Government formation Srettha was elected as Thailand's next prime minister by a joint sitting of parliament on 22 August 2023. His immediate responsibilities included the formation of a
cabinet and the presentation of his policies for the forthcoming four years to parliament. The following day,
King Vajiralongkorn officially appointed Srettha as the 30th Prime Minister of Thailand. On 5 September, Srettha was sworn in as prime minister and minister of finance by the King. The ceremony took place at the
Amphorn Sathan Residential Hall in
Dusit Palace, Bangkok. The new cabinet formed by Srettha was composed of 34 ministers representing six parties within the governing coalition. This included several ministers who had served under the previous administration of Prayut Chan-o-cha. He was succeeded by his advisor and former energy executive,
Pichai Chunhavajira.
Domestic affairs at Pheu Thai Party headquarters in 2023 On 8 September, Srettha undertook visits to the northeastern provinces of Khon Kaen, Udon Thani, and Nong Khai. These provinces are known strongholds of support for the Pheu Thai Party. Accompanied by several ministers, his visit mirrored the approach previously taken by former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. In Khon Kaen, he visited included the
Ubol Ratana Dam, a site experiencing drought conditions. Srettha communicated to the media that agriculture was a key priority for his government, In
Nong Khai, his discussions centred on shipping relations between Thailand and
China.
Economy On 11 September, Srettha presented the cabinet's policy statement to Parliament. The statement outlined the government's strategies to address national issues, focusing on the economic sector. Despite high expectations from various economic, labour, and business groups, the statement faced critical analysis from opposition parties and media outlets.
Sirikanya Tansakun, deputy leader and chief economist of the
Move Forward Party, criticised the policy for its perceived lack of specificity and actionable goals. Sirikanya remarked on the absence of clear indicators and timeframes, comparing it to an earlier draft version that was leaked, and expressing concern over its potential effectiveness in guiding the country's economic direction. Srettha described the economy as being in a "crisis." He highlighted that the highest interest rates in a decade were detrimental to businesses and advocated for the
Bank of Thailand to reduce these rates. He disagreed with the characterisation of the economic state as a crisis. However, the MPC, in a 5–2 decision, maintained the one-day repurchase rate at 2.50%, the highest in over a decade. The central bank attributed the decision to slower-than-expected economic growth, emphasising reliance on domestic demand. Structural impediments, particularly declining competitiveness, were identified as factors hampering growth. forms part of the
Southern Economic Corridor. It is designed to be completed in two phases, with the first phase expected to conclude around 2030 and the second by 2039. Upon completion, the project aims to facilitate the handling of up to 20 million cargo containers annually. This infrastructure project received cabinet approval on 16 October. The land bridge project elicited significant concerns and criticism from the local population. Srettha acknowledged that the
government's communication with international investors about the project's economic potential could have been more effective. He also The land bridge project elicited significant concerns and criticism from the local population. This visa exemption policy was planned to remain in effect until 29 February 2024 for Kazakhs. For Chinese tourists the visa exemption was extended, as both Thailand and China signed a visa exemption agreement which will take effect on 4 March 2024. On 17 October, the cabinet approved an extension of the visa-free stay for Russian tourists from 30 to 90 days. This decision was timed with the onset of the Russian winter season and coincided with the peak tourism period in Thailand. Russia ranks as the fifth highest in terms of visitors to Thailand, and the highest from Europe. The extended visa policy for Russians is set to begin in November and last until April 2024. This extension was announced in conjunction with a meeting between Srettha and Russian President
Vladimir Putin. As a culmination of these visa exemptions and the gradual post-pandemic opening of its borders, flight arrivals for the high season had recovered to more than 80% of the levels seen in 2019. On 16 February at the iBusiness Forum in Bangkok, Srettha was informed by the
Anschutz Entertainment Group that the reason
Taylor Swift was not going to perform in Thailand was because of a deal with Singapore where she agreed not to schedule any
Eras Tour concerts in ASEAN countries other than Singapore. In response, Srettha pledged to support making Thailand a regional hub for concerts.
Strengthening the Thai passport Srettha prioritised strengthening the Thai passport, ranked 52nd most powerful by
The Passport Index in 2024. In discussions with Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo in Switzerland, he explored the potential for easier entry to Europe for Thai passport holders. During German President
Frank-Walter Steinmeier's January 2024 visit to Thailand, Srettha appealed for support in securing visa exemptions for Thai passport holders from
Schengen area member states. Additionally, Thailand aims to extend the current 30-day visa exemptions for Schengen nations. To gain leverage in negotiations, Thailand is planning to collaborate with Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Malaysia to hold talks with the
European Union (EU). On 14 February, Australian
Governor-General David Hurley agreed to consider the possibility of a mutual visa exemption scheme between Thailand and
Australia during his visit.
