Organization: Central Michigan University
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.seasia-l
Date:         Thu, 3 Sep 1992 05:50:33 EDT
From:         Elliott Parker <3ZLUFUR@CMUVM.CSV.CMICH.EDU>
Subject:      TH: Chuan ready to lead nation
X-To:         seasia-l@msu.edu

=======================  Forwarded  Message  ===========================
Date: Thu, 3 Sep 92 00:21:37+0700
From: kamol@munnari.oz.au (Kamol Hengkietisak)

DEMOCRAT Party leader Chuan Leekpai yesterday made an all-out
pitch to raise the image of the Democrats as a party able to run
the economy and of himself as a well-prepared potential premier.
     In a two-hour televised campaign at the National Stadium, Mr
Chuan declared, to lengthy applause, that  he is ready to become
opposition leader or premier after the election.
     Mr Chuan said the election is not just voting for MPs but
also "a government and a premier".
     He said he may be "too soft and gentle and not aggressive
because I'm a son of a teacher, but when it comes to making
decisions I am resolute and strong".
     Mr Chuan explained his role and that of the Democrats during
the May events by giving a chronology of pro-democracy
demonstrations from May 4 to 21.
     He said he was one of the "most exhausted" pro-democracy
activists. Since May 17 until the bloodshed, no politician had
played a decisive part in the demonstrations except Palang
Dharma's de facto leader Chamlong Srimuang, who had joined the
Confederation for Democracy. He said he had tried very hard to
keep Maj-Gen Chamlong from being harmed or fasting to the death
prior to the military crackdown.
     Mr Chuan said people can rest assured that the Democrats are
"sincere" and will not put the country at risk or people in danger
and will not hesitate to tell right from wrong.
     He said he does not mean to reprimand or damage anyone by
giving a "factual" account of the May events because he wants
people to understand more about the Democrats' role.
     "In the South, I was called a coward for letting Brother
Chamlong fight all alone," he said.
     Mr Chuan said Maj-Gen Chamlong called Democrat
secretary-general Sanan Kachornprasart on the phone yesterday to
thank the Democrats for continuing to be an ally of the PDP and
expressed hope that the four former opposition parties will still
be united as usual.
     Mr Chuan said he still has 10 days to campaign and will visit
the Northeast again. More major speeches will be made.
     He expressed bewilderment at a poll by ex-National Statistics
Office chief Niyom Purakham which predicts that the PDP and the
Democrats will be the first and second largest parties
respectively. An Interior Ministry poll and another by
Chulalongkorn University forecast that Chart Pattana and New
Aspiration will be the biggest.
     Mr Chuan said the Niyom poll's prediction is  "possible" but
he is concerned at vote-buying in the last three days before the
election.
     He said the PDP and the Democrats will certainly increase
their number of MPs while the NAP will find it hard to increase
the 72 it won in March.
     The next Cabinet will still comprise "old faces" but that
should be all right if they are honest.
     Mr Chuan said the ex-premier and CPP leader Chatichai
Choonhavan was being "very clever" in saying the Democrat leader
could become premier.
     Gen Chatichai is vying only with NAP leader Chavalit
Yongchaiyudh for the premiership, Mr Chuan said. Other Democrats
yesterday declared their economic platform in response to claims
the party has hardly touched seriously on economic issues.
     Maj-Gen Sanan spoke on agricultural issues, such as farmers'
debts, land reform and forest reserves.
     Democrat candidate Savit Bhothivihok promised to build
four-lane roads in every province throughout the country, to move
two million to three million people from Bangkok to Eastern
Seaboard development areas and introduce "a tourist estate."
     Mr Savit is a former director of the Eastern Seaboard
Development Project Office.
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