Huge rallies to end campaign

Both major parties are planning huge rallies in Bangkok to wind up their general election campaigns.

More than 1,000 drivers from the Public Taxis Association yesterday kicked off a campaign against vote buying and to encourage people to turn out for the election. They gathered at the Royal Plaza in Bangkok before driving their cabs with campaign stickers around the city. NATTHITI AMPRIWAN

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Huge rallies wind up campaign

Democrats, Pheu Thai make final voter push

Manop Thip-Osod 
Aekarach Sattaburuth

The Democrat and Pheu Thai parties will today wrap up their election campaigns with massive rallies in Bangkok in a final push to drum up public support and get a decisive majority.

The Democrats hope about 90,000 supporters will fill the Royal Plaza while the 70,000-seat Rajamangala stadium will host Pheu Thai voters.

The two rallies will be broadcast live via satellite to their provincial election centres and streamed online.

Democrat leader Abhisit Vejjajiva will stress that when the people exercise their rights on Sunday they will determine the direction the country will take for the future. He will also highlight how he is prepared to work to achieve the kind of future the people want.

"[Mr Abhisit] will show why they should vote for the party and how the country will benefit from it," said Democrat Sathit Wongnongtoey.

Mr Abhisit said yesterday the party was buoyed by a warmer-than-usual response over the past two weeks.

He reiterated that the country would go beyond one man and start to focus on problems facing the nation if they elect the Democrats.

Pheu Thai's Yingluck Shinawatra will present the party's "Vision 2020".

Vision 2020 outlines 20 targets Pheu Thai will try to achieve, including improving infrastructure, increasing the use of green energy, graft reduction and improved administration of justice. She said the party is looking ahead to the next eight years.

"The voters will see what they are in for if they elect Pheu Thai to power.

"We are projecting a daily minimum wage of 1,000 baht a day and a salary of 30,000 baht for university graduates at entry level," she said.

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kick off – to begin an event; to launch เริ่มต้น เริ่มทำ
campaign – a series of actions intended to produce political or social change การรณรงค์
encourage – to cause someone to want to do something กระตุ้น ให้การสนับสนุน
turn out – to be present at an event or, in this case, to vote in an election
gather – to come together in a group รวมกลุ่ม, รวมตัวกัน, จับกลุ่มกัน, ชุมนุม
rally – a large public gathering of people to support someone or to protest against something การชุมนุม
wind up – wrap up  to finish  ทำให้เสร็จสิ้น
campaign – a planned series of activities designed to persuade voters to vote for a particular candidate or political party การรณรงค์หาสียง
massive – very large ใหญ่มหาศาล
drum up – to try to make people support you or buy something from you
decisive – making the final result of a situation completely certain   ซึ่งมีลักษณะชี้ขาด,แน่วแน่,ซึ่งตัดสินใจแล้ว
majority – more than 50 percent of a group เสียงส่วนใหญ่
host – a country, city, group, person, etc. which provides the space and other things necessary for a special event เจ้าภาพ
broadcast – to send out a programme on television or radio กระจายเสียง,กระจายข่าว
live – happening now, i.e., not recorded earlier ถ่ายทอดสด
via – through  ผ่าน  
satellite – an electronic device that is sent into space and moves around the earth or another planet. It is used for communicating by radio, television, etc. and for providing information ดาวเทียม
stream – to play video or sound on a computer by receiving it as a continuous stream, from the Internet for example, rather than needing to wait until the whole of the material has been downloaded
stress – to emphasise something such as an idea, fact or detail; to explain why something is important เน้น
exercise your rights – to use your power or rights ใช้สิทธิ
determine – to decide what will happen กำหนด
highlight – to stress; to made something more noticeable  เน้นย้ำ
benefit – to give an advantage to someone มีประโยชน์ต่อ
buoy – to encourage someone and make them feel more confident   สนับสนุน ให้กำลังใจ
reiterate – to repeat something in order to emphasise it พูดซ้ำ ย้ำ
vision – the ability to imagine how a country, society, industry, etc. could develop in the future and to plan in a suitable way วิสัยทัศน์
target – a particular number or amount that you want to achieve เป้าหมาย
infrastructure – the set of systems within a place or organisation that affect how well it operates, for example the transport and communication systems in a country ระบบสาธารนูปโภค
graft – corruption การฉ้อโกง
reduction – the process or result of making something smaller or less in amount, size, importance etc การลดลง
administration – the process or act of organising the way that something is done  การบริหาร administration of justice การบริหารงานยุติธรรม
to be in for – to be likely to get something in the future
minimum – as small in amount or degree as necessary or possible จำนวนน้อยที่สุด, ปริมาณต่ำที่สุด
wage – an amount of money that you earn for working, usually according to how many hours or days you work each week or month ค่าจ้าง
project – to calculate based on information already known คาดคะเน, ประเมิน
entry level – beginning level, i.e., at the level of the first job you take