In the face of mounting public criticism over his frequent overseas travels, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin has vocally committed to staying put in Thailand for the next two months. The announcement was made via his Twitter account, highlighting that he had taken on board the citizens’ concerns and was grateful for their feedback.
“I will not be travelling abroad from March 14 to May 15. I have listened to your concerns and I will be visiting the Mor Chit bus terminal, a hub for our low-income citizens. However, I maintain that my foreign trips are always in the nation’s best interest.”
This statement is believed to be a direct response to a recent article published in the Prachachart Thurakij newspaper by columnist Sorakol Adulyanont. Sorakol had appealed to the prime minister to focus more on domestic issues, suggesting visits to the bus terminal or inspections of the fire-fighting operations in the northern region currently battling severe dust pollution.
Sorakol further reminded the prime minister of his own words, emphasising that a true leader must be willing to hear the voices of the people, regardless of whether they are hard to digest.
Critics, notably including Senator Somchai Sawangkarn, have expressed disapproval of the 62 year old prime minister’s frequent foreign excursions.
“Could our prime minister be setting a global record for the most overseas trips by a country’s leader? The pressing question remains: What results have these trips yielded?”
It has been reported that the Bangkok-born Srettha has spent nearly 30% of his time in office over the past six months travelling; totalling 15 overseas trips. His most recent trips included visits to Germany and France, in addition to an official trip to Australia. During the Australian trip, he participated in the 2024 ASEAN-Australia Special Summit held in Melbourne, reported Bangkok Post.
Despite the criticism, the Thai prime minister remains steadfast in his stance that these trips are crucial for promoting investment and tourism in Thailand.
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