Thaksin Shinawatra, Thailand’s Trump, rallies Sisaket voters to support Pheu Thai, promising to fix Thailand’s economic foundations. He calls for AI in schools and a revamped education system to ensure future success through opportunity while pushing digital free cash to stimulate the economy sucked dry of liquidity.
In another vibrant performance on Saturday, former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra asked the people of Sisaket to rally around the ruling Pheu Thai Party. The former Premier was campaigning ahead of the February 1st Provincial Administrative Organisation President elections for the party’s candidate, Mr. Wiwatchai Hotrawisaya. However, Thaksin delivered a tour de force account of Thailand’s present state of affairs and possible solutions. Crucially, this was a hard-hitting assessment of the current economy and pulled no punches. The former PM, in particular, called for a skilled Minister of Education and the deployment of AI in Thai schools as soon as possible.
It was a week that saw US President Donald Trump returned to office with a blizzard of executive orders and a highly successful trip to North Carolina and Los Angeles. Later, on Saturday, Thailand’s leading political figure also took the road.
Ex-PM Thaksin Shinawatra headed out to the stumps to push the Pheu Thai Party’s candidate in northeastern Sisaket. The ruling party figurehead spoke in the Prang Ku District of the province.
In short, he made another inspiring address to the faithful there. Certainly not just bluster and confidence building. Rather a clear understanding of government policy and thinking moving forward. It was vintage Thaksin and indeed a compelling performance.
Thaksin delivers a compelling speech highlighting his clear vision for Thailand’s future policy direction
Thaksin is currently 76 while Trump is 78 years of age. However, both men appear to have similar grips on their respective nation’s needs. In short, both are genuinely powerful leaders, particularly important in what is right now a very troubled world.
Thaksin started his address with good news. At length, he promised over 60-year-olds by January 27, 2025, would receive the government’s ฿10,000 gift.
Nonetheless, Mr. Thaksin certainly did not pretend that this would solve people’s problems. He came with a message that acknowledged Thailand’s grave problems.
Indeed, he found a very appropriate way of explaining the situation. He compared the country to a house. Thaksin said that in 2001 when he was first Prime Minister, he found an economy and country broken by the 1997 financial crisis.
Mr. Thaksin said that Thailand in 2001 was like a house that had lost its roof.
At the same time, he explained that fixing the problem back then was easier. Thaksin said the problem lay very much in Bangkok, among the business sector and the commercial interests there. Fixing the economy’s problems back then was like putting a new roof on the house.
Thailand’s economic struggles compared to repairing a house with foundational and structural damage
However, at this time, the problem is not the roof but the very foundation of the house. Indeed, it’s floor and base. Thaksin explained to his audience on Saturday that the house was sinking. Furthermore, if the government failed to address the country’s structural problems, the house itself would collapse.
He admitted that not only had money been sucked out of the system, but people and businesses had also been left mired in debt. Thaksin referred often in his speech to the coup d’état that ousted him in 2006.
Talking about the ฿30 universal healthcare scheme, he explained its success. The small amount of money paid to hospitals by poor people gave them dignity. It also avoided abuse.
Thaksin told the crowd that the generals had tried to scrap the scheme. However, they could not, as the people would not have it.
In effect, he said the government just introduced more bureaucracy and complications, while time idled by.
He asked the crowd if they still had debts? Whether they still borrowed from friends? Had they enough money to spend?
Thaksin highlights systemic failures and promises economic stimulus to address Thailand’s urgent needs
He insisted that he, even at his advanced age, had a plan. For example, this year would be the year that Thailand tackled debt. Certainly, he saw threats to the economy on the horizon. He identified these as the trade policies of US President Donald Trump and fast changes in technology.
Nonetheless, he insisted that Thailand was prepared for all eventualities. Previously, Pheu Thai Minister of Commerce Pichai Naripthaphan confirmed that he would be in Washington DC next month. The minister is scheduled to meet with US trade officials in the Trump administration.
On Saturday, Mr. Thaksin told his audience that Thailand aims to join the United States in the vibrant, new technologically advanced framework that the US President was trying to create.
‘We will be one of the Asian countries that can catch up with the United States in this matter,’ he told them. He said that this year the government would tackle the hardship of the people through government stimulus.
“Those who are over 60 by January 27, ฿10,000 will arrive. As for those aged 16-60, wait for the digital wallet to be completed around March-April, then it will gradually arrive. Therefore, everything that was promised has been fulfilled. There is no word of cheating. Today, the country needs to stimulate the economy because it has been sluggish for a long time. We need to stimulate it. The digital wallet or ฿10,000 baht is one way to stimulate it, but it is not enough because all the money has been sucked away,” said Mr. Thaksin.
Thaksin unveils plans to stimulate Thailand’s economy through digital wallets and government initiatives
After that, debt would be tackled through the government’s new debt restructuring programme.
Following that, the former Prime Minister promised that in 2026, Thailand would begin to see more money in circulation and people’s pockets. He said his goal was to have Pheu Thai again sweep the boards in the 2027 General Election. In brief, by returning all MPs for Sisaket province. Previously, in May 2023, it won seven seats while the Bhumjaithai Party won two.
