Pol Gen Sereepisuth Temeeyaves, leader of the Seri Ruam Thai Party, is pleading with voters who identify themselves as pro-democracy not to forget his party on Election Day on Sunday.
Pol Gen Sereepisuth said the popularity of Pheu Thai and Move Forward parties, both of which are in the self-proclaimed democracy camp, could affect his party's performance.
"Give me and my party your support. Democracy needs diversity. Don't get swayed by public sentiment. Please consider our party's 14-point policy," he said during a rally on the Thon Buri side of Bangkok on Friday.
"Seri Ruam Thai will remain firm in its democratic values and will not create massive debts like this government."
He said the Seri Ruam Thai Party has no financiers to pay back and is fully against military intervention in politics.
Pol Gen Sereepisuth also claimed he was offered positions and money to join the coalition after the 2019 election, but he refused because he stands with the pro-democracy camp.
Srettha's PM conditions
Srettha Thavisin, a prime ministerial candidate for Pheu Thai, told VOA Thai that he would decline the prime minister post if Pheu Thai had to form a coalition with Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha, who led the 2014 coup, or his ally, Gen Prawit Wongsuwon.
In the article "Ex-Property Mogul Wants to Be Thailand's Next PM on His Own Terms", published on Wednesday, the former property tycoon said he could not see himself working with Gen Prayut or Gen Prawit.
Mr Srettha said he wanted to be prime minister to make a huge difference in Thai society economically and socially.
"If the environment is not conducive for me to do that, I would gladly turn down the position of prime minister," he said in the interview.
Mr Srettha said his sense of despair led him to enter politics. He said he felt saddened by social disparities, whether they were education, access to healthcare or other fundamental needs.
Although Thailand has enormous potential, things are not as they are supposed to be, he added.
Meanwhile, the Pheu Thai Party's economic team assured the public on Friday that its policies will be executed to benefit people in every social class, especially at the grassroots level.
During its last press conference on Friday, Prommin Lertsuridej, chief of Pheu Thai's team working on the party's policies and economic affairs committee, said that every policy aims to help the country's economy recover while providing the public with freedom of speech and public resources.
"One of our main principles is that we focus on everything that helps strengthen society at the roots while benefiting people from all groups. This will also give some hope to the newer generation," said Dr Prommin.
PPRP candidate quits
A Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP) candidate in Phitsanulok caught his supporters off guard on Friday when he announced his withdrawal from the general election on social media.
Aswin Niltao, a PPRP candidate in Phitsanulok's Constituency 4, posted on Facebook that he decided to resign as the PPRP candidate and cease all campaign activities.
According to Mr Aswin, his withdrawal was unofficial because the provincial election office informed him that he could not drop out of the contest when he asked them if he could.
He said he decided to pull out because he did not feel he received adequate support from the PPRP and saw no point in continuing. He said he assessed his chances and believed he would finish fourth in the constituency.
"Other candidates get a full tank in their cars, but my car gets a small amount. I can't keep up with them," he said.
However, Mr Aswin said the election campaign for the party-list system would continue with staff being deployed to distribute material.
Transparency concerns
The Pheu Thai Party has cried foul over a change of poll officials in Constituency 1, Chon Buri, saying many of them allegedly have links with a political rival.
Jurin Nornua, a Pheu Thai representative, said the party is concerned about transparency following the provincial election office's decision to change poll officials at 47 voting stations in Constituency 1.
Mr Jurin said the party had asked the provincial election office to keep three to four former officials per voting station, but the request was denied. He said the change had sparked concerns about transparency in the handling of the polls.
According to Mr Jurin, the former poll officials had worked in several elections without any problems, but the provincial election office decided to make changes following a complaint.
Pasakorn Homhuan, father of Pheu Thai candidate Supipan Homhuan in the constituency, said he is concerned because many of the new officials allegedly have connections with a rival party.
