Thaksin tells Pheu Thai to abandon digital wallet scheme: sources
Order from ruling party patriarch reportedly came hours after Srettha Thavisin was removed as prime minister by court order
Pheu Thai patriarch Thaksin Shinawatra has told the ruling party to abandon its digital wallet flagship policy.
Party sources said Thaksin gave the order during a meeting with Pheu Thai core members at his Chan Song Lar residence on Wednesday evening, hours after Srettha Thavisin was removed as prime minister by the Constitutional Court.
The sources said former PM Thaksin told his daughter, Pheu Thai leader Paetongtarn Shinawatra, to drop the controversial 450-billion-baht scheme for digital handouts of 10,000 baht.
He explained to her that the scheme should be halted as the economy was weak, a source said.
The scheme is meant to stimulate spending but has faced heavy criticism for the vast government budget involved. After dithering over how to finance the scheme, the government eventually reduced the cost from 500 billion to 450 billion and spread the burden over two budget years – 2024 and 2025.
Caretaker deputy finance minister Julapun Amornvivat changed his stance on the scheme after Wednesday’s meeting at Thaksin’s house. Earlier, Julapun had said the project would continue no matter what happened to Srettha.
On Thursday, however, he said the scheme's fate now lay in the hands of the incoming prime minister and Cabinet. He told reporters at Parliament that he could not confirm whether the digital wallet project would proceed.
“When a new prime minister is elected and after he or she forms the new Cabinet, the government will have to present its policies to Parliament again,” Julapun said.
“So, we must treat the next PM with due respect by allowing him or her to select which policies will be taken up as government policies.”
However, Pheu Thai would bring up the digital wallet scheme in negotiations with its coalition partners to form a new Cabinet, he added.
“In each round of negotiations, the partners will propose their policies for discussion. So, I can’t tell you more,” he said.
Julapun said subcommittees of the panel in charge of implementing the digital wallet scheme would continue to hold meetings pending the new Cabinet’s decision.
Finance Ministry permanent secretary Lawan Saengsanit would chair meetings of the subcommittees on his behalf, he said.
