It's time for Pheu Thai to take over, says Paetongtarn as she urges Prayut to step aside
At an event announcing Pheu Thai Party’s key policies for the next general elections, former PM Thaksin Shinawatra’s daughter said General Prayut Chan-o-cha’s time as PM is over.
Paethongtarn Shinawatra, who oversees the Pheu Thai Party Family Programme and is expected to be the party’s top PM candidate, promised that Pheu Thai will bring economic stability after it sweeps up House seats in the next general election.
“Prayut’s time has run out. Let’s now countdown to economic strength and stability under the Pheu Thai government,” she said.
An opinion survey conducted by the National Institute of Development Administration showed that Paetongtarn was the top PM choice among voters in the Northeast.
Pheu Thai Party held an event in its headquarters on Sunday to announce its key economic policies as it prepares to contest in the next general election, which is tentatively scheduled for May 7.
In her speech, Paetongtarn said one of the key policies is to promote the “soft power” of Thai families.
She said the party’s policies came from people across the country brainstorming to come up with solutions to problems that have been plaguing the country for the eight years under Prayut’s leadership.
She pointed out that Pheu Thai has been successful in implementing economic policies in the past, such as increasing the minimum daily wage and promoting the One Tambon One Product (Otop) project. However, she said, Pheu Thai’s policies had been disrupted under Prayut’s leadership.
She added that the first step will be revising outdated laws to promote the soft power of families. The next step, she said, would be to redefine foreign policies and seek new markets and diplomatic ties while trying to create new income sources and reduce household debts.
In his opening speech, party leader Cholnan Srikaew said that Pheu Thai needed a landslide victory and at least 250 House seats in the next election to ensure its chance of forming a government.
He added that the party will win voters’ faith and confidence through its key economic policies.
Prommin Lertsuridej, chief of Pheu Thai’s policy committee, said if Pheu Thai wins the elections, it will focus on using technology and innovations to solve people’s problems and boost their income. It will also push for an overhaul of the agricultural sector, support small and medium enterprises, as well as create new economic zones.
He added that the Pheu Thai government will also implement a policy granting financial allowances to individuals, so they have funds to start their own businesses. The party will also promote a lifelong learning policy and transform its old Otop policy into a “one family, one soft power” policy, Prommin added.
“General Prayut’s eight years as the country’s leader has widened the economic gap. This government tackled the debt issue by creating more public debts. It took loans to distribute money. But Pheu Thai will tackle debt by creating new sources of income,” Prommin said.
“But we must first win support from the people to help us win the election so we can create solutions for the country.”
Pheu Thai will also implement a debt-moratorium project for farmers, Wisut added.
Paophum Rojanasakul, the party’s deputy secretary-general, said the party would try to create new self-reliant economic zones that have their own educational facilities and public utilities. This would help people and private companies to have more income.
Nahathai Thewphaingarm, chair of the Pheu Thai’s education and human resources committee, said the party will implement its “lifelong learning, lifelong earning” policy if it becomes the next government.
She said the policy will bring internet connections to all communities and all children will be given tablet computers to promote lifelong learning.
