Former PM Srettha proposes Thai economic ‘cure’ in Financial Times letter

2026-02-15 - 02:56

Former Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin has proposed solutions to Thailand’s economic challenges in a letter published by the Financial Times on 11 Febuary, titled “A former PM offers a cure for Thailand’s economic ills.” Responding to a 4 Febuary report that labeled Thailand the “sick man” of Asia, Srettha wrote that while the article identified the country’s economic “symptoms,” it overlooked potential remedies. He called for a “big reset” to tackle household debt, urging asset management companies to purchase non-performing loans to ease debt burdens and revive domestic consumption, arguing that past stimulus measures and cash handouts alone were insufficient. Srettha also outlined a two-pronged strategy to integrate Thailand more deeply into the global economy: investing in major infrastructure projects such as a north-south railway and a land bridge linking the Andaman Sea and Gulf of Thailand, and modernizing regulations, including direct power purchase agreements to attract green-focused global investors. He added that tourism should shift from volume to value and that improving ease of doing business is essential for long-term competitiveness.