Will Paetongtarn make up for Srettha’s wasted time, asks opposition
People Party leader accuses Paetongtarn’s government of following the same ineffective policies as its predecessor
Opposition leader Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut declared in Parliament that Srettha Thavisin’s government had spent nearly a year achieving very little, adding that he doubts if his successor can do any better.
Natthaphong, People Party leader, was speaking on the first day of the policy debate, which kicked off on Thursday. He was the first opposition MP to take to the floor after Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra read out her policy statement.
The opposition leader pointed out that Paetongtarn’s policies are similar to those of her predecessor, Srettha. However, he said, the previous government failed to deliver its most urgent policies, which were promised to voters by Pheu Thai, during its 11 months in office.
For instance, he said, the Srettha government failed to honour its promise to increase the allowances for the elderly and disabled and also failed to provide child subsidies. Another problem the government failed to address was the scourge of drug abuse.
“Most of these problems are not new. The voters have been waiting for the Pheu Thai government to tackle these problems over the past 11 months to no avail,” Natthapong said.
He added that according to a news report, Srettha’s government had issued 193 instructions, equivalent to Cabinet resolutions, to 251 government agencies over the past 11 months. However, he said, only 10 of these instructions were complied with by the relevant agencies.
Natthaphong said the Pheu Thai government appeared to lack an understanding of Thailand’s bureaucratic system, so it has wasted nearly a year in office. He added that he doubts very much that Paetongtarn’s government will be able to implement its urgent policies during the three remaining years of its tenure.
He also called on the prime minister to provide more tangible details of her government’s 10 urgent policies.
He also queried if the government’s flagship policies, such as the digital wallet scheme, casino entertainment complex and the southern land bridge, were aimed at helping large groups of investors.
As for the political side, Natthaphong said Paetongtarn should provide more concrete promises instead of just reading from a script saying that her government will amend the charter and make it more democratic.
For instance, he said, Paetongtarn should dare to state that her government will annul Article 279 or a coup legacy in the current charter. The article recognises the legality and constitutionality of all coup orders and interim charters before the promulgation of the current charter.
