Thread: Thai PM Srettha Thavisin receives royal endorsement

• PM to lead his ministers in oath-taking ceremony at the Royal palace on Tuesday

Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin will lead his 34 cabinet ministers to take the oath of allegiance before His Majesty the King at the Royal palace on Tuesday, after a Royal Command was issued yesterday (Friday) announcing the new line-up.

The Cabinet is scheduled to meet at Government House at 3pm on Tuesday for a group photo shoot. After that, they travel in passenger vans to the palace for the oath-taking ceremony at 5pm.

The prime minister is expected to deliver the government’s policy statement to parliament on Friday, to be followed by a debate.

In mid-September, the prime minister and Foreign Minister Parnpree Bahiddha-Nukara will go to the United States, to attend the UN General Assembly in New York.

This afternoon, the prime minister, Transport Minister Suriya Juangroongruangkit and Deputy Transport Minister Manaporn Charoensri are due to meet with about 100 motorcycle taxi drivers, to discuss their services and problems, especially the price of fuel, at the Pheu Thai party headquarters.

The Thai cabinet is made up of a prime minister and 35 ministers. The approved line-up is still one short, after Phichit Chuenban, a long-time lawyer for the Shinawatra family and legal advisor to the Pheu Thai party, made a last-minute decision last night not to accept the Prime Minister’s Office post.

• Mixed expectations from new ministers as Srettha's Cabinet gets to work

Mixed expectations from new ministers as Srettha’s Cabinet gets to work

Months of wait for the new Cabinet ended on Saturday, but reservations were expressed by many observers on Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin’s choice of ministers.

Srettha has kept with himself the Finance portfolio, the first time in 44 years when a prime minister will also double as finance minister. Srettha is likely to have his hands full with his responsibilities in Government House and the Finance Ministry. Many observers, however, believe the two deputy finance ministers will bear most of the burden at the Finance Ministry, especially Krisada Chinavicharana, a former permanent secretary at the ministry.

The Pheu Thai-led coalition government includes Phumtham Wechayachai as minister of Commerce; Suriya Juangroongruangkit — minister of Transport; Pirapan Salirathavibhaga — minister of Energy;

Prasert Chantararuangthong — minister of Digital Economy and Society; Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn — minister of Labour; Pimphattra Wichaikul — minister of Industry; and Sudawan Wangsuphakijkosolo — Tourism and Sports minister.

Worries about Commerce Minister

When asked if he was happy with the new Cabinet under Srettha, Tanit Sorat, the vice chairman of the Employers’ Confederation of Thai Trade and Industry, was cautious. “We can’t make a choice as they have ministerial post quotas, therefore we have to learn to work with them,” said Tanit.

He is not worried about the Finance Ministry, as he has faith in Krisada. But Tanit expressed apprehensions on whether Phumtham, at the helm of Commerce, is keen on free trade negotiations. Thailand needs to negotiate free trade agreements with the European Union and also the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) that have been delayed for several years.

Heading the Commerce Ministry involves a lot of travel. Tanit wonders how Phumtham, who is nearly 70 years old, could handle that kind of proactive role, which is required to rekindle Thailand’s sliding exports that in the first seven months of the year contracted by 5.5 per cent. Tanit sees free trade agreements as the pathway to open more export opportunities.

Revisiting infrastructure plans

Tanit is not worried about the qualifications of the Transport minister, saying that Suriya, as a businessman, could follow up on the work started by the previous government.

Tanit, however, opposes a land bridge project extending from the deep sea port in Ranong province on the coast of the Andaman Sea and the deep sea port in Chumphon province, on the coast of the Gulf of Thailand. Studies by the Office of Transport and Traffic Policy and Planning estimate the cost of deep sea ports and the double rail system and motorways at around 1 trillion baht.

He said it would be a waste of money, similar to the joint-venture between Sri Lanka and Chinese state firms for the Hambantota port with almost no container traffic.

The cost of transporting goods by sea and then transferring goods by land to other ships is high. It would be cheaper for ships from Europe to take the route to Singapore, which takes only two days. Transportation by Thailand’s land bridge would take about 3-4 days, he said.

He urged the government to accelerate construction of the high-speed rail linking three international airports — Don Mueang, Suvarnabhumi and U-Tapao. The Thailand-China rail project linking Bangkok to the northeastern provinces and Laos should also get more attention, he noted.

Tanit warned the government against following a policy of sharply increasing wages. “It would shock businesses. How can you increase the monthly salaries of new graduates to 25,000 baht from 14,000 baht today?” Tanit asked. He was referring to the Pheu Thai Party’s pre-election pledge to increase the daily minimum wage from slightly over 300 baht a day to 600 baht and offer monthly salaries of 25,000 baht to those who have a bachelor’s degree.

Fiscal stability is key

Athiphat Muthitacharoen, associate professor at Chulalongkorn University’s Faculty of Economics, was not concerned about Srettha taking both PM and finance minister positions.

“I think he can manage his time. The greater challenge is of Thailand becoming an aging society, requiring greater spending on welfare, as well as the high pressure on tax revenue from rising costs,” said Athiphat.

In the short term, the economy needs a quick boost, he said. Athiphat raised the Pheu Thai Party’s pre-election promise of handing out every citizen aged over 16 years 10,000 baht as a digital wallet. He wondered how the government was going to implement the scheme, considering its high cost of about 500 to 600 billion baht, or equivalent up to 3.5 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP).

