Govt’s first priority is economic recovery, not charter change, says energy minister

By The Nation

 

 

In a discussion on Thursday about the ongoing anti-government protests, Energy Minister Supattanapong Punmeechaow said this was not the right time for rallies, because the Thai economy has only just started pulling out of the downturn brought on by the Covid-19 outbreak.

 

He said the International Monetary Fund has only just revised its growth forecast for Thailand from a drop of 7.7 per cent to 7.1 per cent this year.

 

Meanwhile, the central bank’s debt extension starting to move in a favourable direction with some 94 per cent of the debtors restructuring their debts or negotiating new repayment terms.

 

He said that though the new generation is prioritising charter amendments and democracy, they should understand that the country’s priority now is economic recovery and people’s safety.

 

“For them, amendments to the Constitution take precedence, but for us, we are looking for an economic recovery plan, preventing a second wave of Covid-19 infections and maintaining political stability. We all have the duty to maintain stability so we can safely pull out of this crisis,” he said.

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30396616

 

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Yes economic recovery is important but so is a charter change which is needed to ensure movement by this government to stop violating human rights and provide equal treatment to all instead of just your pocket book Mr. Minister.

3 hours ago, webfact said:

He said that though the new generation is prioritising charter amendments and democracy, they should understand that the country’s priority now is economic recovery and people’s safety.

Well if it's to much for you to handle then let the New Generation amend the constitution and incorporate democracy at it's heart. Job done

With these knuckleheads in charge, economic recovery will take forever.   Let's deescalate and leave the military in charge.  The Thai youth are out of patience and want substantive change.  Substantive change cannot happen with leaders who don't have any substance. 

This guy is absolutely correct as I have said all along. The Gen Khun Prayut Chan O Cha is not in the least bit occupied by the students who would be better of at home studying for a good education. 

Gen Khun Prayut's priority is the economy and getting Thailand up and running. These protests are nothing more that a bump on the road hence he and the Thai people are more focused on jobs, jobs, jobs.

Lets not hinder the road to recovery by blocking roads and taking up valuable resources which are needed for real emergencies and not a weekly crowd chanting exercise.

Well don Gen Khun Pray Chan O Cha for your work and recent trips to the north and flood ravaged regions in the east. Food, transport and aid have been sent to all regions affected to help the needy and poor. 

 

4 hours ago, webfact said:

they should understand that the country’s priority now is economic recovery and people’s safety.

correct,  not time wasting with crowd chanters. 

1 hour ago, pokerface1 said:

Well if it's to much for you to handle then let the New Generation amend the constitution and incorporate democracy at it's heart. Job done

My take exactly!  If they cannot do several things at once they are not doing the job right.

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Govt’s first priority is economic recovery, not charter change, says energy minister

But their <deleted> at both so what next?

 

23 minutes ago, steven100 said:

This guy is absolutely correct as I have said all along. The Gen Khun Prayut Chan O Cha is not in the least bit occupied by the students who would be better of at home studying for a good education. 

Gen Khun Prayut's priority is the economy and getting Thailand up and running. These protests are nothing more that a bump on the road hence he and the Thai people are more focused on jobs, jobs, jobs.

Lets not hinder the road to recovery by blocking roads and taking up valuable resources which are needed for real emergencies and not a weekly crowd chanting exercise.

Well don Gen Khun Pray Chan O Cha for your work and recent trips to the north and flood ravaged regions in the east. Food, transport and aid have been sent to all regions affected to help the needy and poor. 

 

"to help the needy and poor "  What about the poor and needy in the rest of Thailand?  A financial package to put some money in their pocket so they can have a little dignity and not be left to feel like nobodies would be a grand idea.  Maybe in doing so you would get some respect instead of being considered lower than a bag of dog she-it!  Trust me when I say the people around here think of you exactly like that!

Yet another excuse to not address the elephant in the room.  If they do not address the protests there will be less tourists and business and Thailand will go further into recession. 

The thing is, they are saying all the right words, but we can see right through them. There's always going to be something else more important to them as reform is against their interests.

1 hour ago, steven100 said:

correct,  not time wasting with crowd chanters. 

Funny. Seems like every day the government is being more and more obvious about what their priority is, and always has been.

 

I see them working overtime trying to protect something with tax payers’ money that’s already insanely rich. Meanwhile, the average Thai is being imprisoned, ignored or being kicked to the curb. 

The pictures of Thais being brought into Bangkok in garbage trucks was a really poignant moment in how low this government has stooped to remain in power. Absolutely abhorrent. 

 

 

6 hours ago, webfact said:

We all have the duty to maintain stability so we can safely pull out of this crisis,” he said.

