BANGKOK, Aug 4 – Thailand’s outgoing Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva will deliver his farewell address to the nation this evening on the performance of his Democrat-led coalition government.
Mr Abhisit’s speech will be aired at 8.30pm via the Television Pool of Thailand and focuses on a brief account of his government’s performance on economic and social policies.
The premier said he believes the Thai people, once listen to his address, will be confident regarding his government’s work on the country’s economy, and that the new government will consider continued implementation of some of his government’s existing policies.
“I will point out to the public the country’s current financial status. Now Thailand has US$180 billion of reserves, a figure which indicates stable financial status, while treasury reserves stand at Bt300 billion,” Mr Abhisit emphasised.
These will serve as good tools for the new government to drive its economic policy, the outgoing premier said.
Mr Abhisit said, however, that he disagrees with the new government’s plan to borrow a substantial amount of money to stimulate the Thai economy, saying that it should instead focus on tackling the issues that are pressing for the people.
The country’s 27th prime minister made it clear that his farewell speech neither means to compare his economic policies with those of the new government nor defend his government’s record.
It aims at informing the people about what his government has done with hope that it will become a benchmark for the next government and for successive administrations, he said.
The House of Representatives is set to vote for the new prime minister Friday at 10am, with Yingluck Shinawatra, the top party-list MP of the Pheu Thai Party and the youngest sister of ousted premier Thaksin Shinwatra, being certain to become Thailand’s first female prime minister.