Another difficult balancing act before the government is implementation of energy subsidies. If the government cuts excise taxes it would adversely impact tax revenue, he said.

The Finance Ministry has laid out a medium-term fiscal plan to curb public debt at about 60 per cent of GDP. Rating agencies are watching Thailand’s public finance. If they doubt the government’s ability to honour debt obligations, they could downgrade Thailand’s sovereign rating. This would make it more difficult for the government to borrow money, or the cost could be higher.

Should the government need to borrow to finance its annual expenditure plan and the borrowing is not justified, then it would be troublesome, Athiphat warned. Thailand’s government as well as many governments spent a lot of money during the COVID-19 pandemic, while in the post-pandemic phase the challenge has been to control debt going forward, he added.

Increasing tax

Former finance minister Sommai Phasee has no objection to Srettha doubling up as prime minister and finance minister. He said Srettha’s two deputies — Krisada and Julapun Amornvivat — could carry out tasks at the Finance Ministry. He added that Krisada was capable of handling most of the responsibilities at the ministry, as he has the experience of being the top bureaucrat at the ministry.

Sommai predicted that the new government would not be able to avoid tax hikes. If they can prop the economy up in the first 8-9 months, then the government could raise tax rates later. For example, the value-added tax (VAT) rate could be increased by 1-2 per cent each time, as done by Singapore and Japan. Thailand’s VAT rate is 7 per cent currently. The taxes imposed on land ownership and building should be maintained, despite a section of society opposing them.

Budget cuts not easy

Regarding cutting low-priority projects, Sommai said that it would not be easy to cut the budgets of projects as all state agencies want their annual allocation to increase.

When Pheu Thai was in the opposition, it had campaigned to cut the Defence Ministry’s budget, making a case for the reduction in the purchase of military hardware.

Sutin Klungsang, who has been named the new defence minister, is only the sixth civilian to hold the post. In the past, he had often called for cuts in spending on submarines, fighter jets and drones.

In its filing to the Election Commission, Pheu Thai had elaborated on its plan to finance the 560-billion-baht digital wallet scheme. The party had said the funding would come from four sources: a 260-billion-baht increase in tax revenue, 100 billion baht additional revenue from government stimulus packages, reduce budgets worth 110 billion baht, and cut redundant welfare schemes worth 90 billion baht.

Kind of related

• NESDC points to four major challenges for Srettha's govt

• PM Srettha appoints a special envoy to Asean summit

Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin has appointed a veteran diplomat, Sihasak Phuangketkeow, as his special envoy to head the Thai delegation to the Asean summit and Asean related summits, according to an informed source.

Sihasak, former permanent secretary for foreign affairs and ambassadors to Japan and France, is a versatile diplomat who helped draft the Asean Charter. He will attend the 43th Asean and Asean related summits from Sept 5-7 on behalf of the newly elected prime minister, who has yet to swear in and deliver a policy address to the Parliament.

Sihasak will represent Thailand at the three-day event which will kick off tomorrow (September 5) with more than a dozen meetings among the Asean leaders and their dialogue partners, said the source, who asked not to be named.

Sarun Charoensuwan, Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs, participated in the foreign ministerial and joint coordinating council’s meetings ahead of the leaders’ meeting, the source said.

The Thai PBS World has not been able to confirm whether Sihasak would arrive in time on Sept 5 to take part in the plenary session of Asean summit as well as the opening ceremony of the Asean-Indo Pacific Forum (AIPF) along with the other Asean leaders, The two-day AIPF is the flagship event of the Asean summit, which serves a platform to exchange views and strategies to implement the Asean Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP).

He will also attend several Asean-plus summits with China, Japan, South Korea, the US, Canada, Australia, India and Asean Plus Three.

At the Jakarta summit, twenty-one outcome documents will be released for the Asean Summit and related meetings. Last month, the outgoing Thai government approved all of the proposed documents by the chair.

The main one will be the Jakarta Declaration: Asean Matters: Epicentrum of Growth, which prescribes joint commitments to promote Asean centrality, specify its growth, maintain Asean’s role in the region, and operationalize the Asean Outlook on the Indo-Pacific.

Other documents to be endorsed by the Asean leaders are related to human rights, early childhood educational care development, assistance for people with disabilities and gender equality and family development. For the Asean cooperation with dialogue partners under the AOIP guidelines, Asean will endorse joint statements with South Korea and the US.

The Asean leaders will also endorse a joint statement between Asean and China on Mutually Beneficial Cooperation between AOIP and the Belt and Road Initiative.

Chinese Prime Minister Li Qiang will participate in the Asean summits for the first time since being elected to the post in March.After the East Asia Summit on Thursday, Indonesia will hand over the chairmanship to Lao People’s Democratic Republic, although Vientiane won’t officially take up the reins until January.

• Cabinet policy outlined in upcoming statement to parliament

The policy of the newly approved cabinet led by Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin can be summarised in 7 points, namely “1 stimulation, 3 speeding up and 3 creation,” a news source from Pheu Thai Party said on Tuesday.

Srettha is finalising a statement of policy to announce to the Parliament on Friday (September 8).

The cabinet under Srettha and the Pheu Thai-led coalition has received His Majesty the King’s endorsement and was published in the Royal Gazette on Saturday.

