In an interview with a local newspaper, 100 chief executive officers interviewed by the paper said that Prime Minister Prayut Chano-ocha should not lead the government’s new economic team.
According to Krungthep Turakij’s, the majority of the participants said that the PM “might not be suitable” as head of the new economic team.
About 21 per cent of the CEOs are from the financial sector, 17 per cent from the energy sector, 16 per cent are manufacturers, 16 per cent from the IT sector, and 15 per cent are from the tourism sector.
The report said that the prime minister should instead find capable leaders to lead a team that he can work closely with.
The PM has last week submitted the list of new cabinet members for royal endorsement which include five new ministers and one deputy minister.
The new cabinet has already caused some infighting within the ruling party (read more here) because of the appointment of technocrats and not party stalwarts.
The PM, who said before that he lacks experience in economic issues, did not specify who will be the head of the new economic team following the resignation of Somkid Jatusripitak, former Deputy Prime Minister in charge of economic affairs.
It is widely expected that new Finance Minister Predee Daochai will be able to help form part of that economic team.
Supant Mongkolsuthree, chairman of the Federation of Thai Industries, told Thai Enquirer last week that the PM should head the new economic team as he is the only one who can make the new team, which consist of core members from the ruling Palang Pracharath party and the PM’s personal advisors, work together.
Other results in the survey show that 50 per cent of the CEOs said the Thai economy in the second of 2020 will be worse than the first half if there is no vaccine against coronavirus this year since the economy is still dependent on tourism and global demand.
Thailand is expected to head into a recession of at least 8 per cent in 2020 before coming back to expand from a low base by 5 per cent in 2021. The surveyed CEOs are expecting at least 10 per cent recession.
