A lot of people were upset when Srettha Thavisin was suddenly named Thailand prime minister in August. He put together an odd alliance of political groups that back both the military and the monarchy. His action surprised politicians and made people wonder how dedicated he was to democracy values.
Thailand Prime Minister: Changes in the government
The more popular and progressive Move Forward Party (MFP) pushed to the back burner when they teamed up with the establishment. This stopped a party that a lot of people, especially young people, liked. People who support Pheu Thai might have turn off by this plan to take power, and they might have wondered how Srettha Thavisin handles people in Thailand with different political views.
Thailand Prime Minister: Is economic populism just old wine in a new bottle?
For the same reason that Thaksin Shinawatra did, Srettha runs the country based on business politics. People still worry about how long these nationalist policies will last, even though they seem like good ways to get the economy going again, boost domestic spending, and even out incomes.
Thailand Prime Minister: Issues with money and long-term living
Thailand’s budget problems could get worse if popular measures are put in place without a clear plan for making money. This is because the COVID-19 pandemic has hurt the economy. If the government gets too involved, it could slow down progress and growth in the private sector. This could be bad for the economy’s long-term health.
Getting to the point where
Thailand’s economy is being hurt by bigger problems, like investors losing faith in the country’s safety, rule of law, and openness. Srettha’s economic populism might not be able to fix these issues. For long-term economic growth that lasts longer than short-term wins, we need a plan that takes all of these things into account.
It is sad that people shot at the Siam Paragon.
In Srettha’s first month in office, there was a terrible killing at Siam Paragon Mall. This showed how important it is to have strong security measures and social policies that deal with why people get violent. Because of this event, government does more than just decide how to spend money; it also makes sure people are safe and healthy.
Things that test a leader
Why people think Srettha is a good leader will depend on how he handles the killing. Aside from economic measures, it’s also very important to make sure that justice is done. That people at peace, and that safety and security concerns taken care of.
We need a broad approach to go beyond populism.
There are bigger problems in Thailand than Srettha Thavisin’s choice of an old-fashioned populist road. This might not help in the long run. The country needs a big, long-term plan to deal with problems in areas like government, education, safety, and innovation in order to do well after the pandemic.
That said
Thailand’s future will depend a lot on what Srettha does and how she runs the country. Still, it’s not clear if his popular approach will work in the long run. Thailand has many issues that need a complete answer that goes beyond politics and considers the health and long-term success of the country as a whole.
