Door-to-door campaign worked well: Tankhun

Q : How do you feel about your victory in Don Muang district?

I’m so grateful that I and the Democrat Party can write a new history for Don Muang district. It’s the first time in 37 years that the party has won in Don Muang. I promise to work with all my ability [for people in the area].

 

Q : Yuranunt said that he was defeated in this election because he had less time to campaign. Was that the reason for his defeat?

I think he misunderstood about the number of days. If he said he had only 18 days in his election campaign, so I had only 18 days too. But all the time Pheu Thai said they had a good team, so why did Yuranunt fail in this election? I think he failed in this election because Pheu Thai had the wrong campaign strategy. The majority of their campaigning was via a car with loudspeakers – not walking door to door like me. I walked from the early morning till early in the evening. Moreover the Pheu Thai team had Bangkok city councillors and Bangkok district councillors, but I only had one Bangkok city councillor.

 

 

Q : What was the strong point in terms of strategy in your campaign?

Visiting people door-to-door and sincerity [with voters]. Moreover, we used a “country trying to earnestly help a district” strategy. We used MPs and walked door-to-door all day. I think the close up [contact] between me and people started during my door-to-door campaign, so when we were together with people they could see my sincerity.

 

Q : Did you get any threats during your election campaign?

Some people shook foot clappers and booed me when I visited their community. But I didn’t respond because I understand. But I’m alert myself, and my team, to be careful when we visit people, because anybody can walk and talk with us. Moreover, we don’t know who has goodwill or feels malicious toward me and my team. So, seniors in the party coordinated with police to take care of our team. But I am sure that I can walk in the market alone.

On Sunday, after I had won, more people went to my sub-head office party to give me moral support, but some people who drove cars honked their horns and opened the door and said “We don’t want you!” 

 

Q : What about your goal to have a career as a politician?

I would like to be an education minister because I think education is the most important thing for children. I think politicians are volunteers who push policies forward. If I have chance to be an education minister I would push for virtue in education policies.

Moreover, I think children should be allowed to find out themselves what sort of work they want to do.

 

Q : What did seniors in the party teach you?

Ong-art Klampaiboon told me that I should walk around and talk with people in the evening to show them that I am sincere. And he taught me to write letters by hand to show people our intentions. Ong-art said a long time ago he would go to cut his hair, but the [barbershop] owner didn’t like him or the Democrats. But Ong-art went there many times to have his hair cut and finally the owner liked him because he was sincere with him.