New Thai PM - 'The economy must take priority'

[webfact]

NEW PREMIER
'The economy must take priority'
THE NATION

Country is on the edge of recession and Asean competition intensifying: Business people and diplomats warn

BANGKOK: -- ECONOMIC ACHIEVEMENT and integration into the Asean community are the great challenges for the Prime Minister-elect General Prayuth Chan-ocha, as the country is on the edge of recession while the door to regional integration has already been opened, diplomatic and business figures have said.

They said economic matters must be the priority for Prayuth's government since the economy had slowed since late last year when anti-government groups started the protests that ended with the coup on May 22.

"I think one of the priorities will be to manage the economy. With a stable Thai economy, the regional economy will also perform better," an Asean diplomat told The Nation when asked for a reaction after the National Legislative Assembly yesterday voted for Prayuth to become prime minister.

"Hopefully the new government will continue to think about Thailand's integration into Asean, and also about the larger regional strategic picture," said the diplomat, on condition of anonymity.

Lyn Kok, president and chief executive of Standard Chartered Bank (Thai), said that Prayuth's priority must be to restore the confidence of foreign investors. She said one way to do that was by pushing infrastructure projects that could attract foreign investment.

The prime minister-elect should also try to boost Thai competitiveness as it was facing more challenges from more competitors being driven by integration of the Asean Economic Community at the end of next year.

Kok said neighbouring countries were enhancing their competitiveness to deal with the AEC, so Thailand had to do the same.

Darren Buckley, president of the American Chamber of Commerce in Thailand, said foreign investors' confidence in Thailand would not hurt by Prayuth becoming prime minister.

"The mix of the new Cabinet will be interesting since it is less obvious on what the set up is going to be, such as what is going to be the ratio of military personnel, and will there be a mixture of different political views within it," he said.

Prayuth has not revealed his plan for the make up of the Cabinet. But it was reported that most ministers would come from the inner circle of the junta.

His deputies are tipped to become deputy prime ministers and ministers, taking care of key ministries.

Junta adviser Pridiyathorn Devakula is tipped to become a deputy prime minister overseeing economic matters while deputy junta chief Thanasak Patimaprakorn, a four-star general, could become foreign minister.

Stanley Kang, chair of the Joint Foreign Chambers of Commerce in Thailand (JFCCT), said foreign investors would be keeping an eye on the setting up of the new Cabinet and how it functioned.

Kang said everything seemed to be functional due to the respect that Prayuth had from the permanent secretaries and other government agencies. He was confident things would continue to run smoothly.

The JFCCT is due to meet with Prayuth in upcoming weeks to give its economic outlook for the next three to five years.

Sombat Kitjalaksana, managing director of Bangkok Metro Plc, said the junta had handled many challenges.

"I expect the rail system development, which is one of the biggest challenges facing the Prayuth government, will also be successful someday," he said.

"Over the next 10 years, the country's rail system will not be the same as it was in the past ten years. The rail system will be more systematic in terms of both the regulatory and business sphere."

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/politics/The-economy-must-take-priority-30241500.html


-- The Nation 2014-08-22

[BSJ]

There are a few stumbling blocks.

People with higher education here are not of the high standard needed.

Skilled labour is always in short supply.

Generally there isn't enough Thai labour to fill the need for workers.

Infer-structure, especially roads, lags behind in development, quality and on going maintenance.

The rail projects being considered/starting are years away from providing the tonnage capacity needed.

I am thinking the scenario is a bit like a farrier trying to shoe a horse while the owner is still riding it!

[NongKhaiKid]

Don't worry general as there's no recession, the economy will go through the roof next year and tourists are flocking back to get ripped off.

AND it's all official, job done.

[hansgruber]

Education and Police reforms must take a priority and the rest will fall into place.

[chooka]

Tell it to the DSI who are targeting foreign investors. You have one organisation actively trying to discourage foreign investment which will help the economy then you have the other leg stumbling and asking what can we do to encourage investment and boost the encomy

[Bender]

so after 8 years, where the yellow and the army did completely destroy the economy, all of sudden they wake up....pfffffff

[Thailand]

"Prayuth has not revealed his plan for the make up of the Cabinet. But it was reported that most ministers would come from the inner circle of the junta.

His deputies are tipped to become deputy prime ministers and ministers, taking care of key ministries."

Say no more.

[chainarong]

Thailand the land of resilience , Thailand has many problems on many fronts, the economy is only one of many , the new P.M. has a lot of issues to deal with, I wish him well , in reality I don't think things will change much except the leader of the PTP.

[Ricardo]

Tell it to the DSI who are targeting foreign investors. You have one organisation actively trying to discourage foreign investment which will help the economy then you have the other leg stumbling and asking what can we do to encourage investment and boost the encomy

A similar situation exists in the tourist-industry, IMO.

