Thaksin welcomed to Chiang Rai amid PAO election campaign
Former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra received a warm welcome from Chiang Rai residents on Sunday during an election-campaign trip for the Pheu Thai Party.
The election for Chiang Rai Provincial Administrative Organisation (PAO) president is scheduled to be held on February 1, for which Pheu Thai has sent Salakcharit Tiyaprairat as a candidate.
Many supporters waited for Thaksin at Plongwittayakhom School in Thoeng district, where around 500 members of the United Front of Democracy Against Dictatorship were among the audience.
Thaksin told the audience that local elections are a key to recovering the economy and improving the quality of life.
“I was not interested in local politics because Pheu Thai was a big party with mechanisms in every ministry. But today, we don't have 200 MPs like before,” he said.
He also expressed confidence that the government led by Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra will be able to solve national issues, with collaboration from local agencies.
Thaksin said all ministries should be able to tackle various issues for people, including rice and electricity prices. Any ministers who are not able to tackle such issues will face replacement, he warned.
He believes that the electricity price will drop to 3.70 baht per unit this year, following a decline in prices of animal feed, fertiliser and medicine.
“This year, the government must work hard, in which drugs and call-centre gangs must be eliminated,” he said.
“All forms of monopoly must be eliminated so that people will have a lower cost of living, better incomes, and better opportunities. All of this will happen in 2025.”
Responding to a call from the audience for him to become PM again, Thaksin said he is old and wants to support his daughter Paetongtarn instead.
Thaksin affirmed to the press after the election campaign that the electricity price could be reduced to 3.70 baht per unit or lower, saying that Paetongtarn would seek collaboration from public and private agencies on this matter.
"If people are poor, the private sector cannot thrive. Therefore, the private sector should alleviate poverty so that they can prosper," he said.
He denied rumours that Energy Minister Pirapan Salirathavibhaga would be removed from the Cabinet. Pirapan is a determined person, and we have known each other for a long time, he said.
Thaksin also denied rumours of about a Cabinet reshuffle, affirming that Paetongtarn is able to work with the current ministers without any issues.
He stressed that the government needs to work hard this year, saying that the government should tackle issues in the economic and develop human resource in the economic system.
"The premier is convening a meeting with several parties to achieve the goals," he said, noting that the current state mechanism has shifted from its original form to be slower.
