11-9-2023 (BANGKOK) Sirikanya Tansakul, the deputy leader of the Move Forward Party, has strongly criticized the policy statement delivered by the Pheu Thai Party-led government to parliament, describing it as vague and lacking clear goals, indicators, and timeframes.
Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin presented his policy statement on Monday morning, but Ms Sirikanya expressed her disappointment, stating that a good policy statement should provide detailed directions, methods to achieve goals, and a clear timeframe for their attainment.
According to Ms Sirikanya, the policy statement falls short as it lacks elaboration and specific indicators. She compared it to a GPS signal that offers no guidance, leaving the country directionless. She further expressed her disappointment by highlighting the superior policy statement delivered by former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra’s government, which included clear goals, timeframes ranging from one to four years, and policies announced during the election campaign.
In Ms Sirikanya’s view, a comprehensive policy statement should outline specific goals, practical performance indicators, and clear timeframes. It should not be a mere wishlist without any means to measure progress or determine whether the goals have been achieved. She also criticized Mr Srettha’s statement for not providing timeframes for the implementation of Pheu Thai’s campaign policies, questioning whether the government had doubts about its own policies or if the broadness was due to the inclusion of coalition parties from different blocs.
Ms Sirikanya further pointed out the absence of policies to address the urgent problems in the southern border provinces, questioning the government’s priorities. Additionally, she warned about the need for sufficient funds to support the proposed 560-billion-baht digital money handout, emphasizing that without tangible financial backing, it could lead to inflation in the digital currency realm and undermine the confidence of shop owners.
In order to achieve sustainable solutions to Thailand’s economic problems, Ms Sirikanya argued that the root causes, including monopolistic power held by certain capitalist groups, must be addressed.
She expressed her expectation that the government would provide detailed policy information in its national budget statement. The Move Forward Party will closely monitor the government’s actions to ensure the implementation of effective policies that serve the best interests of the Thai people.
