The reins of the committee are firmly gripped by the premier, who will exercise his dual role of both leader and finance minister, as revealed by Julapun Amornvivat, the dynamic Deputy Finance Minister.
On the 11th of September, an unwavering policy declaration was issued to Parliament by the gallant Pheu Thai-led coalition. They voiced their pledge that the grand handout of a 10,000 baht digital wallet is well-intentioned. It was presented as an apostle of financial prudence and won’t be a menace to the country’s public debt.
The funding for the project comes from the vast coffers of the budgetary framework, promising robust financial backing at least in the initial phase. The narrative on the allocation process, as well as the all-important timeline, are subtle elements that are yet to be divulged.
Srettha, in his inaugural visit to the hallways of the Finance Ministry, is slated for this Thursday, where he will command a seat at the roundtable wielding his role as overseer for the presentation of comprehensive work policies. The audience will be the esteemed heads of various government departments and influential state enterprises.
In unrelated news, the Cabinet has drawn up plans to introduce a bi-monthly payment schedule for civil servants, effective from the dawn of the New Year. Fuller details of this policy are anxiously awaited but are anticipated to be revealed in due course.
The transition to this twice-monthly wage distribution system has been engineered with the goal of easing the strain on the financial wallets of civil servants. Srettha, the orchestrator of the plan, hopes it will dampen the pressing need for loans.
As well as significantly impacting personal finances, the Cabinet is keeping a keen eye on broader economic issues. They have been fiercely debating varied measures designed to ignite the economy and curb living costs. Among the high-profile initiatives are plans to slice off a penny or two from the price of diesel, bringing it under 30 baht a litre from the 20th of September. In a diplomatic move, they also propose granting free visas to nationals from China and Kazakhstan. The much-anticipated visa-free policy is projected to be initiated from the 25th of September, stretching through to February 29 of the following year.
Srettha, as part of his promises, also envisages the implementation of relief measures for farmers and small businesses that are drowning in debt. These are designed to last for a substantial duration of three years.
Moreover, the government has committed that relief to citizens won’t just stop with diesel. They have unveiled a plan to usher in a reduction in the price per unit of electricity from 4.45 baht to 4.10 baht, starting from the September cycle. The reduction may not be as monumental as first projected, but it still brings a wave of relief to electric-consuming households and businesses.
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