According to the source, details of the policy are as follows:

* Stimulation

The new government aims to stimulate the domestic economy by launching the digital wallet scheme under which 10,000 baht of digital money will be provided to all Thais aged over 16 years.
The money must be spent at local businesses within a 4km radius of the citizen’s registered address within six months. It is estimated that about 560 billion baht will be required for the project.
The scheme could potentially increase its value sixfold to 3 trillion baht. It is set to start on January 1, 2024.

* Speeding up

The government will speed up the process/implementation of three key issues:
- Amendment of the constitution, with a focus on preserving the constitutional monarchy, by establishing a publicly elected constituent assembly.
- Set a debt moratorium for up to 3 years for farmers and 1 year for businesses affected by the Covid-19 outbreak.
- Reduce energy prices and the cost of living.

* Creation

- Creating revenues in high-potential industries such as tourism by providing free visas, and improving airport operations and flight management. The plan to raise the minimum wage to 600 baht and the minimum salary for Bachelor’s degree graduates to 25,000 baht also falls in this category.
- Creating career opportunities to reduce economic disparity, for example, providing land title deeds to farmers, promoting tree planting for carbon credit trading, reducing costs and burden of SMEs, and promoting a soft-power economy.
- Creating a better quality of life for all Thais, for example, solving the drug problems by treating addicts as patients, seizing assets of drug producers and dealers, improving the national healthcare scheme, and doing away with mandatory military conscription.

As new Cabinet is sworn in, Srettha says 'no honeymoon period' for his government

Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin vowed that his government would uphold the principles of democracy with the King as head of state, as he led his new Cabinet to take the oath of office on Tuesday.
The swearing-in ceremony took place at Amphorn Sathan Residential Hall in Bangkok in the presence of Their Majesties the King and Queen.

The PM was accompanied by his team of 34 ministers and deputies.

After the ceremony, Srettha told reporters that he would heed His Majesty's teachings as a standard while working.

He reiterated that his administration would serve as the people's government that would work tirelessly in the interests of the public.

He vowed to promote equality among all citizens in order to increase Thailand's prosperity.

When asked if he would personally head the government’s economic team, Srettha said that he would need to discuss the matter with other ministers first. He said “all ministers understand and are aware of the problems that the people are facing”.

“We are sincere and cognizant of the economic and conflict issues affecting citizens. The government would tackle each of these issues equally and work to move forward and find solutions as soon as possible,” he added.

The prime minister declared that his government would not have a "honeymoon period" and it would start working right away.

Srettha is set to hold a special meeting with his Cabinet on Wednesday to discuss the declaration of policies to Parliament, set for September 11-12.

After the government announces its policies to the legislature, the first formal Cabinet meeting will be convened. The agenda would include holding a referendum to amend the present Constitution and lowering energy costs, as promised by the Pheu Thai Party.

Srettha said that such plans would be explained on September 11–12.

PM Srettha urges public to trust his government | Thai PBS World

• Srettha vows his government will end the corrupt trading of official positions

Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin on Wednesday promised intensive efforts to crack down on corruption, especially among state officials.

Speaking at a forum to mark Thailand’s Anti-Corruption Day on Wednesday (September 6), the PM pledged that he would end the buying and selling of state officials' positions, as well as unfair transfers and demotions.

The event was hosted by the Anti-Corruption Organisation of Thailand (ACT) at Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal in Bangkok.

“We will make sure that all state officials are treated with fairness while their honour is upheld as implementers of government policies,” Srettha said. “The buying and selling of official positions must have no place in this government. This is what we intend to push forward.”

The PM assured the people that the government would adhere to legal principles in managing the country and would implement modern technology to ensure full transparency and verifiability of all working processes.

These technologies are, for example, disbursement of state budget via the electronic channel instead of in cash; e-application for government services under the one-stop service platform; implementing open government practices for procurement projects, and transforming Thailand into a full digital government that allows the public to monitor and inspect the administration processes.

During the forum, ACT president Wichian Phongsathorn urged the new government to strengthen anti-corruption efforts in five key areas:

1. Make anti-corruption a national agenda and establish a committee chaired by the PM with participation by representatives from all sectors to address problems of corruption.
2. Promote the independent and impartial operation of anti-corruption agencies, including the National Anti-Corruption Commission, the Auditor-General’s Office, and the Office of Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission.
3. Push the enactment of any pending corruption-related laws, notably the law on public information under the state’s possession.
4. All government agencies must make publicly available the information about contracts, procurement projects, as well as the terms of reference, either via the ACT’s Ai platform or any channel that offers international standard of transparency.
5. Amend state regulations that have been used in the past as an excuse not to reveal information related to a corruption case.

Thailand had a score of 36 out of 100 in the Transparency International Corruption Index in 2022, to be ranked 101st globally, and fourth in Asean behind Singapore, Malaysia, and Vietnam. Thailand’s ranking was a jump from 110 in the previous year with a score of 35.

________

In other news……

PM Srettha says he'll prove his ability within 6 months

New govt's agenda outlined in draft paper

A draft policy statement has been handed out to parliamentarians highlighting the Srettha government's priorities, including the 10,000-baht digital wallet scheme, addressing debt problems, cutting energy and revising the charter.

We'll just put corruption on the back burner.

Kind of miss my Thai corruption thread that was removed.

I set it up; well in advance, knowing what would happen and it would have given everyone an idea how Thailand operates.

Sudawan Wangsuphakijkosol: First-time MP ready to blaze trail as tourism minister

Sudawan Wangsuphakijkosol, a first-time MP, has surprised observers by winning a post in Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin’s new Cabinet. The 41-year-old was catapulted to the top of Thailand’s political tree as the scion of one of the country’s most influential political clans.

