Abhisit becomes 10th Democrat Party leader unopposed
Thailand’s Democrat Party appoints former PM Abhisit Vejjajiva as its 10th leader, returning amid high expectations for party revival and upcoming elections.
On Saturday, the Democrat Party held its first extraordinary general meeting of 2025 to elect a new party leader, following the resignation of Chalermchai Srion.
Thoedpong Chaiyanan, a former party executive, nominated Abhisit Vejjajiva, former Prime Minister and former party leader, as the 10th leader of the Democrat Party. He was the sole nominee, allowing the meeting to proceed without competition.
Before the meeting began, Abhisit expressed that his commitment to the party had never wavered, though he declined to answer further questions from the media.
Chaichana Detdecho, MP for Nakhon Si Thammarat and designated deputy leader for the South, confirmed he is prepared to oversee the southern region if the party meeting so decides. He added that the party’s revival carries the hope of the people and is expected to influence results in upcoming elections.
Chaichana also commented on reports of another party allegedly attempting to recruit MPs by offering 40-50 million baht, warning that if true, the public must hold them accountable. He urged the government to address social issues, including scammer cases and scrutiny of certain government teams by the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC).
The initial lineup of the new party executive committee is reported as follows:
- Abhisit Vejjajiva – Party Leader
- Chaiwuti Bannawat – Secretary-General
- Sakoltee Phattiyakul – Deputy Leader for Bangkok
- Songkran Jitsutthipakorn – Deputy Leader for the North
- Satit Pitutacha – Deputy Leader for the Central region
- Chaichana Detdecho – Deputy Leader for the South
The party spokesperson will be Police Captain Pongsakorn Kwanmuang.
