Aspirants aim for personal touch on road to city polls

Aspirants aim for personal touch on road to city polls

The major political parties are focusing their election resources on door-knocking and forging community relations to expand their reach to voters.

Democrat Party governor candidate Sukhumbhand Paribatra greets shoppers at a food court in the Pathumwan area during a campaign stop yesterday. CHANAT KATANYU

Both the Pheu Thai and the Democrat parties appear more intent on harnessing micro-electioneering strategies than addressing voters at large gatherings in the race for Bangkok governor.

Thaworn Senniam, the Democrat deputy leader, said the party has designated nine canvassing areas.

The party will not organise many large rallies, he said. Democrat candidate Sukhumbhand Paribatra will travel around the city on campaign vehicles to get up close and personal with voters.

Mr Thaworn is supervising the party's campaign in Kannayao district, which has no MP, district councillor or Bangkok councillor.

Ong-art Klampaiboon, a Democrat list-MP and director of the party's Bangkok governor election centre, said the party will hold small rallies in four key areas of Bangkok every Friday until election day on March 3.

The first rally will take place at Don Muang Plaza on Friday afternoon.

He said he would ask the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration to issue guidelines for canvassing on its premises.

Pheu Thai Party spokesman Prompong Nopparit said the party will hold small rallies in Thon Buri, inner Bangkok and eastern Bangkok. The party's MPs and local leaders will speak there.

The MPs will focus on government policies and how they could fit in with what City Hall is doing.

About 300 MPs and core members will help with canvassing, including visiting voters' homes.

The Pheu Thai candidate, Pongsapat Pongcharoen, who visited Klong Toey market yesterday, pledged to make fresh markets cleaner and improve the city's waste collection capacity.

Kanawat Wasinsangworn, Pheu Thai's deputy chairman of the Bangkok election policy team, said policies will be unveiled gradually to voters.

Pheu Thai governor candidate Pongsapat Pongcharoen cleans up rubbish in Klong Toey market yesterday. PATTANAPONG HIRUNARD

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