Thailand will hold a general election on February 8. On January 11th the leading party unveiled a 12-point agenda that calls for a“Change of government” if it takes power, with a package of reforms to revive the flagging economy and restore it to its former status as Asia’s fifth tiger.
The BJP’s priorities include overhauling the bureaucracy and regulatory rules to fight corruption, boosting infrastructure and reorganizing the law enforcement and judicial systems, as well as industrial policy, according to Bloomberg, in industrial policy, it calls for a shift to the manufacture of technology-related components such as semiconductors, as well as a revival of traditional industries. The BJP has promised to fill the“Economic black hole” in its first 100 days in power, estimating that Thailand loses up to 1 trillion baht ($23.3 billion) a year to counterfeiting, dumping and illegal competition. Vilayaru, one of the BJP’s candidates for prime minister, warned that if the economy failed to recover in the next five years, “The title of ‘The Fifth Tiger’ will forever be a legend in history”.
Polls show that economic issues loom large in the polls. More than half of respondents cited economic and livelihood policies as their main concerns, according to the university poll, with the People’s Party taking the top spot in both party and constituency votes. The NIDM poll also showed BJP leader and prime minister candidate Nita Punta leading in support for the prime minister candidate, followed by caretaker Prime Minister and Proud Thai Party Leader Anutin.