Politics

PM to opposition: “Don’t insult my intelligence.”

Published

Sunday, July 5, 2020 16:03

PHOTO: Nation Thailand

“The PM emphasised that his government has never approved a project to favour any particular individual or company.”

PM Prayut Chan-o-cha lashed out at some MPs from the opposition Kao Klai party, for what he took as an insult to his and his ministers’ intelligence. When the MPs questioned some Transport Ministry projects, Prayut insisted that all of them were properly vetted and transparently implemented.

“We are no less intelligent than the speaker, so do not insult our intelligence. Public sector projects require a lot of investment, we invest under a public-private-partnership structure. There is a transparent bidding process, and the contracts are then signed in accordance with the law.”

He was apparently referring to remarks made by Surachet Prawinwongvut, a Kao Klai MP, during the third day of the 2021 budget debate. He says he has no personal grudge against Surachet, and emphasised that his government has never approved a project to favour any particular individual or company.

The PM added that he won’t keep responding to questions on similar issues from the opposition, about how the government will use the 400 billion baht fund for economic rehabilitation and whether the funds will be used wisely.

Prayut says his priorities are to build better cooperation between the governmental and private sectors and the public, to ensure the country weathers one of its worst-ever economic crises, and turn it into an opportunity, noting that economies around the world are suffering due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

In a related story, the deputy transport minister told Parliament his ministry has allocated 14 billion baht to redevelop 3 airports, specifically 1.6 billion baht for Betong airport in the southern Yala province, 1.1 billion baht for Mae Sot airport at the Burmese border and 5.1 billion for Krabi airport.

SOURCE: Thai PBS World

Get more from The Thaiger

📱 Download our app on Android or iOS
👋 Have your say on our Thailand forums
🔔 Subscribe to our daily email newsletter
📺 Subscribe / Join YouTube for daily shows
👍 Like/Follow us on Facebook
🐦 FOLLOW us on Twitter
📷 FOLLOW us on Instagram

News Categories: Politics Thailand

Related Topics:400 billion insult intelligence MPs PM Prayut warns

Join the conversation and have your say on Thailand news published on The Thaiger.

Thaiger Talk is our new Thaiger Community where you can join the discussion on everything happening in Thailand right now.

Please note that articles are not posted to the forum instantly and can take up to 20 min before being visible. Click for more information and the Thaiger Talk Guidelines.

Create an Account

Click to comment

Jack Burton

Jack Burton is an American writer, broadcaster, linguist and journalist who has lived in Asia since 1987. A native of the state of Georgia, he attended the The University of Georgia's Henry Grady School of Journalism, which hands out journalism's prestigious Peabody Awards. His works have appeared in The China Post, The South China Morning Post, The International Herald Tribune and many magazines throughout Asia and the world. He is fluent in Mandarin and has appeared on television and radio for decades in Taiwan, Mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau.

Up Next

Poll shows majority of Thais still worry about coronavirus

Don't Miss

Thai PM expresses concern over “travel bubbles”