On the one hand TAT & Thai Airways & hoteliers try to attract more tourists, on the other hand Immigration and the various taxi/jet-ski/gemstone mafias do their best to put them off, and harm the country's reputation as a good place to visit for a holiday. A more joined-up consistent government approach would help !

Thai economic growth has fallen, from former strong levels, in recent years. This may be partly for political reasons, or due to bad publicity elsewhere about the political situation, but it is also in response to the global economic situation too. Fortunately Asia is still growing faster than many other parts of the world, and Thailand has a good chance to benefit from that. Nevertheless the advent of ASEAN next year brings threats as well as opportunities.

May we all live in interesting times !

Edited August 22, 2014 by Ricardo

[ginjag]

"Prayuth has not revealed his plan for the make up of the Cabinet. But it was reported that most ministers would come from the inner circle of the junta.

His deputies are tipped to become deputy prime ministers and ministers, taking care of key ministries."

Say no more.

It's got to be better than the other CABINETS (how many re-shuffles in 2+ years) JOKE. So does it really matter if they come from the ranks.

Look who you had in the last cabinets, names of nutters come to mind, that is another reason they bit the dust. Just comparing only.

[wandasloan]

There are a few stumbling blocks.

Well, you could say that. The biggest stumbling block is that the prime minister and the head of the army and the head of the NCPO all agree than the economy is NOT the priority - politics and reform are the priorities, with security the next priority. The economy is there, but it's no priority, and that's official.

There are other reasons of course, as you say below, but the prime minister and the head of the army and the head of the NCPO agree with one voice, just as if they were one person, that the economy is simply not *_the_* priority.

People with higher education here are not of the high standard needed.

Skilled labour is always in short supply.

Generally there isn't enough Thai labour to fill the need for workers.

Infer-structure, especially roads, lags behind in development, quality and on going maintenance.

The rail projects being considered/starting are years away from providing the tonnage capacity needed.

I am thinking the scenario is a bit like a farrier trying to shoe a horse while the owner is still riding it!

It's got to be better than the other CABINETS (how many re-shuffles in 2+ years) JOKE. So does it really matter if they come from the ranks.

Look who you had in the last cabinets, names of nutters come to mind, that is another reason they bit the dust. Just comparing only.

I don't get this. How could people who are specifically untrained and ineligible for appointment to the cabinet in normal times be *better* than their predecessors? I could swallow "they can't be worse" with a lot of ice water to help. But you specify they will be better. Why?

.

Edited August 22, 2014 by wandasloan

[Cuchulainn]

..............."Over the next 10 years, the country's rail system will not be the same as it was in the past ten years.....................

Yeah. There'll be even more derailments!

[SureNDT]

Spending billions more on the military budget wouldn't be the way to go about improving the economy one would think, nor would be cutting funding to the poorest rural areas in the country.

[jpeg]

There are a few stumbling blocks.

Well, you could say that. The biggest stumbling block is that the prime minister and the head of the army and the head of the NCPO all agree than the economy is NOT the priority - politics and reform are the priorities, with security the next priority. The economy is there, but it's no priority, and that's official.

There are other reasons of course, as you say below, but the prime minister and the head of the army and the head of the NCPO agree with one voice, just as if they were one person, that the economy is simply not *_the_* priority.

People with higher education here are not of the high standard needed.

Skilled labour is always in short supply.

Generally there isn't enough Thai labour to fill the need for workers.

Infer-structure, especially roads, lags behind in development, quality and on going maintenance.

The rail projects being considered/starting are years away from providing the tonnage capacity needed.

I am thinking the scenario is a bit like a farrier trying to shoe a horse while the owner is still riding it!

It's got to be better than the other CABINETS (how many re-shuffles in 2+ years) JOKE. So does it really matter if they come from the ranks.

Look who you had in the last cabinets, names of nutters come to mind, that is another reason they bit the dust. Just comparing only.

I don't get this. How could people who are specifically untrained and ineligible for appointment to the cabinet in normal times be *better* than their predecessors? I could swallow "they can't be worse" with a lot of ice water to help. But you specify they will be better. Why?

.

I really don't understand how a country can have a thriving economy without first reforming their business practices and judicial system. I also believe the environment should be far and away the first priority. Unless you want people to live in on a mass industrial estate complete with stinking sewer. All this talk of 'growth' is insane. Where does it all end?

[timber]

Would hope the PM learns or gets the proper advisors to develop proper flowcharts for the ministries, assess the bottlenecks, be they expertise or budget restraints, and reshape the duplication and inadequacies within the system.

[ratcatcher]

so after 8 years, where the yellow and the army did completely destroy the economy, all of sudden they wake up....pfffffff

"....so after 8 years, where the yellow and the army did completely destroy the economy,....."

Nothing like an accurate statement eh?