Digital wallet scheme In the lead-up to the 2023 election, the Pheu Thai party campaigned for a digital wallet initiative. This plan, aimed at Thai citizens over 16 years of age, involved distributing a government-funded handout of ฿10,000 per individual. The stipulation was that the funds must be spent within a 4 km radius of the recipient's address and within six months. To encompass the 54.8 million eligible citizens, the proposal would require an allocation of ฿560 billion from the government. Srettha, following his election, maintained support for this policy, while acknowledging its controversial nature. Pheu Thai has described the initiative as vital for jumpstarting the Thai economy, Since September, Srettha also advocated for a reduction in electricity and fuel costs within his cabinet. This decision marked a significant shift from the government's initial strategy, which involved funding the program through the annual budget or loans from the Government Savings Bank. Despite ongoing scepticism about the program, Srettha maintained that the government had sufficient data to demonstrate the program's effectiveness and value. Srettha had expressed his intention to expedite discussions with Deputy Finance Minister Julapun Amornvivat. On 15 July 2024 Srettha announced that eligible businesses and individuals can register for the program beginning in August.
Electric vehicle industry On 21 September 2023, Srettha engaged in discussions with
Elon Musk about potential
Tesla investments in the Thai electric vehicle industry. This meeting was part of Srettha's broader strategy to attract larger investments from companies like Tesla to bolster Thailand's
electric vehicle sector. Srettha planned to continue these discussions in November. Additionally, following a visit to Malaysia on 11 October, Srettha indicated that
Proton, along with its Chinese partner
Geely, were considering the establishment of electric vehicle plants in Thailand. Additionally, Thailand was collaborating with Toyota to jointly develop the domestic electric vehicle industry. Since the beginning of the Srettha government, the electric vehicle market in Thailand has experienced significant growth. This progress led to the China Automotive Technology and Research Center (CATARC) setting up its regional automaking hub in Thailand. Experts from
Chulalongkorn University have assessed that the average lithium content in these deposits, approximately 0.4%, is higher than similar deposits found globally.
Cannabis Cannabis has been decriminalised in Thailand since June 2022. In the 2023 election, Pheu Thai and Srettha ran on an anti-drug platform that opposed the total liberalisation of cannabis use except in medical use. This placed Srettha in opposition to the
Bhumjaithai Party (BJT), where cannabis liberalisation is a flagship policy. He continued his pledge even after forming a coalition with BJT, saying that he aims to introduce cannabis laws within six-months. In November 2023, a draft bill seeking to restrict cannabis use failed. On 8 May 2024, Srettha announced he wished to see cannabis relisted as a narcotic by the end of 2024, restricting it to medical use only. He justified the policy U-turn by saying that drugs "destroys the future of the country." In July, the Ministry of Public Health approved the proposal to reclassify cannabis, forwarding the proposal to the Narcotics Control Authority. However, on 23 July, BJT leader
Anuntin Charnvirakul announced that the coalition partners had reached an agreement to regulate cannabis use through legislation and not through relisting it as a narcotic. BJT is the second largest party in Pheu Thai's coalition, and Srettha's proposals on cannabis created a rift between the two parties. Following these events, a comprehensive national crackdown was undertaken. By 12 October, this operation resulted in the seizure of over 2,000 illegal firearms, approximately 75,000 rounds of ammunition, and led to 1,593 arrests. Additionally, the Interior Minister suspended the trade and importation of firearms, including suspending the issuance of new firearm permits.
Military Srettha once answered a question from the press regarding the military reformation policy of the Pheu Thai party, saying that he did not want to call it "reform" but a "joint development" between the civilian leadership and the military. Following the sinking of the Thai corvette
HTMS Sukhothai on 18 December 2022, the
Joint United States Military Advisory Group Thailand (JUSMAGTHAI) reached out to the
Royal Thai Navy (RTN) to express its concerns. However, there was no response from Thailand to this communication. Despite the bid from the winning company still awaiting approval, RTN Chief Admiral Adung Phan-iam expressed concerns about potential delays beyond April if the U.S. became involved.
