Abhisit pushes forward with policies despite 2010 Red Shirt incident

Abhisit Vejjajiva, leader of the Democrat Party, spoke about the ongoing challenges related to the 2010 Red Shirt protests, following questions from Chulalongkorn University students regarding the government's actions to disperse the protests. Despite past controversies, Abhisit remains committed to presenting his policies to the public, saying, "It's okay as long as we stay within the boundaries of freedom," emphasizing that differing opinions and criticisms are welcomed as long as they remain respectful.

When asked about Nattawut Saikua, a key figure from the Pheu Thai Party, claiming that the 2010 protests had never been legally settled, Abhisit responded, "Please listen to what I said carefully and verify it with available public information."

Regarding the rising political movements questioning his leadership, Abhisit stated that he respects people’s rights to question and clarify matters. He emphasized that, as a politician, he must be open to scrutiny and always transparent in his responses.

Asked about the potential impact of Hun Sen's aggressive stance on peace negotiations, Abhisit assured the public that these issues wouldn’t derail efforts to achieve peace on the Thai-Cambodian border. "I haven’t read it yet," he said, maintaining that Thailand would always uphold its sovereignty and the principles of the Joint Declaration aimed at peace.

Abhisit further explained that the Joint Declaration was about ensuring peace, and emphasized that Thailand's sovereignty and territorial integrity would remain intact. He reassured the public that the government would never compromise on these matters, reiterating that Thailand will not accept aggression from any side.

Regarding the party’s future, Abhisit expressed confidence that the Democrat Party would continue to move forward with its core values of honesty, responsibility, and integrity. He encouraged individuals who share the same values to join the party, highlighting the party’s focus on improving the country.

When asked about the impact of Chalermchai Srion’s resignation and the departure of some MPs from the Democrat Party, Abhisit Vejjajiva said that by the time the House of Representatives is dissolved, the number of MPs would be significantly reduced. He proposed starting fresh from 2027.

Abhisit explained that the MPs who will leave had already discussed their departure with him before the new leader of the Democrat Party was chosen, and they cited their reason as wanting to remain neutral until the election of the new party leader. However, they have not resigned yet because doing so would cause them to lose their legal status as MPs.