAN SUN
The United Thai Nation (UTN) Party yesterday released a new clip “Songkran” to join the country in celebrating the return of the festival that was put on ice during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The 69-second clip, which is part of the party’s election campaign, paints contrasting pictures of the Songkran festival three years ago when people were left helpless and hopeless by the pandemic and this year’s event when Thai and foreign visitors indulged in water splashing.
The party says the economy has sprung back to life as a result of the government’s handling of the outbreak.