Open letter from ex-governor calls for independent BoT successor

13 Sept 08:10 Key points summarised by AI

Former central bank governor Tarisa Watanagase urged Finance Minister Pichai Chunhavajira to prioritize the Bank of Thailand's independence in selecting its new governor.
Tarisa stressed that a central bank governor's most critical qualification is freedom from political interference, essential for maintaining investor confidence and credibility.
She cited Turkey's economic turmoil under President Erdogan's interference with its central bank as a cautionary tale against political meddling in monetary policy.
Tarisa differentiated central bank staff, who understand the long-term national impact of policies, from state-run bank staff, who are more responsive to government directives.
Amidst economic challenges, she implored the Finance Minister to safeguard the central bank's credibility, emphasizing that damage to the central bank translates to damage to the country.

Public expects most Kla Tham MPs to back Cabinet in censure vote, NIDA Poll finds

Yesterday 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.