BANGKOK, June 22 (Xinhua) -- Thailand's Democrat Party leader Jurin Laksanawisit is expected to boost the prices of rubber and oil palm only if given the post of commerce minister.

The Democrat Party leader, who is largely tipped to be concurrently named deputy prime minister and commerce minister in a new cabinet under Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, is visiting Songkhla province in southern Thailand over the weekend.

Songkhla is one of several southern provinces where rubber and palm planters have long expected increases in the lower prices of their products in the domestic markets.

Jurin, a native of the southern province of Phang Nga, was scheduled to visit rubber and palm plantations and a resin factory and Rubber City in Hat Yai, among other destinations.

Songkhla's villagers welcomed Jurin alongside several Democrat MPs and expressed hopes that he could manage to boost the rubber and oil palm prices.