[Thailand]

"Prayuth has not revealed his plan for the make up of the Cabinet. But it was reported that most ministers would come from the inner circle of the junta.

His deputies are tipped to become deputy prime ministers and ministers, taking care of key ministries."

Say no more.

It's got to be better than the other CABINETS (how many re-shuffles in 2+ years) JOKE. So does it really matter if they come from the ranks.

Look who you had in the last cabinets, names of nutters come to mind, that is another reason they bit the dust. Just comparing only.

Isn't this just what you and many others continually complained about and now your hero is doing exactly the same thing but even more blatantly?

Get real, this was a well planned military action by Suthep GP et al and they will reap the rewards. This is just the beginning.

[ginjag]

"Prayuth has not revealed his plan for the make up of the Cabinet. But it was reported that most ministers would come from the inner circle of the junta.

His deputies are tipped to become deputy prime ministers and ministers, taking care of key ministries."

Say no more.

It's got to be better than the other CABINETS (how many re-shuffles in 2+ years) JOKE. So does it really matter if they come from the ranks.

Look who you had in the last cabinets, names of nutters come to mind, that is another reason they bit the dust. Just comparing only.

Isn't this just what you and many others continually complained about and now your hero is doing exactly the same thing but even more blatantly?

Get real, this was a well planned military action by Suthep GP et al and they will reap the rewards. This is just the beginning.

You and the other few thinks only.

You didn't comment on the nutters that have made up the previous cabinet but condemn a new cabinet -and you do not know them, or how good a job they could do. I have reservations sure but refuse to condemn until it is found that they are not to standard you could expect.

We can go over the legitimacy of the intervention and call it all the names under the sun, but the fact is were here, and have to ride the waves, unless there is civil unrest--but I would doubt that as an option as Thais seem to be accepting the situ.

He is not my hero, crazy talk again, he is the Thai option at this minute to move on like it or lump it. It is the minority now that have to lump it, the same as most TVF members had to do when PTP came into power---the worm turns---for the better who knows.

[thhMan]

I think the first order of business would be to build many prisons... They will fill up soon, if the Government is serious about fixing Thailand!

[yimlitnoy]

"As a matter of interest where did you learn your English?"

The army will do very well and I am confident that this government is intented on saving Thailand from corrupt politicians and from PT. Why are you asking where the member learned English? Surely it is better than the former Prime minister language skills. The previous PT government was trying to ruin and split Thailand in a civil war, surely the army can and will do better. It has the approval of 70% of the population if we believe the recent survey.

[ginjag]

There are a few stumbling blocks.

Well, you could say that. The biggest stumbling block is that the prime minister and the head of the army and the head of the NCPO all agree than the economy is NOT the priority - politics and reform are the priorities, with security the next priority. The economy is there, but it's no priority, and that's official.

There are other reasons of course, as you say below, but the prime minister and the head of the army and the head of the NCPO agree with one voice, just as if they were one person, that the economy is simply not *_the_* priority.

People with higher education here are not of the high standard needed.

Skilled labour is always in short supply.

Generally there isn't enough Thai labour to fill the need for workers.

Infer-structure, especially roads, lags behind in development, quality and on going maintenance.

The rail projects being considered/starting are years away from providing the tonnage capacity needed.

I am thinking the scenario is a bit like a farrier trying to shoe a horse while the owner is still riding it!

It's got to be better than the other CABINETS (how many re-shuffles in 2+ years) JOKE. So does it really matter if they come from the ranks.

Look who you had in the last cabinets, names of nutters come to mind, that is another reason they bit the dust. Just comparing only.

I don't get this. How could people who are specifically untrained and ineligible for appointment to the cabinet in normal times be *better* than their predecessors? I could swallow "they can't be worse" with a lot of ice water to help. But you specify they will be better. Why?

.

Because of their PTP decisions were USELESS-their governance diabolical, what is better than useless ??? most things, how do you know they are untrained ?? have you documents to say who is and who isn't?? this is again just bumf. let them get on with it, seemingly the fraction of people here are pessimists and use the new formation based on history. if a persons father was a maniac it doesn't confirm he will be does it.

accept it---but with out something to argue about you lot of apologists would be lost.... Let Thailand see for themselves without a bunch of posters all the time wanting to stir the dung.

[John1thru10]

Just to state the obvious one time:

Remember when the Gen. declared martial-law, he repeated over and over:

'Don't worry, this is not a political move. This is just until we can organize elections', 'Elections are coming', 'The priority will be elections' ?

Well, I think the people on the forum who cheered that on over the last months, should take a look at that today. We all know that Thailand had political problems. But, I don't believe that history demonstrates that throwing away democracy was ever a great thing. I love Thailand, much more than as a place to party, or those kind of western conceptions. I can't ascribe motivations or thoughts to the Gen, because I simply don't know. But, I am really concerned, for the people of a country which I do love, to have seen something as important as the vote, be taken away from the people I care about.

