I recently joined the CSIS Southeast Asia Radio podcast to discuss the current Thai political landscape. The episode is available here.
Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has made his policy declaration to Parliament. You can read the Royal Thai Government’s summary of the five priority areas that he announced here.
Thai PBS has written a good comparison of the similarities and differences between Anutin’s policy declaration and the one made by former prime minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra last year. They note the following key differences and additions:
Where Paetongtarn had called for Pheu Thai’s signature digital wallet scheme (originally aimed to distribute 10,000 baht as direct cash transfers), Anutin is reviving the “Khon La Khrueng” (“Let’s Go Halves”) scheme. This was a popular policy from the Prayut Chan-o-cha era where the government subsidized half the cost of payments at small shops.
Anutin said that he would “urgently resolve the conflict between Thailand and Cambodia through peaceful means,” including holding a referendum on the Memorandums of Understanding that the two countries had previously signed to govern how they approach border tensions. This, of course, had not been in Paetongtarn’s policy declaration as the Cambodia tensions erupted later in her term.
The new government will not support building “entertainment complexes,” which Paetongtarn had supported (with legalized gambling in casinos included). Instead, Anutin has pledged to “crack down on all forms of illegal gambling.”
The prime minister has also committed to defending Buddhism and taking action to end “the destruction of Buddhism and other religions.” This is likely a reference to a series of monastic scandals that have constantly made headlines in the past few months.
Anutin did not pledge to continue Pheu Thai policies such as the “One Family One Soft Power” scheme.
The government also reiterated their commitment to their agreement with the People’s Party to pursue constitutional reform and dissolve parliament within four months. Given that October 1st was the first day in which the new government began fully discharging their responsibilities, Anutin promised that a dissolution of parliament will come on January 31st, 2026. Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister Bowornsak Uwanno outlined a plan to provide Thai voters with four ballots at the next election: their usual ballots for constituency and party-list votes, another ballot on revising the constitution, and a final ballot asking if the MoUs with Cambodia should be terminated.
Aware that he could be seen as a lame duck because of the short duration of his government, Anutin reiterated that he is “not a lame duck.” Referring to his nickname, “Nhu” (Thai for “mouse”), he said, “This is a mouse, not a duck. A mouse is not lame, even if a duck is. Please be confident that this government will conduct its work beginning from this second.”
A Fiery Political Debate
The fieriest attacks on the government came from the recently-ousted Pheu Thai party, who traded volleys with Bhumjaithai’s ministers as if they did not just until a few months ago sit in cabinet together.
Former Pheu Thai leader Cholanan Srikaew attacked Anutin for discontinuing Pheu Thai policies such as twenty-baht flat transit fares but thanked the prime minister for continuing Pheu Thai’s “Medical Care Anywhere for Thirty Baht” policy. Anutin fired back that he had initiated the latter policy as Public Health Minister from 2019 to 2023 and lamented the fact that the Pheu Thai government did not work on free kidney dialysis (a Bhumjaithai election pledge), which the prime minister promised to make happen within two months — even saying that he would take charge of the health ministry if it did not.
It was interesting to note the clean break that Anutin was making with Pheu Thai. At one point, Anutin said that his government’s mission was to “fix the damage to the country that occurred under the previous government within four months.” He even called Bhumjaithai’s ejection from the Pheu Thai coalition an “honor,” arguing that he could not support many of Pheu Thai’s previous policies. It is clear that Anutin does not intend to just be a lame duck carrying out policy continuity but to make his own mark.
People’s Party leader Natthaphong Rueangpanyawut (who also serves as Leader of the Opposition) took a different tack, urging Anutin to fulfill the agreements that he had made with the PP. However, PP deputy leader Sirikanya Tansakul did criticize the government’s economic policies, arguing that its economic stimulus plans could nearly deplete the country’s emergency reserves. MPs from smaller parties also had their say. Former Democrat leader Jurin Laksanawisit criticized Anutin for “daring to appoint ministers that even the previous government did not dare appoint.”
New ministers make their debut
Anutin’s ministers also had a chance to respond to MPs during the policy debate. Finance Minister Ekniti Nitithanprapas compared the Thai economy to a car with four engines, three of which (export, private consumption, and private investment) had slowed down significantly, leaving only the engine of government intervention. He unveiled his policies for “Quick Big Wins,” including the Khon La Khrueng scheme, debt restructuring, strengthening the liquidity of SMEs, supporting schemes to help with savings, and expediting Board of Investment-approved projects. Meanwhile, Commerce Minister Supajee Suthumphun earned rave reviews online for her detailed exchange with a PP MP, where she outlined various policies. TODAY called it “the parliamentary debate of dreams.”
In a way, the appointment of these outsider ministers to Anutin’s cabinet has set a new political standard. As veteran journalist Suthichai Yoon wrote: “you can see the difference between the professionalism in diagnosing the problem, analyzing, setting short-term and long-term strategies, and measurable KPIs” between these experts and politicians. “Politicians who still use rhetoric and old-style campaigning methods must know that people can see what type of minister is needed to truly fix the nation’s problems.” With a professional economic team earning accolades, no wonder the prime minister is positioning himself to be more than just a lame duck government.
It's kidney dialysis not liver. ไตไม่ใช่ตับ thanks for your nice analysis
BJT/KTP and PP seem to have different objectives altogether. The PP wants to realize certain policy goals, while the former want to win the next election. Therefore, being a busy mouse is better than being a lame duck.