Sudawan was handed the sought-after post of tourism and sports minister on September 2, becoming the youngest member of the Cabinet.

Family matters

Born in 1982, Sudawan is the eldest daughter of Weerasak Wangsuphakijkosol, a former deputy commerce minister, and his wife Yolada, who is chief executive of Nakhon Ratchasima Provincial Administrative Organization.

Weerasak, widely known as Kamnan Por, earned his nickname after spending decades as a kamnan or subdistrict chief in Nakhon Ratchasima. After twice being named as an outstanding kamnan, he entered national politics in 2019 and was elected as a party-list MP under the Bhumjaithai banner.

Foreshadowing his daughter’s success as a first-time MP, Weerasak was handed a Cabinet role thanks to his status as the head of a faction of local MPs.

Earlier this year, he decided to quit Bhumjaithai and join Pheu Thai over a reported conflict with Bhumjaithai patriarch Newin Chidchob.

Weerasak’s support contributed significantly to Pheu Thai’s success at the last general election, adding 14 seats including two party-list MPs to its final tally.

Along with its vote-winning appeal in Nakhon Ratchasima, the Wangsuphakijkosol family enjoys considerable wealth. Weerasak has assets totaling about 247 million baht, while his wife is worth over 200 million baht.

However, the May 14 election saw Sudawan run as a Pheu Thai party-list candidate on behalf of her father, who cited health problems as his reason for withdrawing from national politics. Pheu Thai placed her at No 21 on its list – an even higher ranking than a strong candidate for government spokesman post, Danuporn Punnakan, who has been with the party since the early 2000s when it was known as Thai Rak Thai.

Standing firmly alongside Sudawan in the clan’s faction of MPs are her partner, Nikorn Soemklang; her brother, Arthit Wangsuphakijkosol; her cousins, Noraset and Pornthep Sirirotanakul; and Noraset’s wife Piyanuch Yindeesuk.

From tapioca to tourism minister

Sudawan graduated with a bachelor’s in engineering from Suranaree University of Technology and took over her family’s tapioca business – Eiamheng Tapioca Starch Industry Company.

Last year, the company earned more than 6.25 billion baht in revenue with a profit of 67.78 million baht. After three decades in business, the company’s assets now stand at 4.04 billion baht.

Following in the footsteps of her father, Sudawan decided to leave the business to other family members and focus on politics instead.

Challenging mission ahead

Though Sudawan has no experience in the tourism industry, pundits began predicting she would helm the Tourism and Sports Ministry after she accompanied PM Srettha to Phuket on a fact-finding mission late last month. Phuket is Thailand’s No 1 tourism destination after Bangkok, drawing millions of international visitors each year.

Sudawan may have earned her new post thanks to family connections, but she will still need to prove herself in a challenging mission.

New PM Srettha has entrusted her with an important role, given that tourism remains Thailand’s key economic driver. Before COVID-19, tourism revenue was estimated at nearly 16% of the country’s gross domestic product.

An overhaul of the tourist visa system was one of new PM Srettha’s first actions after taking office. From October, visitors from China will be able to enter Thailand visa-free. Srettha has also vowed to woo investors for new plans to promote Thai tourism.

As the new tourism-boosting measures materialize, Sudawan’s job will be to steer and supervise their implementation for concrete results. Her performance as tourism and sports minister will determine how far she can go in her political career.

• New foreign minister Parnpree expected to pursue diplomacy with economic dimension

Thailand’s Foreign Minister Parnpree Bahiddha-Nukara is expected to impart a new momentum to the country’s foreign policy with a strong emphasis on exploring economic dimensions of bilateral and multilateral relationships.

Parnpree is widely expected to utilize his long years of experience in the economic sector with many different governments after the Cold War to drive Thailand’s foreign affairs in a new direction.

Diplomacy in the household

Parnpree was born into a diplomatic family in 1957. His grandfather, Phra Bahiddhanukara, and his father, Preecha Bahiddhanukara, are both former senior officials at the Foreign Ministry who are also deeply connected with the royal family.

Parnpree’s academic track may not have been aimed at a career in foreign affairs and diplomacy. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in law from Chulalongkorn University and followed it up with a Master’s and Ph.D in public administration from Southern California University and Claremont Graduate University in the United States respectively.

Parnpree began his career in the Thai bureaucracy as a junior official in the policy and strategy coordinating division of the Office of Prime Minister’s Secretary in the 1980s when General Prem Tinsulanonda was the premier. He worked closely with and learned a lot from Prime Minister Chatichai Choonhavan for two years before a military coup in 1991.

Chatichai, whose innovative foreign policy initiatives turned a war zone in neighboring Indochina countries into a marketplace in the late 1980s, also had close relations with Parnpree as the grandfather of his wife Paweena Bahiddha-Nukara. Parnpree was proud to have served Chatichai loyally during troubled times. Parnpree quit his job as a civil servant at the Prime Minister’s Office to live in exile with Chatichai in the United Kingdom after the 1991 coup.

Tied to Thaksin’s party

Parnpree returned to Thailand in the mid-1990s and opted to work in the private sector. He remained connected with politics as an executive committee member of the Chart Pattana Party and climbed the political ladder within the party to become its deputy leader in 2003 until the party’s merger with Thaksin Shinawatra’s Thai Rak Thai Party in 2005.

