Prime Minister temporarily in office issues strategic guidelines to bolster public assistance
The acting Prime Minister and Interior Minister, Phumtham Wechayachai, has outlined urgent policy directives aimed at addressing pressing issues in Thailand. These directives focus on faster, more effective responses to narcotics suppression, addressing household debt, and improving emergency aid disbursement.
In the fight against the growing abuse of illicit drugs, Phumtham Wechayachai has urged provincial governors to act as "commanders," coordinating closely with security agencies to tackle the problem[2]. Governors are expected to work together with other security agencies to suppress narcotics[5].
Regarding household debt, the government stresses financial discipline and saving, proposing a special mechanism to protect people from illegal lenders charging excessive interest[2].
Emergency aid efforts include extensive financial relief programs, such as loan deferments, low-interest loans, and rehabilitation funding for conflict-affected citizens and farmers, administered through multiple government banks to facilitate quick aid disbursement[1]. The minister has also called for changes that may be necessary for the speedier disbursement of funds, especially for emergency aid[3].
The Interior Ministry is actively coordinating with local administrations like the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) to implement crackdowns on drug issues and maintain social order, ensuring policies directly improve citizen well-being and quality of life[5].
Each province should identify its strengths and find ways to build on them, according to the Interior Minister[6]. However, the minister did not mention any specific plans to address the abuse of illicit drugs, illegal lenders, call-centre gangs, or illegal online gambling in this paragraph.
The Interior Ministry also has the mechanisms and tools to work with all sectors to implement government policies, including responsibilities such as narcotics control, combating call-centre gangs, illegal online gambling, and promoting people's well-being[7].
In a recent move, the minister defended the ministerial order easing poker restrictions, stating it was not part of an effort to legalize gambling in general[4].
Notably, the provincial governors of Si Sa Ket, Surin, and Ubon Ratchathai were summonsed by the House committee on administration to explain delays and inconsistencies in the distribution of emergency funds[8].
These directives reflect a government-wide approach to improve social stability and economic resilience while ensuring emergency aid reaches those in need promptly.
- As part of the government's efforts to address household debt, a special mechanism has been proposed to protect people from illegal lenders charging excessive interest, focusing on financial discipline and saving.
- In addition to addressing issues like narcotics suppression and emergency aid disbursement, the acting Prime Minister and Interior Minister, Phumtham Wechayachai, has outlined policy directives aimed at managing personal-finance debt more effectively.
- The Interior Ministry, while working on implementing crackdowns on drug issues and maintaining social order, is also actively addressing problems related to policy-and-legislation issues such as illegal online gambling, call-centre gangs, and illegal lenders.
- Governors are expected to work closely with security agencies to suppress not only narcotics, but also illegally operated casino-games and other forms of casino-and-gambling.
- In the realm of politics and policy-and-legislation, the minister has defended certain policy decisions, such as easing poker restrictions, clarifying that it was not an effort to legalize gambling in general.
