Thu Sep 12 06:36:00 UTC 2024: ## New PM Paetongtarn Outlines Economic Plans, Opposition Slams “Year of Waste”
**Bangkok, Thailand** – Newly appointed Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra laid out her policy agenda in parliament today, focusing on economic measures designed to improve citizens’ financial well-being and boost state revenue. The youngest daughter of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, Paetongtarn pledged to tackle debt restructuring, support informal debtors, and reduce energy costs.
The government, she said, would also proceed with the controversial digital wallet handout program, aimed at providing financial aid to vulnerable groups. “We will create fair opportunities for all Thais to have enough to eat and live with dignity,” stated Paetongtarn.
However, the opposition immediately criticized the government’s performance since taking office last May, accusing them of failing to deliver on key promises. Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut, leader of the People’s Power Party, described the past year as a “year of waste” for the people, specifically targeting the previous administration led by Srettha Thavisin.
Ruengpanyawut pointed to the digital wallet program’s delays and fluctuating eligibility criteria, as well as the lack of progress on negotiating energy cost structures with suppliers.
Paetongtarn, who assumed the role after the Constitutional Court removed Srettha for an ethics violation, now faces the task of steering the government for the next three years. The new prime minister inherits a complex economic landscape with growing concerns about rising debt levels and inflation.
First Piper 