The Pheu Thai figurehead praised the party’s Provincial Administrative Organization candidate in the February 1st local elections. On that day, 47 provinces go to the polls. In Sisaket, their party has fielded stalwart Wiwatchai Hotrawisaya.
Presently, the incumbent and main competitor is independent but aligned with the Bhumjaithai Party. This is Wichit Traisanakul, the father of Ministry of the Interior spokeswoman Trisulee Traisanakul. Formerly, Ms. Trisulee was a government spokeswoman in the government of General Prayut Chan Ocha.
Thaksin insisted that local government and the Provincial Administrative Organizations were critical to the ruling party to govern properly.
Pheu Thai aims to dominate local elections with a focus on strong governance and local collaboration
Notably, he compared himself to a psychopath for work. Thaksin said he relished difficult or impossible tasks. Significantly, he was echoing Trump’s inauguration speech on Monday.
In particular, Thaksin said he was born in a year which made him like a cow that had to plough the field before eating hay. Even at 76 years of age, his memory was good and he had some energy to work for the country.
“I came back with only difficult jobs, but I am a psychopath. I don’t like to do easy jobs. I like difficult jobs because I was born in the year of the midday cow. The midday cows have to plough their fields before they can eat hay. That’s my nature. I like to work hard. Why did I go into the provincial administrative organization system? Because I want to connect the government with the local government. The local government has both the provincial administrative organization and provincial administrative organization members who are closest to the people.”
After that, Thaksin went into what was the substance of his speech. He addressed Thailand’s chronic failures within its education system. He admitted that a child born in New York had significantly more opportunity than a Thai child born in Prang Ku.
Thaksin calls for a radical overhaul of Thailand’s education system to match global standards
Furthermore, Thaksin candidly told his audience that his children did not attend or would not attend Thai schools. Certainly, they would be educated at international schools and later abroad. It was hardly fair.
Therefore, he proposed a revolution in Thailand’s education system.
Undoubtedly, Thailand must bring foreign teachers into Thai classrooms. Moreover, Thaksin had other ideas.
For one, he told his audience that the Ministry of Education was too large and bloated. At the same time, the system needed to catch up fast. In short, he had an idea.
He told his audience that received a report this week from Nigeria. Certainly, that country, despite its oil reserves, is not as rich as Thailand.
At length, Nigeria’s 2023 GDP per capita was $1,621.12, while Thailand’s was $7,171.81.
Nonetheless, what Thaksin had learned was important. A pilot in Nigeria has tested Nigerian schools providing children with AI tools to learn. Thaksin said the results had been astonishing.
Thaksin proposes AI-powered education reforms to boost Thailand’s learning outcomes in a shortcut fix
Therefore, Thailand must immediately introduce AI in the classroom. The former PM said already all adults in the country already had LINE and other apps. This can be achieved through smartphones. It would help Thai children to learn and adapt to the modern world.
At the same time, he suggested that the government may, in the future, use extra revenue from gambling and casinos to fund a full reorganization of Thai education. Certainly, it must include streamlining the ministry’s bureaucracy and bringing teaching into the 21st century.
Mr. Thaksin joked that presently, Thai teachers have a very difficult life. Their lives are plagued with family problems and ongoing struggles to obtain new qualifications to receive promotions. Notably, this involved generating pointless internal reports.
Other than that they spend most of their time searching for loans. Only afterwards did they have time to focus on teaching.
Thaksin highlights the burden on Thai teachers and calls for educational reforms to alleviate the stress
Undeniably this speech from the former Prime Minister struck a note of authenticity, as his style. Certainly, his message resonated with the audience.
However, within it, there is also a deep understanding of the country’s problems and what appears to be the nucleus of a solution.
At the same time, it comes in a week where we have seen there is such a thing as naturally gifted leaders. The return of Donald Trump to the Oval Office in the United States has been met with high approval ratings. Meanwhile, the Democratic Party has been left reeling and in shock.
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Of course, Mr. Trump is still surrounded by controversy, including accusations of corruption. Similarly, no one can deny that Thaksin Shinawatra is the Thai equivalent. Indeed, he was perhaps the most successful Thai Prime Minister the kingdom has ever seen.
In addition, he is also a past acquaintance of the presently very powerful US President. In truth, this could be an asset to Thailand as it navigates its way in the new Trumpian world.
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Further reading:
Thaksin warns drug dealers: “I’m back” as he tells Udon Thani crowd his children give him orders
PM tests biometric sites at Suvarnabhumi Airport as she flies out to drum up business for Thailand
Thaksin, Pheu Thai six-pronged complaint being reviewed by the Office of the Attorney-General (OAG)
Ko Kood at the centre of Thailand’s rising political storm waged against Paetongtarn’s government
Pressure mounts again on PM Paetongtarn as the Constitutional Court seeks AG’s input on complaint
Ung Ing papers over the cracks of a cabinet which is already divided after only six weeks in office
Firebrand Jatuporn launches crusade against Thaksin Shinawatra and present government in Bangkok