Parnpree got involved in foreign affairs when he was picked up as an advisor to Prime Minister Chavalit Yongchaiyudh on economic and foreign policies in 1996, before the collapse of the Thai economy in the Asian financial crisis a year later.

He got a chance to practice foreign economic relations when was a vice minister for commerce from 2003-2005, headed the Thai negotiation team for the free trade agreement with India, as well as the Thailand-BIMSTEC economic grouping involving India, Bangladesh, Myanmar and Sri Lanka in 2004-2005.

Established in 1997, BIMSTEC stands for the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation. Both the Thailand-India and BIMSTEC Free Trade Agreements took effect in 2004 but negotiation continued for years to have their full implementation.

Range of experiences

Parnpree served in several positions during Thaksin Shinawatra’s administration, including as vice minister for industry in 2005, advisor to the industry minister 2005-06, and Thailand Trade Representative in 2005-06.

He took a short break from politics after Thaksin’s government was toppled in a military coup in 2006, before taking a position as a deputy leader of Pheu Thai Party. He became the chief of the party’s economic team and strategist of Pheu Thai from 2008-2010.

Parnpree focused on the energy sector during Yingluck Shinawatra’s administration when he was an advisor to the energy minister from 2012-2014. He also was the independent director and chairman of the board of directors of PTT Public Company Ltd in 2013-2014.

After a military coup in 2014 toppled Yingluck’s government, Parnpree confined himself mostly to the private sector. He was an advisor to Central Group since 2014, the director of Global Utilities Service Company since 2015, and the chairman of the Board of Directors Robowealth Mutual Fund Brokerage Securities Company from 2019 until recently.

Back in active politics

Parnpree returned to the political spotlight again before the May election when he was named as a key member of the Pheu Thai Party’s economic team. He is reportedly the brain behind the party’s controversial 10,000 baht digital wallet scheme, viewed as a populist package used by Pheu Thai to lure voters in the May 14 general election.

The newly appointed minister had made his views on foreign policy clear when he took exception to Thailand’s role in the Myanmar crisis. The caretaker government under Prayut Chan-o-cha had no necessity or urgency to host an informal meeting with participation of a minister from Myanmar’s military junta, going against ASEAN’s policy, he told media in June when the meeting took place in Bangkok.

Thailand should support the role of ASEAN, acting in concert with the international community, he said. ASEAN is important for Thailand as it is an area of growth with trade and investment pouring in, he said.

_________

• Govt eyes El Nino mitigation

The government is stepping up efforts to address concerns about decreased rainfall and drought caused by the El Nino weather phenomenon that is affecting Thailand's agricultural sector, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin said.

• New PM visits Khon Kaen to get some grass root opinions

Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, accompanied by some members of the Cabinet, met with people in a northeastern province of Khon Kaen today (Friday) and discussed drought problems.

This is his first provincial trip after taking the oath of office on Tuesday. His government will be fully functional after delivering its policy statement to parliament on Monday.

He led his entourage in paying respects at sacred shrines in Muang district at about 8.15am, where he was welcomed by villagers chanting “PM Srettha will make us rich.”

The group then had breakfast at a popular Kai Kata (fried egg with toppings) restaurant, before going to the Ubol Ratana Dam.

There, he was updated on the drought and other problems. Khon Kaen governor Kraisorn Kongchalad briefed him about water management and the general situation in the province.

In Nam Phong district, people complained to Srettha about the hardships being caused by the continued low prices of agricultural products and the rising cost of living.

This evening, Srettha will go to Udon Thani province, where he will be briefed on the progress of the Udon Thani International Horticultural Expo 2026.

________

• PM Srettha agrees to use bullet-proof Mecedes-Benz

Before going to take oath of office at Dusit Royal Palace on September 5, Prime Minister Srettha arrived at Government House in his new Lexus LM 350h Executive saloon, causing many to wonder whether he will use it as his official vehicle.

Some went further, claiming that Srettha wanted to use the Lexus as his official vehicle, because he did not want to have the same vehicle as his predecessor Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha. The subject of Srettha’s transport has been widely debated on Thai social media.

The following day, however, the media at Government House reported that officials had brought a specially equipped Mercedes-Benz to the front entrance and Srettha was seen getting into the back seat of the German vehicle and then getting back out again.

An informed source said that the new prime minister, who is 192cm tall, wanted to make sure that the vehicle would be comfortable for someone of his size. Srettha is the second tallest leader of the world.

Srettha later told reporters that he found it pleasant sitting in the bullet-proof limousine, saying “Yes, I will use it as my official vehicle. It’s good, no need to buy a new one.”

PM Srettha aims to meet Biden during his US trip for UN General Assembly

Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin on Thursday expressed his wish to meet with US President Joe Biden during his upcoming trip to New York to attend the United Nations General Assembly.
Srettha also said that he hoped to welcome President Biden on the American leader’s future trip to Thailand, which he expected to take place soon.

The Thai PM is scheduled to attend the 78th session of the UN General Assembly to be held at the UN headquarters from September 18-26.

He expressed the wish during his meeting with US Ambassador Robert F Godec, who called on him at the Pheu Thai Party headquarters on Thursday.

Godec congratulated Srettha on his appointment as Thailand’s new prime minister.

Also taking part in the meeting were Deputy Premier and Foreign Minister Panpree Phahitthanukorn, Deputy Foreign Minister Jakkapong Sangmanee, and PM’s secretary-general Prommin Lertsuridej.

