Surprisingly, Prayut Chooses to Stay

Thailand – Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has insisted he will stay on in office until at least the 2022 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) Summit to be hosted by Thailand as the country now chairs the regional bloc.

In view of this, Gen Prayut was responding to reporters’ questions after chairing a meeting of the Defence Council. However, the country has made considerable progress adding the government is trying to attract income to the country.In view of this,  whether he will stay on until he completes his four-year term in March 2023, Gen Prayut nodded and said he will. Asked if he would still continue to work with the ruling Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP), the PM said as he was not going anywhere.

Along with this, Gen Prayut went on to say that he was ready to attend a banquet to be held by government coalition parties if they invite him. He also dismissed criticism from opposition parties that the coalition government is in a precarious state. “It is just their imagination,” the prime minister said.

Taking over the baton of hosting the 2022 Apec chairmanship from New Zealand, Thailand will host the first Apec meeting in Phuket from Dec 1 to 3, with a series of other related meetings to be held across Thailand throughout next year. The Apec summit will be held from Oct 30 to Nov 3 next year in Bangkok. At the Apec CEO summit held via teleconference on Nov 12, Gen Prayut outlined Thailand’s priorities for Apec 2022 during a keynote speech for the forum’s CEO summit.

Consequently, Gen Prayut told the meeting how there will be opportunities to create a sustainable and balanced post-Covid future. During the meeting, Gen Prayut said Thailand has adopted a so-called Bio-Circular-Green Economic Model (BCG) as part of the nation’s strategy for post-Covid economic recovery. He added that such a model would also be a priority for Apec 2022.

He also invited the Apec leaders to “synergise” their strength in creating an open, dynamic, resilient, and peaceful Apec community. He said the 2022 theme of “Open. Connect. Balance”, as Apec is “open” to all opportunities, “connected” in every dimension, and “balanced” in all aspects. Meanwhile, Patcharin Samsiripong, a Palang Pracharath Party MP for Bangkok and the ruling party’s spokeswoman, said a leaked document regarding the party’s election pledges including giving credit cards with a credit line of 50,000 baht to each farming household and offering grants of 20 million baht to each tambon were only proposals floated by party members