High hopes for new economic team: poll
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MOST people surveyed by a Bangkok Poll released yesterday believe the new-look Cabinet will reverse the economic slowdown and lift the global community's confidence in the country.
Of the 1,201 people aged over 18 polled nationwide, 47 per cent believe the revamped Cabinet has a better image than the previous line-up, 20 per cent say they share a similar image and 4 per cent believe the reshuffled Cabinet has a poorer image than the previous line-up.
Eight-five per cent believe the military having less of a role in the Cabinet has boosted its credibility in the eyes of foreigners, 20 per cent believe otherwise and 13 per cent are not sure.
Sixty-six per cent are confident in the competency of the Cabinet’s new economic team led by Somkid Jatisripitak, 21 per cent are not |confident and 12 per cent are unsure.
The most pressing problem that people want the new economic team to solve is the plummeting prices of agricultural produce (32 per cent of respondents). They also want it to stem the rising cost of living (31 per cent) and restore confidence in tourism (11 per cent).
Meanwhile Government Spokesman Maj-General Sansern Kaewkamnerd said the government spokespersons team would propose that Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha announce the administration’s one-year performance overview in November.
He expects Prayut will approve the proposal, as the new ministers and deputy prime ministers need time to look into their work.
Sansern defended the performance of the outgoing Cabinet members, saying they were not replaced due to a lack of ability.
“We needed to adjust the team to change the situation,’’ he said.
He said the PM had invited every outgoing minister and deputy prime minister to be an adviser and if they did not accept the post, there was no problem.
Outgoing Deputy Prime Minister Pridiyathorn Devakula has rejected the advisory post he was offered, saying the PM had not directly asked him to accept it and even if he had, he would have said no because he did not like the way the PM ran the administration.
But Sansern insisted there were no simmering conflicts resulting from the Cabinet reshuffle, saying everyone had good intentions for the country.
