In Thailand’s Democrat Party Leadership Race, Dr. Warong Vows to Introduce “Welfare” Democracy

BANGKOK – Dr. Warong Dechgitvigrom, a candidate in the Democrat Party’s leadership race, said if he becomes the party leader, he will replace the party’s liberal democracy ideology with a new concept of “welfare democratic society”.

Speaking at his vision presentation as a candidate for the election of the party’s leader, he said he doesn’t support the liberal democracy concept because it was proven to have adversely led to monopolies and disparity in wealth.

The party’s popularity is in decline due to its reputation of being too conservative, said Thaworn Senneam, a veteran politician from Songkhla, who has been drumming up support for Warong.

Recent polls showed the party leader’s declining popularity, which has prompted Dr. Warong’s team to decide to introduce changes into the party to correct the public’s perception of the party’s being conservative, said Thaworn.

“Liberal democracy used to work when the country was fighting with dictatorship; but it no longer fits the current situation of the country being divided into two major political camps,” he said.

Dr Warong dares to change from liberal democracy to become a welfare democratic society to improve equality of the people in this democratic society, said Mr Thaworn.

Deputy Democrat leader Nipit Intarasombat, who supports acting Democrat leader Abhisit Vejjajiva in the party’s primary vote to select its new leader, meanwhile said Dr Warong was misleading the society about the party’s political stance.

The party has adopted the welfare democratic society concept since it was headed by former prime minister Chuan Leekpai and Mr Abhisit has recently paid more attention to this new idea.

He insisted that Mr Abhisit remains the best choice.

Source: Thai PBS