TAIWAN’S DEMOCRATS IN THAILAND IN FEBRUARY, Taiwan’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party observed up close yet another example of democracy in action in another country. In the previous year, the DPP had gone to look at pre-election activities prior to the presidential polls in the Philippines, and then in Indonesia. This time around, the subject was the parliamentary elections in Thailand. The 14-member DPP delegation was headed by legislator Lan Mei-Chin. CALD program officer Andrea Yang was also part of the mission. The three-day (4-6 February) mission had the DPP team visiting Chulalongkorn University’s Asian Research Center and two polling stations, and attending a Democrat Party campaign rally. The Taiwanese Democrats also had meetings with several DP members, as well as with Vice Minister for the Interior Kwang Robkob, adviser to the prime minister Dr. Kradse Chanawongse, and Thai Rak Thai MP Suhum Laowansiri (another adviser to the premier), along with other legislators. The DPP delegates were particularly interested in Thailand’s “singledistrict, two-votes” system, which Thai politicians had deemed as a set-up that was most fair and most democratic for their country. The DPP team later described its pre-election visit to Thailand as constructive, since it enabled its members to exchange valuable ideas with their Thai counterparts. The DPP believes that the democratic achievements in Asia have made the future of regional security and economic prosperity more promising. It has vowed to remain a close observer of democratic developments in the region.
International Activities
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