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Government accused by Move Forward of fiddling calculation of GDP

14 Sept 05:28 Key points summarised by AI

Move Forward MP Sirikanya Tansakul questioned the government's 2024 budget, asserting it fails to reflect Thailand's declared crises and accusing officials of manipulating GDP calculations by including inflation to project an unrealistic 5% growth.
Sirikanya highlighted critical budget shortfalls for key government initiatives, such as the 500-billion-baht 'digital wallet' scheme, and criticized the 2% increase in the defense budget amidst economic challenges, contrasting it with past crisis responses.
She expressed skepticism regarding the government's mid-term fiscal plan, which projects a consistent 3.4% annual budget deficit for the next three years, raising doubts about the accuracy of the economic outlook.
Deputy Finance Minister Julapun Amornvivat refuted the accusation of 'cheating,' clarifying that inflation and foreign exchange rates are standard components included in GDP calculations.

18 Oct 12:30 Key points summarised by AI

A recent NIDA poll indicates that a plurality of the public (30.38%) anticipates Kla Tham Party MPs will vote to support all 18 cabinet ministers targeted in the upcoming no-confidence debate.
Respondents believe the Ministry of Interior (38.78%) and the Prime Minister’s Office (21.37%) will face the toughest questioning during the censure debate.
Economic issues, particularly alleged incompetence in addressing problems (34.27%) and the rising cost of living (25.88%), are cited as the primary concerns for the government during the censure.
The public holds high expectations for the Opposition's case, with 45.65% believing clear, concrete evidence will be presented against all 18 ministers, and 41.22% expecting substantial evidence against specific ministers.