Srettha thanked the American ambassador and praised the long diplomatic ties between Thailand and the US. Ambassador Godec said he hoped the bilateral ties would continue to gain in strength after 190 years of strong relations.

Both sides promised cooperation in areas with mutual benefits, including trade, investment, as well as global issues, such as climate change.

_________

New industry minister's vision for industrial development

Despite being a first-time minister, Pimpatra Wichaikul appears to be well-equipped to deal with the challenges and knows what policies need to be implemented in the first three months to push industry as the main engine for economic growth.

She has already had discussions with senior industry ministry officials about the policies, which must be implemented as a priority, to improve the efficiency of SMEs, increase the competitiveness of Thai industries, stimulate the grass root economy and provide one-stop services to facilitate business operators.

New or future industries, such as robotics, the bio circular economy, electric vehicles, the smart electronics sector, zero carbon and defence industries, among others, are also to play an important role in driving the economy.

She also attaches importance to enabling people in local communities to enjoy job security and stable incomes, in order to reduce household debt and to overcome the middle income trap for sustainable prosperity.

• PM refuses more funding for International Horticultural Expo in Udon Thani

Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin has rejected a request from the Udon Thani provincial administration for an additional 3 billion baht, on top of the 2.5 billion baht already approved by the cabinet, for the hosting of the International Horticultural Exposition in the province from November 1st, 2026 to March 17th, 2027.

At a briefing on the progress of the exposition project, during his visit to Udon Thani yesterday (Friday), the prime minister told those at the meeting that the request for 3 billion baht fund is unacceptable because the government has a limited budget and it must be allocated to other equally important projects.

He assured them, however, that the government is supportive of the project and hopes that it will boost sustainable tourism in this north-eastern province.

He suggested that the organiser of the project incorporates north-eastern culture in the event, so foreign visitors would be made aware of the cultural roots of the north-eastern people.

The expo is to be held on 160 hectares of land and a 64 hectare waterway in Nong Khae public park in Mueang district, which is now being constructed and landscaped. Exhibitors from about 20 countries are expected to participate.

During his visit to Nong Khai province, the last leg of his north-eastern inspection tour, the prime minister and his entourage met with private sector representatives and local people.

The private sector has urged his government to speed up the construction of the high-speed train system, linking Nong Khai with Bangkok, and to build the second Thai-Lao Bridge, claiming that the existing Thai-Lao friendship bridge cannot accommodate train and car transport at the same time, resulting in bottlenecks.

The private sector also proposed that the government ease immigration restrictions, to promote tourism in Nong Khai.

The government group left Udon Thani by train, heading to Nong Khai this morning. Also on the train were business leaders from Udon Thani, who were seen huddled in discussion with the prime minister and his staff.

The train stopped at Na Tha station, which has been designated as a cargo terminal for the dual-track train project, to allow the prime minister and his team to receive a briefing on the progress of the project.

• Farming subsidies only distort world prices, says Srettha as he promises 5% growth

Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin said on Friday that his government aimed to boost Thailand’s annual GDP growth to 5%.

“The government wants to see more growth in the GDP, and the goal is for it to grow 5% per year,” he said during a stop in Khon Kaen province while visiting the Northeast.

As of the second quarter of this year, Thailand’s GDP growth stood at 1.8%, as per data released by the National Economic and Social Development Council.

This was lower than the 2.6% achieved in the first quarter and fell short of the median forecast of 3.1% growth in the second quarter.

Srettha, who doubles as finance minister, also said his government will not implement a rice-pledging or price-guarantee scheme seen in preceding administrations, “unless in cases of a natural disaster”.

He said these subsidy schemes “distort world market prices” and were not a proper measure under the financial and monetary principles.

“We will focus on boosting the net income for farmers. With instant income, high yields and low costs, farmers’ net revenue will rise. There’s no need for price-guarantee or rice-pledging programs, as they distort world market prices. This also applies to other kinds of farm produce,” Srettha said.

Farming subsidies only distort world prices, says Srettha as he promises 5% growth

As for the debt moratorium for farmers, he said his government will implement this policy along with other measures aimed at raising the income for farmers. He noted that over the past nine years, some 13 debt moratoriums have been implemented for farmers.

“But farmers’ incomes have not risen. We need to introduce other measures to help farmers cut their costs and educate them about raising their incomes,” the PM said while meeting with local residents and officials at the Ubol Ratana Dam in Khon Kaen.

Since the Northeast is prone to drought, Srettha said his government had a long-term solution for the problem. The solution, he said, was building a long pipeline that would transport water from four rivers in the Northeast to the dam.

“We don’t always want to use short-term measures to tackle this issue. We want to see a long-term solution. This project should relieve the [drought] problem in the long term,” he said.

The PM and his entourage, which included many relevant Cabinet ministers, left Khon Kaen later on Friday to head to the neighbouring Udon Thani province.

In Udon Thani, Srettha visited Nong Dae Park, which is the venue for the International Horticultural Expo 2026 to be held between November 2026 and March 2027.

The PM complained that in addition to the 2.5 billion baht allocated for the expo, the organisers had asked for another 3 billion, which would push the total cost to as high as 5.5 billion.

“How did the budget jump that high? Where will the government get that much money? We also have [financial] burdens in other areas. The government has a limited budget to be spent on many sectors,” he said.

