FACTBOX-Election promises of Thailand's major parties

UNITED THAI NATION PARTY - Increase monthly grants via state welfare cards to 1,000 baht per person and offer emergency loans of up to 10,000 baht. - Increase monthly grants for state welfare card holders to 700 baht per person from 300 baht and free life insurance. - Raise monthly allowance for people aged 60 and over to 3,000-5,000 baht, from 600-1,000 baht.

Thailand's main political parties have differing ideologies and support bases but are proposing many similar policies ahead of a May 14 general election, focusing on winning over the rural poor and millions shackled by household debt. Below are some of their pledges.

PHEU THAI PARTY - Target economic growth of 5% each year.

- Offer 10,000 baht ($295) handouts via digital wallets for those aged 16 and over to spend in their communities, a scheme worth 560 billion baht ($16.55 billion). - Raise daily minimum wages to 600 baht (from an average of 337 baht) and minimum monthly salaries for university graduates to 25,000 baht by 2027.

- Help every family earn at least 20,000 baht per month. - Triple average income of farmers to 30,000 baht per rai (0.16 hectare) per year by 2027.

- Three-year debt moratorium on capital and interest for farmers and one-year debt moratorium for smaller businesses hit by COVID-19, plus debt restructuring. - Upgrade universal healthcare programme.

- Welfare package for the elderly, worth 300 billion baht. - Train 20 million high-skilled workers and create 20 million jobs.

- Reduce urban rail fares, energy, electricity and gas costs, support clean and alternative energy. - One tablet computer per student and per teacher with free internet.

MOVE FORWARD PARTY - Raise daily minimum wage to 450 baht, with yearly revisions.

- Increase monthly allowance for elderly to 3,000 baht by 2027. - Reduce electricity costs, renegotiate power purchasing contracts with concessionaires.

- Debt relief for elderly farmers who can pay half of their debt, with the government paying the rest. - Fixed bus and urban rail fares.

- Subsidise housing loans and rent payments for limited groups. - 10,000 baht funeral grant.

- Fee internet of 1 GB per month. - Legalise casinos and online betting run by the state.

- New constitution law, reform armed forces. UNITED THAI NATION PARTY

- Increase monthly grants via state welfare cards to 1,000 baht per person and offer emergency loans of up to 10,000 baht. - Monthly allowance for elderly of 1,000 baht.

- Reduce electricity bills for low-income earners and farmers. - Emergency fund of 30 billion baht ($886.26 million) for vulnerable groups.

- Subsidies for domestic travel, co-payment scheme to buy goods or services. - Allow borrowers to repay some state loans, such as student loans, by working for the public sector.

- Crop harvesting subsidy. PALANG PRACHARAT PARTY

- Offer 30,000 baht to 7.5 million farming households for cultivation, 2,000 baht per rai for rice harvesting and cheaper fertiliser. - Increase monthly grants for state welfare card holders to 700 baht per person from 300 baht and free life insurance.

- Raise monthly allowance for people aged 60 and over to 3,000-5,000 baht, from 600-1,000 baht. - Reduce price of petrol, diesel and cooking gas.

- Lower electricity bills. - Set up 300 billion baht ($8.86 billion) state fund to tackle debt and support economy.

- Free education to university level, tax exemption for those earning less than 500,000 baht per year. - Develop infrastructure in the northeast, including rail projects, industrial estates and land ports.

- Offer monthly grants of 10,000 baht for pregnant women and 3,000 baht per month for raising children until they are six years old. BHUMJAITHAI PARTY

- Three-year debt moratorium on principal and interest for loans up to one million baht. - 50,000 baht emergency loan each for persons aged 20 years and above.

- Life insurance fund for peopled aged 60 and above with a 100,000 baht payout in case of death. - Solar panel projects for households to reduce electricity bills and cheap electric motorcycles at 6,000 baht with 60-month instalments.

- One-day pass for urban public transport fares. - Use of cannabis for medical treatment, health and economy.

- 100 million baht tourism fund for each province. - Interest-free student loans, without collateral.

- Contract farming on crop prices, payments and insurance. - Free cancer treatment machines in every province and dialysis centres in every district.

DEMOCRAT PARTY - Set up 2 million baht village and urban community banks nationwide, with estimated cost of 160 billion baht.

- Free education to university level. - Introduce mandatory savings policy, extend retirement age from 60.

- Income guarantees for farmers worth 70 billion baht. - One-day fixed price for urban rail travel.

- Offer farmers 30,000 baht per household. - Give 1 million land deeds within four years to help farmers.