Funding for digital wallet questioned
Pita Limjaroenrat, advisory chairman of Move Forward Party (MFP), suggested the government develop another plan to stimulate the economy if the 10,000-baht digital wallet handout scheme cannot be implemented.
Mr Pita made his remarks in response to the government’s 90-day performance analysis at MFP headquarters on Friday.
The former MFP leader said the government has done a good job assisting Thai workers in Israel affected by the conflict there, administering a million vaccine doses to prevent human papillomavirus (HPV) and informal loan resolution.
However, Mr Pita pointed to the uncertainty of the government’s digital wallet handout scheme as its details and criteria have been changed repeatedly four times.
Mr Pita said he agrees with Pheu Thai’s plan to spur the economy in the short term, but it should review its digital wallet policy as it needs a loan of 500 billion baht, which could affect the state’s finances.
During the election campaign, Pheu Thai said the policy would use only state budget funds without requiring a loan.
However, after forming the government, Pheu Thai said it needed to use the budget from the Government Savings Bank but failed as the move breached the Government Savings Bank law. Due to such legal obstacles, it is having to seek a loan to fund the policy, Mr Pita said.
The digital wallet policy requires a large loan that will impact the future and could cause problems which will be a reflection of an impulsive act of government, Mr Pita said.
“Given this, the government should devise another plan, such as industrial investment, to stimulate the economy in case the digital wallet policy cannot be implemented,” he said.
“Gross domestic product is not only based on consumption stimulation, but also investment.”
He said Pheu Thai had stated its digital wallet would be based on blockchain technology before the election, but that changed to it relying on the Pao Tang wallet app supported with a blockchain system and lowered the number of benefit recipients from 66 million to 50 million people.
Mr Pita also criticised the government’s management on power bills, the cost of transportation, and the 20-baht flat-rate city train fare policy.
He said that the government’s performances so far also had not met the people’s expectations in areas such as boosting the country’s competitiveness, soft power promotion, tourism management, and reducing inequality.
“The government should have a clear roadmap that allows people to follow it,” Mr Pita said.
“Pheu Thai had similar ideals, including charter amendment and military reform with the MFP, but now its actions seem different,” he said.
To promote soft power, Mr Pita suggested creative freedom should be given to the arts and entertainment industries by revising the Film & Video Act. He said a Thailand Creative Content Agency should be formed to supervise the country’s soft power and promote movies to stimulate demand in the entertainment industry.