Srettha continued his Northeast trip on Saturday by travelling from Udon Thani to Nong Khai province on the border with Laos.

He and his entourage, which included Deputy PM and Commerce Minister Phumtham Wechayachai, and many business leaders took a second-class train-ride to the neighbouring province.

While travelling, Srettha and his fellow high-ranking passengers also discussed the transportation of Thai goods to China by train.

Nirut Maneephan, the State Railway of Thailand governor, told the PM that double train tracks have reached Khon Kaen and will be extended to Nong Khai in the second phase. Upon completion, he said, this project will open new transportation corridors between Thailand and China via Laos.

In Nong Khai, Srettha inspected the site for a goods distribution centre with one-stop services, to be built next to Natha train station. The project covers an area of 193 rai (31 hectares) and is expected to require an investment of 5.4 billion baht.

• Defence minister denies appointing Shinawatra family members

Thailand’s new defence minister Sutin Klungsang denied a report today (Sunday) that he has appointed two members of the Shinawatra family as his chief advisor and secretary.

The report was based on a leaked defence minister order, appointing six individuals to his staff, including Payap Shinawatra, younger brother of former prime minister Thaksin as chief of his advisors, and Porpong, Payap’s son, as his secretary. The order on which the report was based was not, however, signed.

In his Facebook post today, Sutin claimed that the order is a fake, adding that he had not made any appointments at all because he has no authority to do so, until after the delivery of the government’s policy statement to parliament tomorrow.

Yesterday, Sutin attended a workshop on “Thailand’s security under the new world order and geo-politics”, held at Rangsit University.

During the workshop, the defence minister said that he had met with several former defence ministers and others to get their perspectives on national security. From the National Security Council he came to the understanding that national security is defined as a fight against social conflict, lack of trust in political institutions, environmental imbalance, epidemics, unrest in three southern provinces, terrorism, multinational crime, illegal narcotics, poverty and illegal immigrants.

He also said that, in his opinion, the Thai military must reduce the procurement of armaments. He cited the purchase of submarines from China, saying that the Royal Thai Navy should scrap the contract or ask for surface ships instead if the submarines are not equipped with German-made engines, as stipulated in the contract.

__________

In other news…..

• PM wants police to serve the people, not the powerful

• Three big battles for new defense minister: spending, conscription, and peace talks

Armed with little or no background in military or security affairs, Sutin Klungsang faces huge challenges ahead as the newly appointed defense minister.

However, security analysts reckon his ability to manage the armed forces will be enhanced by the respected military men among his advisers, including two retired Army generals who previously served as chiefs of the National Security Council (NSC).

Sutin’s appointment as defense minister marks a new chapter in Thai politics, notes Wanwichit Boonprong, a political science lecturer at Rangsit University.

Sutin, a deputy leader of the biggest coalition party, Pheu Thai, is Thailand’s sixth civilian defense minister but the first who does not double as prime minister.

Wanwichit dismissed criticism that Sutin’s lack of military experience would undermine his performance at the Defense Ministry, explaining that he had gathered a strong team of advisors who could reduce his workload and guide him safely past potential pitfalls.

Strong team of advisers

The new defense minister is expected to appoint General Natthapon Nakpanich as his secretary and General Somsak Roongsita as one of his advisors. Both men are former NSC secretaries-general and were key members of the Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) under General Prayut Chan-o-cha’s government.

Natthapon, a former Army deputy chief who served as the CCSA’s operations director, had been tipped for the job of defense minister. He was viewed as a trusted troubleshooter for Prayut during the previous administration.

Sutin’s team of advisors also features a dozen more people with security backgrounds, according to media reports. Most of them are retired generals from the armed forces or the police force.

Sutin has also called on two former defense ministers and an ex-prime minister with military backgrounds to seek their advice and blessings on his new job. He met ex-PM General Chavalit Yongchaiyudh and former defense ministers General Thammarak Isarangkura na Ayudhaya and ACM Sukampol Suwannathat separately at their homes.

Sixth civilian defense minister

Much more in the article

• Pol Gen Torsak tipped to be new national police chief

In a move, described as a win-win, deputy police commissioner Pol Gen Roy Ingkapairote will be appointed National Security Council (NSC) chief, paving the way for Pol Gen Torsak Sukvimol to become the new police commissioner, an informed source said today (Monday).

Both Roy, the most senior deputy commissioner of the four, and Torsak, the second most senior, will reach their retirement age next September.

If either of them is promoted to the top police post, replacing Pol Gen Damrongsak Kittipraphat who is due to retire at the end of this month, one of them will retire as the deputy commissioner.

“It is likely that Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin will transfer Roy to be NSC chief and appoint Torsak as the new police commissioner,” the source said.

Citing good governance, former prime minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, as the previous chairman of the Police Commission, passed the decision of who would be the new police commissioner to Srettha.

The position of NSC chief has usually been occupied by non-NSC officials, mostly from the military. The current NSC chief, who will retire by the end of this month, is Gen Supoj Malaniyom, a former joint chief of staff.

Earlier, the source reported that the military planned to nominate Maj-Gen Nakrob Boonbuathong, deputy director of the coordinating centre of the Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC), as the next NSC secretary general.

• Deputy finance minister defends digital wallet scheme

Deputy Finance Minister Julapun Amornvivat has defended Pheu Thai’s digital wallet scheme, claiming that it is intended to stimulate the grass root economy and develop digital economy infrastructure through the use of a blockchain platform.

