Pita suggests Plan B be applied in lieu of digital wallet project

By Thai Newsroom Reporters

FORMER MOVE FORWARD leader Pita Limjaroenrat today (Feb.10) suggested the Pheu Thai-led government prepare and apply Plan B in place of the much-heralded, highly contentious digital wallet project.

Pita advised the government to put Plan B to work if the populist handout campaign, the implementation of which has already been postponed beyond May, finally fizzles out.

Without elaborating, Pita said the bottom-up economics be applied to all parts of the country rather than the top-down approach which the government has apparently put forward.

Since late last year, the national economy has slowed down despite an increase in foreign tourist arrivals whilst spending of the public sector and export volumes have declined, according to the former Move Forward leader.

“The planned economic stimulus should never be solely dependent on the digital wallet project. It is by no means a healthy risk management if the economic stimulus entirely hinges on that,” Pita commented.

Varied economic solutions need to be carried out in delicate and scrupulous fashion in addition to cost-effective budgeting, he said.

The Pheu Thai-led government has planned to borrow a sum of 500 billion baht in loan either from domestic or foreign sources or both to finance the populist campaign under which each Thai national aged 16 years and over will be entitled to spend a maximum of 10,000 baht via the government-given digital wallet on purchase of goods and services in the boundaries of their home district within a six-month period.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin confirmed today he will see to it that the digital wallet will eventually get to the hands of the people and be free of possible embezzlement or malpractice.

The prime minister said an ad hoc subcommittee will be set up to prevent and combat corruption which might otherwise possibly occur with the handout campaign and that conclusions recently reached by the National Anti-Corruption Commission on the populist project will be taken into account by the cabinet next Thursday.

CAPTION:

Move Forward leader Chaithawat Tulathon and former party leader Pita Limjaroenrat together with some MPs visited Chinatown today (Feb. 10) to mark Chinese New Year – Year of the Dragon. Photos: Matichon

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