Former Democrat leader Abhisit Vejjajiva is surrounded by reporters as he leaves the party offices after a meeting between its executive and MPs was abruptly adjourned On May 28 before it decided whether to officially join a Palang Pracharath-led coalition. The Democrat Party's poor political strategy and other factors led to its defeat in the March 24 election, according to the result of an opinion survey by the National Institute of Development Administration, or Nida Poll. The poll was conducted on 1,261 people aged 18 and over of various levels of education and occupations throughout the country on May 30-31 to compile their opinions on what caused Thailand's oldest political party's weak showing in the March 24 election. The respondents were allowed to give more than one answer when asked why the Democrat Party fared poorly, winning only 52 House seats. 2.85% said voters turned away from the Democrat Party because they believed it would not be able to beat the Pheu Thai Party,deciding to vote for other parties instead2.46% said the Democrat Party might have been cheated in the election.

Source: Bangkok Post June 02, 2019 03:46 UTC