Speaking during the debate on government’s policy statement today (Monday), Julapun assured parliament that the government will adhere to fiscal discipline and will not source the funding for the digital wallet scheme from national reserves, the social security fund, the Vayupak mutual fund or by borrowings which would increase public debt, as feared by its critics.

Regarding the restriction on the spending of the 10,000 baht for every Thai national who is 16 or older, that it must be spent in stores within a 4km radius of their residence, Julapun said that the government is collecting opinions from all stakeholders as to whether it should be 4km or more and whether the scheme will actually help to stimulate grass root economy.

He disagreed with the suggestion that big corporations should not be allowed to participate in the scheme, saying that the government has no intention to discriminate against big business.

More importantly, he said, the public should have the right to decide where they will spend the money, whether at “mom and pop” grocery stores, convenience stores or in a department store.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, who is also finance minister, said that the 4km limit will be maintained as a rule, except in some rural areas, where there are only a handful of stores, then some adjustments will be made for suitability.

• Shooting of police officer "unacceptable and beyond expectation" – PM

The shooting in Nakhon Pathom province last week, in which a highway police officer was killed, is unacceptable and beyond expectation, said Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin today (Tuesday).

Srettha invited National Police Commissioner Pol Gen Damrongsak Kittipraphat to give him a briefing about the incident and progress in the investigation.

“I emphasised to the police chief that the investigations have to be fair. Such an incident will never be accepted. No one would expect that to happen,” Srettha said.

The fatal shooting occurred during a party at the house of Praween Chanklai, aka “Kamnan Nok”, the chief of Ta Kong sub-district in Mueang district of Nakhon Pathom last Wednesday.

Praween’s close aide, known as “Nong”, allegedly shot and killed a highway police officer, Pol Maj Sivakorn Saibua, and injured another.

Nong was later killed by police during a gunfight as he resisted arrest.

The shooting at Praween’s house occurred in front of scores of police officers attending a dinner party.

Arrest warrants were issued for many of those in the house at the time of the shootings, for helping Kamnan Nok escape and for tampering with evidence.

Srettha said he wants to tell all police, as a chairperson of Police Commission, that his government will not tolerate influential groups or mafia.

He promised that he will do everything in his power to prevent such an incident from happening again and will treat all parties concerned with fairness.

Srettha asked for time to solve the problems and guaranteed that, if he finds any corruption or wrongdoing, he will deal with it immediately.

Free visas will not support illicit Chinese businesses in Thailand, assures Sudawan

Thailand’s free visa policy for Chinese and Indian passport holders will not benefit operators of illegal businesses, Tourism Minister Sudawan Wangsupakitkosol said on Tuesday.

Instead, she said, this policy will expedite revenue generation in the tourism sector.

She added that the ministry was paying close attention to the issue of illegal Chinese businesses like zero-dollar tours that tarnish Thailand’s image and affect tourism. She said this was a good opportunity for both Thai and Chinese tourism ministries to tackle this challenge systematically.

Strict enforcement of the law against all forms of illegal businesses is necessary, she said, adding that Chinese travellers should not be blamed for exploiting Thai business operators.

Besides, she said, more than 2.23 million Chinese arrivals this year have contributed more than 100 billion baht in revenue.

The minister said an increase in foreign arrivals will significantly contribute to Thailand’s economic and financial growth.

Sudawan added that Tourist Police have implemented measures to screen tourists with bad behaviour and have established a centre along with a smartphone application to help tourists promptly.

This ensures all tourists are safe, she said.

She also said that the ministry will work on dealing with PM2.5 air pollution in Chiang Mai as it could affect tourism. The North of Thailand suffers PM2.5 pollution (particulate matter smaller than 2.5 microns in diameter in the air) every year due to the open burning of farm waste and garbage, forest fires and vehicle emissions.

Sudawan added that her ministry was now aiming for 3 trillion baht in tourism revenue next year compared to 1.9 trillion baht before the pandemic.

The ministry will cooperate with related agencies closely to sustainably improve the quality of Thailand’s tourism sector and its economic potential, she added.

• Chuan to Srettha: Don't go to jail or go into exile

Former prime minister Chuan Leekpai today offered Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin a valuable piece of advice: “Don’t go to jail or go into exile.”

Speaking on the second day of the parliamentary debate on the Srettha government’s policy statement, Chuan also called on the prime minister not to discriminate against the southern region when it comes to development budget.

Chuan said he believed that Srettha was as qualified as all the previous prime ministers from Thai Rak Thai and Pheu Thai parties but it was too early to judge whether he would perform his duty honestly.

“My advice is that don’t cross the line, don’t go to jail and don’t go into exile,” Chuan said.

It was not clear why Chuan came up with the remarks but they are understood to refer to former prime ministers Thaksin and Yingluck Shinawatra who were both sentenced to prison for corruption of duty before fleeing the country.

In response, Srettha thanked Chuan for his advice and said he entered politics with an intention to improve the people’s livelihood.

“I came in with an open mind to work for the country,” he said and noted that the former prime minister had mispronounced his name. Indeed, Chuan did refer to Srettha as “Chettha”.

Srettha also said that as far as development is concerned his government would have no discrimination against any particular regions.

For years, Chuan has complained that the southern region was deliberately ignored by Pheu Thai and Thai Rak Thai when the parties were in power because it is considered to be the political stronghold of his Democrat Party.