Paetongtarn outlines her vision in report on her first 90 days as PM

Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra detailed her government’s achievements in its first 90 days in office in a speech broadcast on Channel 11 on Thursday.

She also outlined key policies delivered to senior government officials under the campaign theme, “2025: Empowering Thais, a Real Possibility”.

In the speech, the premier announced that her government was working on 11 policies divided into two categories: Six long-term structural policies and five initiatives planned for 2025.

The long-term policies include addressing floods and drought, solving the PM2.5 air pollution, combating drug trafficking, dismantling monopolies, resolving informal business challenges and investing in large-scale future projects.

The five initiatives for next year are the Village and Community Development Programme (SML Project), One District, One Scholarship, digital handouts, household debt resolution and homes for Thais.

The prime minister said her administration’s achievements were built on the foundations laid by her predecessor, Srettha Thavisin. Over the past 90 days, the government, with the cooperation of the Cabinet and civil servants, has worked tirelessly for the people, she said.

‘Prosperous beginnings’

Paetongtarn said she envisions a nation where people can prosper with dignity and pride, adding that 2025 will be a “year of opportunities” with the government aiming to deliver concrete results to create a promising and achievable future.

She also said that her government has devised short, medium and long-term measures to ensure people have a sufficient supply of water. These include studying ways of allowing citizens to dredge canals and exploring sustainable solutions such as floodway projects and large-scale infrastructure to mitigate flooding.

As for the long-term policies, Paetongtarn said one of the most important ones was reducing PM2.5 air pollution, both in terms of particle concentration in the air and health problems caused by air pollution.
Stricter and more effective measures are also being developed to address drug-related issues comprehensively, she added.

“All forms of monopolies increase costs for the public and worsen poverty,” she said, adding that her government was committed to breaking monopolies, particularly in the rice sector.

The premier said that her government also plans to unlock energy price monopolies through legal reforms as well as restructuring the industry and energy costs to make it more affordable for people.

As for informal businesses, she said the government will work to bring underground enterprises into the formal economy and regulate them legally. It is estimated that these businesses account for over 49% of the Thai GDP. Addressing this issue, she said, will both protect citizens and generate additional revenue for the government.

As for technology, she said the aim is to make Thailand the AI hub of the region. With major corporations already investing over 1 trillion baht in establishing data centres, the government sees significant potential in leading this sector.

As for the initiatives her government is set to launch in 2025, Paetongtarn announced the revival of the “One District, One Scholarship” programme, funded by revenue from government lottery sales. Also included in the initiative will be the “One District, One Summer Camp” project, which will give Thai children an opportunity to go overseas for language training. Additionally, district schools will be upgraded into model schools with improved teaching staff and technology to boost students’ language and AI skills.

Working at the grassroots

The government will also empower local communities through the Village and Community Development Programme (SML Project) under the Village and Urban Community Fund, distributing resources and funding to each village. A 5-billion-baht fund will also be set up to support the recovery of small businesses, which she said are the backbone of Thailand’s economy.

As for the “homes for Thais” initiative, the government will provide good quality, fully furnished flats at monthly payments of approximately 4,000 baht over 25 years. The size of the flats will start from 30 square metres. Those aspiring to own a home will be granted a 99-year lease, Paetongtarn said.

The prime minister also announced the second phase of the 10,000-baht cash handout scheme, targeting around 4 million elderly citizens, with payments expected before the Chinese New Year. A third phase for the general public will soon follow, she said.

The prime minister wrapped up her speech with a promise to address rising household debts, especially related to car loans and mortgages.

As an immediate measure, she said, a special effort will be made to completely clear debts for borrowers owing less than 5,000 baht.