I really feel that the people here on the forum who cheered that on in happening, should take a good look at that now.

Edited August 22, 2014 by John1thru10

[billd766]

so after 8 years, where the yellow and the army did completely destroy the economy, all of sudden they wake up....pfffffff

Rubbish.

[billd766]

"Prayuth has not revealed his plan for the make up of the Cabinet. But it was reported that most ministers would come from the inner circle of the junta.

His deputies are tipped to become deputy prime ministers and ministers, taking care of key ministries."

Say no more.

At least they are not family like Thaksin and the PTP.

[Thailand]

"Prayuth has not revealed his plan for the make up of the Cabinet. But it was reported that most ministers would come from the inner circle of the junta.

His deputies are tipped to become deputy prime ministers and ministers, taking care of key ministries."

Say no more.

At least they are not family like Thaksin and the PTP.

I think his brother is family?

And possibly not the only one on the roster?

[BestBitterPhuket]

Would hope the PM learns or gets the proper advisors to develop proper flowcharts for the ministries, assess the bottlenecks, be they expertise or budget restraints, and reshape the duplication and inadequacies within the system.

I hope so too, and they need help from outside as well. Get some experts from Singapore, Hong Kong and USA and follow their advice. The "usual" advisers have for decades proven not to be capable. New advisers and new policies are needed, otherwise Thailand will end up last in ASEAN.

[Thai at Heart]

"I expect the rail system development, which is one of the biggest challenges facing the Prayuth government, will also be successful someday," he said.

"Over the next 10 years, the country's rail system will not be the same as it was in the past ten years. The rail system will be more systematic in terms of both the regulatory and business sphere."

Hahahaha. Now there was a ringing endorsement of nothingness. Pooyais really do have such a wonderful turn of phrase to make something sound nice, when in reality they are saying completely the opposite.

[eddie830]

"Prayuth has not revealed his plan for the make up of the Cabinet. But it was reported that most ministers would come from the inner circle of the junta.

His deputies are tipped to become deputy prime ministers and ministers, taking care of key ministries."

Say no more.

At least they are not family like Thaksin and the PTP.

of course they are family they are all MILITARY FAMILY

[englishoak]

"Prayuth has not revealed his plan for the make up of the Cabinet. But it was reported that most ministers would come from the inner circle of the junta.

His deputies are tipped to become deputy prime ministers and ministers, taking care of key ministries."

Say no more.

It's got to be better than the other CABINETS (how many re-shuffles in 2+ years) JOKE. So does it really matter if they come from the ranks.

Look who you had in the last cabinets, names of nutters come to mind, that is another reason they bit the dust. Just comparing only.

Isn't this just what you and many others continually complained about and now your hero is doing exactly the same thing but even more blatantly?

Get real, this was a well planned military action by Suthep GP et al and they will reap the rewards. This is just the beginning.

You and the other few thinks only.

You didn't comment on the nutters that have made up the previous cabinet but condemn a new cabinet -and you do not know them, or how good a job they could do. I have reservations sure but refuse to condemn until it is found that they are not to standard you could expect.

We can go over the legitimacy of the intervention and call it all the names under the sun, but the fact is were here, and have to ride the waves, unless there is civil unrest--but I would doubt that as an option as Thais seem to be accepting the situ.

He is not my hero, crazy talk again, he is the Thai option at this minute to move on like it or lump it. It is the minority now that have to lump it, the same as most TVF members had to do when PTP came into power---the worm turns---for the better who knows.

Sorry to bust your bubble there is no Thai opinion, only an opinion which is allowed to be voiced.

Getting pretty sick and tired of people here spouting ridiculous claims of how popular a certain person is... put it this way about 10% I know personally and in business are happy the other 90% very not happy just to scared to say anything and or cant do anything.

Quite a good number are rapidly becoming broke, going further into debt or laying off people, most business owners in sectors I know say things are way down and look bleak, prices up, tourism flat as a pancake overseas orders dropping more as the baht starts to strengthen again.

I doubt Thai exporters or Tourism will be helped by a propped up high baht, domestic business economy is working better but not much, if prices continue to rise and jobs evaporate as business moves to cheaper locals and or tourists go elsewhere for better value it will flip that too. And thats just a very small part of the problems.

Yea the economy being a priority is right, its impossible to miss that little issue. So far its going into the same hole it was before just faster and deeper with spending on things such as HSR and military budgets up etc .. surprise surprise, so good luck with that economy thing. Hes gonna need to make merit a hell of a lot lol

[belg]

i did not know the army had all this "capable" guys hiding in green with all the knowledge how to run a country to success and prosperity ...

now it is time to elect all their good friends in the right places

and see what bright future brings to this country, right ?