PM appears relaxed as he jokes with reporters at Government House

Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin was amused to see so many journalists waiting for him as he arrived the Government House at 9.18am this morning, remarking, “Wow, there are a lot of reporters here today”.

He told them he had slept well and visited Wat Thepsirintrawat Ratchaworawihan this morning, where his mother's funeral was held, adding that he wanted to express his gratitude to the abbot, who had been very supportive during the funeral. They talked about football, but no words of encouragement were exchanged.

When asked if he had any concerns, Srettha replied that he was worried about everything all the time but pointed out that the verdict in the case against him for allegedly breaching the Constitution and the code of ethics was no longer in his hands and should proceed according to the judicial process, as he had stated before.

He confirmed that he would continue to work as usual. At noon, he plans to visit the Ploenchit Underpass Market in the Pathumwan District. He is interested in utilising the vast space under the expressway for recreational purposes or creating opportunities for people to open shops at reasonable rent to supplement their income.

Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt had previously invited him to visit, and he decided to go today because he believes it’s a good initiative. He intends to instruct the Ministry of Transport and the Expressway Authority of Thailand to develop similar spaces in other areas.

The Prime Minister was noticeably relaxed, engaging with the media comfortably. He also mentioned that he would be willing to give another interview after the Constitutional Court's ruling, expected around 3pm, but emphasised that it would be an informal discussion rather than an official press conference.