Move Forward unveils economic team as election campaign intensifies

The team was announced at the party’s head office as the countdown to the May 14 election accelerates.

The seven members of the team are Weerayut Kanchuwat, Sittipol Wibulthanakul, Worapop Wiriyaroj, Apisit Laisattruklai, Chaiwat Sathaworawichit, Dejrat Sukkamnerd, and Sirikanya Tansakul.

Members of the team said their key economic goal is inclusive growth and that it will be achieved by creating “firm ground”, “fair game”, and “fast forward growth”. Firm ground refers to developing a steady economic foundation for the country, while fair rules and fair state mechanisms for businesses will push the Thai economy to grow very fast, they explained.

Weerayut, an associate professor at the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies in Japan, said a Move Forward government will change the “made in Thailand” policy to “made with Thailand”.

Thailand will be promoted as part of the supply chain for major industries, instead of inviting industries to invest in Thailand, Weerayut said.

Sittipol, a former associate judge at the intellectual property court, said Move Forward will promote small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). There are over 3 million SMEs in Thailand and they have created one third of the country’s jobs, he said.

Worapop, a Move Forward party-list candidate, said the party aims to end business monopolies in the country.

Apisit, director of the Creative Economy Agency, said the Move Forward will promote the creative economy. Thailand’s creative economy is worth 1.2 trillion baht and employs about 900,000 workers, he said.

Chaiwat, an expert on financial technology and a data strategist, said a Move Forward government will transform the country’s data into assets. Thailand can create a standard for sharing data and making money from it, Chaiwat said.

Dejrat, director of Think Forward Centre, said a Move Forward government will push rural development, adding that the rural economy has been ignored by previous governments.

A Move Forward government will provide a monthly allowance of 3,000 baht for every farmer, Dejrat said.

Sirikanya, deputy leader of Move Forward and head of the economic team, said the party will overhaul the bureaucracy and change the way the government budget is allocated by prioritising the most important tasks.

Some government agencies might be dissolved or merged to increase efficiency, she said.