Paetongtarn vows to continue ‘major economic stimulus measures’

Newly appointed Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has vowed to continue major economic stimulus measures of the Srettha government.

But Paetongtarn, who was appointed as Thailand’s 31st prime minister by royal command on Sunday, stopped short of saying she was referring to the controversial digital wallet scheme in which the previous government planned to spend 450 billion baht to hand out to 10,000 eligible recipients.

Earlier, Pheu Thai sources said former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra had told his daughter, Paetongtarn, to abandon the digital wallet programme as it was too problematic.

The government of Srettha Thavisin had gone back and forth on details on how it would finance the scheme, and it eventually reduced the budget for the programme from 500 billion baht to 450 billion baht.

Paetongtarn succeeded Srettha after he was removed from office by the Constitutional Court on Wednesday.

After her appointment by royal command, Paetongtarn held a press conference at the main hall of the Voice Space building in Bangkok, which has been designated as the new head office of the Pheu Thai Party, saying she would continue major stimulus measures of the previous government.

“I’m determined to push for economic policies continually, no matter whether they are major stimulus measures nor not,” Paetongtarn told the press conference.

She said her government would continue measures to suppress drug trafficking and continue to improve the services of the 30-baht universal health-care programme that would make it more convenient for Thais to receive treatment.

She added that her government would also continue to implement policies to push Thailand’s soft power.

Paetongtarn said although she had not been prepared to lead the government, she would serve the people with “readiness and willingness as best as I can”.

Paetongtarn thanked MPs and coalition partners for entrusting her to lead the government.

“I would like to thank the most important power, the people’s power, who elected me and who didn’t elect me. I promise I’ll carry out my duty to the best without discrimination,” Paetongtarn concluded.

Meanwhile, the Super Poll of Mahidol University’s Public Health Faculty announced results of its latest survey, which found that most Thais would like the new government to speed up solving economic woes and bread-and-butter issues.

The Super Poll conducted the survey on Friday and Saturday among 1,054 respondents from various occupations nationwide.

Asked what urgent issues they would like to the Paetongtarn government to address (more than one answer allowed), the respondents replied:

- 74.5%: Economic woes and bread and butter issues
- 46.5%: Call-centre scams
- 42.1%: Debt in the financial and banking system
- 41.9%: Debt outside the financial and banking system
- 36.9%: Crimes and public safety
- 36.2%: Lack of funds and loans for SMEs
- 34.4%: Narcotics
- 12%: Others

The Super Poll announced that 46.1% of respondents support Paetongtarn’s premiership and 26.4% disagreed with her leadership, while 27.5% had no comment.

Asked whether they have confidence that the new prime minister can address the people’s hardship, 51.7% said “Yes” and 48.3% said “No”.