September 7, 2023
BANGKOK – Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin and the Cabinet posed for photos and gave interviews to the media for the first time on Tuesday (September 5) after being sworn in at the government house.
Srettha said he and the Cabinet would follow the guidance of King Rama X in their future work and emphasised that his government represents the people and is dedicated to addressing the various challenges ahead. The cabinet intends to work tirelessly and listen to the needs of the people, starting on Friday (September 8), when they will visit the northeastern provinces of Khon Kaen, Udon Thani, and Nong Khai to engage with the public.
The government aims to create fairness in the administration of the country under a democratic system that respects the monarchy. They will focus on creating equal opportunities to transform Thailand into a stable, prosperous nation.
When asked about the special Cabinet meeting scheduled for today, September 6th, the Prime Minister explained that it was to prepare the policy statement to be delivered to the parliament.
He also stressed that the economy was a central issue for his government but evaded a direct question as to whether he would lead the economic team, saying he would discuss this with coalition parties to ensure that everyone’s ideas are taken into account.
When asked about concerns over the delayed budget, Srettha stated that he and his ministers were aware of this issue but did not see it as an obstacle to governance and would take prompt action.
As for the policy of distributing digital cash of 10,000 baht within the first 100 days of the government, the Prime Minister clarified that the timeframe was not set at 100 days, but every effort would be made to implement the payments as soon as possible. He believed it could be accomplished within the first quarter of the next year and again emphasised that it would be a one-time payment.
When asked if he had set goals for lower-income Thais to have more money in their pockets within 1-2 years, the Prime Minister acknowledged that poverty is a vital issue that needs to be addressed.