Oddly enough, the stability of Yingluck's government wasn't such a high priority for his buddies.

6 hours ago, webfact said:

Govt’s first priority is economic recovery, not charter change, says energy minister

That would presuppose that those who are responsible for the economic disaster are capable of fixing what they destroyed.  I, for one, am not optimistic. 

More honest would simply to say, "We plan to stay in power and maintain the status quo and use any excuse we can think of to accomplish those ends." 

1 hour ago, steven100 said:

correct,  not time wasting with crowd chanters. 

Those time wasters are disenfranchised youth, the future of Thailand.   They look as though they will change Thailand for the better eventually.   It is better that cha cha and friends just get out of their way.   They have time on their side.   The job market was failing before the virus.  The current military government drones on and on about the EEC, but it looks to benefit the military and their 1% friends.  It is people like you that said the whinging TV crowd out of touch with Thailand.  You were right.   The kids are far angrier then most posters on this forum. 

Spam alert...

2 hours ago, steven100 said:

This guy is absolutely correct as I have said all along. The Gen Khun Prayut Chan O Cha is not in the least bit occupied by the students who would be better of at home studying for a good education. 

Gen Khun Prayut's priority is the economy and getting Thailand up and running. These protests are nothing more that a bump on the road hence he and the Thai people are more focused on jobs, jobs, jobs.

Lets not hinder the road to recovery by blocking roads and taking up valuable resources which are needed for real emergencies and not a weekly crowd chanting exercise.

Well don Gen Khun Pray Chan O Cha for your work and recent trips to the north and flood ravaged regions in the east. Food, transport and aid have been sent to all regions affected to help the needy and poor. 

 

 

32 minutes ago, khunjeff said:

Oddly enough, the stability of Yingluck's government wasn't such a high priority for his buddies.

Yingluck's government  was a kleptocracy, which is what all Thai governments so far have ended up being eventually. Be careful that the new boss is not the same as the old boss, though it is beyond my pay grade to guess how to prevent just that.

Prayut listening to the people.

Just get the Baht down.

7 hours ago, webfact said:

In a discussion on Thursday about the ongoing anti-government protests, Energy Minister Supattanapong Punmeechaow said this was not the right time for rallies, because the Thai economy has only just started pulling out of the downturn brought on by the Covid-19 outbreak.

BS, the Thai economy was on the slide long before the Covid 19 excuse came along.

Thai students have nothing to look forward to after graduating education, they don't have the time to wait for a convenient moment for you to set up a committee to look into something for the next 10 years.

3 hours ago, steven100 said:

This guy is absolutely correct as I have said all along. The Gen Khun Prayut Chan O Cha is not in the least bit occupied by the students who would be better of at home studying for a good education. 

My version:

This guy is absolutely incorrect as I have said all along. The Gen Khun Prayut Chan O Cha is not in the least bit interested in the students who would be better off at school being indoctrinated by the system.

7 hours ago, webfact said:

Govt’s first priority is economic recovery, not charter change, says energy minister

 

The only way to a sustainable economic recovery is to kick out of office those who don't have a clue about economy and who are there only to line up their own pockets. The generals.

 

That's exactly why the people want a charter change.

 

27 minutes ago, Isaan sailor said:

Just get the Baht down.

I was just going to right your comment off as a complaint about the high cost of beer.  But when I thought about it, the high baht is a hindrance to trade and tourism they keep harping about.   Tourism would fuel the recovery if visas were more in line with Vietnam and Malaysia, and if things were cheaper.   Maybe the high Baht is giving all those in government big face.   

44 minutes ago, yellowboat said:

I was just going to right your comment off as a complaint about the high cost of beer.  But when I thought about it, the high baht is a hindrance to trade and tourism they keep harping about.   Tourism would fuel the recovery if visas were more in line with Vietnam and Malaysia, and if things were cheaper.   Maybe the high Baht is giving all those in government big face.   

OK, just get the price of beer down. ????

10 hours ago, webfact said:

He said that though the new generation is prioritising charter amendments and democracy, they should understand that the country’s priority now is economic recovery and people’s safety.

In other words, come Monday / Tuesday, parliament is going to be a sham.

Economy ain't going anywhere until usurpers have been ousted and a democratically elected government is in place. For that, the charter needs to change first. And this time, make it fit on a few A4 pages instead of being bible size, so people actually understand what it is. Here's a template for ya: https://www.finlex.fi/en/laki/kaannokset/1999/en19990731.pdf

I will never be the right time for the government to change~in their eyes.  Economic recovery would be accelerated by the proposed changes by the students and others have proposed~it's a win win, unless you are in the corruption game.