Environment The government before Srettha faced challenges in addressing
PM 2.5 air pollution and in supporting resource-based communities. The environmental policies of Srettha's government were categorised under mid to long-term plans in their policy presentation to Parliament. On 6 October 2023, Srettha attended the ESG (Environmental-Social-Governance) Symposium 2023:
Accelerating Changes towards a Low Carbon Society at the
Queen Sirikit National Convention Center. Here, he shared his vision for a sustainable economy, emphasising grassroots participation, human rights, equality, and climate change initiatives. He expressed a commitment to reducing electricity costs and highlighted the importance of household solar initiatives. Later, on 11 January 2024, during another visit to Chiang Mai, he endorsed the Clean Air bill. He noted an improvement in the air quality in Chiang Mai compared to the previous year. However, the Chiang Mai Administrative Court ruled against the Prime Minister and the National Environment Board. The court's decision centred on their failure to adequately address the PM 2.5 haze issue in the North the previous year.
Education Before becoming prime minister, Srettha was an advocate for reducing educational inequality. He aimed to nurture knowledgeable and morally responsible young individuals who understand the importance of collaboration in building a better society and nation. Srettha has expressed a commitment to eliminating barriers to education for Thai children, setting a goal to reduce the number of children without educational opportunities to zero. Additionally, he emphasized the need to develop the skills of young people and highlighted the significance of investing in education as a means to enhance quality of life and civic responsibilities.
Foreign affairs in 2023 in 2023 On 21 September, Srettha conducted a virtual meeting with Elon Musk in
New York City. The focus of this meeting was on the electric vehicle industry and potential Tesla investments in Thailand. Additionally, Srettha engaged with representatives from major corporations such as
Estee Lauder,
Google, and
Microsoft. The aim of these discussions was to enhance foreign investment in Thailand. During these meetings, Srettha remarked on Thailand's position in comparison to
Vietnam in terms of free trade agreements. On 24 September, Srettha announced expectations of receiving approximately $5 billion in investments from Google, Microsoft, and Tesla. This statement was made in the context of his efforts to boost foreign investment in Thailand. Srettha also made his debut speech at the 78th session of the
United Nations General Assembly in New York on 22 September. His speech emphasised Thailand's desire to collaborate with other nations and to strengthen its democracy. On the same day, he met with executives from the
New York Stock Exchange, discussing the economic policies of his government. He concluded his visit by participating in the traditional bell-ringing ceremony to commence the trading session. Furthermore, Srettha actively led Thailand's effort to become the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) candidate for the 2025 to 2027 term on the
United Nations Human Rights Council. His trip to Hong Kong is part of a tour to encourage investment in Thailand. Then on 10 October, Srettha visited
Brunei and was received by Sultan
Hassanal Bolkiah at the
Istana Nurul Iman palace, and both spoke of closer
Brunei-Thailand relations. They also spoke of the two countries' cooperation in food security, where Thailand plans to increase its food exports to Brunei. He then flew to
Kuala Lumpur to hold bilateral talks with Malaysia, where he discussed bilaterial relations on investment, trade, food, tourism and security with Malaysia's Prime minister
Anwar Ibrahim, as well as securing Thai hostages taken by Hamas. On 12 October, he then visited
Singapore where he discussed renewable energy, investment and food security with Prime-minister
Lee Hsien Loong. Srettha visited China from 16 to 19 October, where he attended the
Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in
Beijing. On the sidelines of the forum on 17 October, he met with the President of Russia, Vladimir Putin. Together they discussed boosting trade and cultural ties between Russia and Thailand. Srettha then invited Putin to visit Thailand in 2024, saying "President Putin likes Phuket, I understand he travels often." According to the
Bangkok Post, the invitation was accepted by Putin. Thailand is not a ratified signatory of the
Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court and is not obliged to arrest Putin following the arrest warrant issued by the ICC on 17 March 2023. During his visit to
Laos on 29 October, Srettha participated in discussions focused on enhancing bilateral trade between Laos and Thailand, with an objective to reach US$11 billion by 2025. In addition to trade, a significant aspect of this collaboration involves infrastructure development, particularly in transportation. A key project is the construction of a new railway across the
Mekong River, anticipated to be completed by at least 2026. Complementing this endeavour, Srettha and
Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone inaugurated the Khamsavath station, a crucial component of a new railway line extending to Nong Khai. This new line is expected to be operational by 2024, further facilitating cross-border connectivity. In line with Srettha's administration's strategy to enhance bilateral relations and cooperation with Laos, a
memorandum of understanding was signed focusing on technical assistance for the development of Laos' railway system. Alongside this, Srettha indicated an interest in increasing the purchase of
clean energy from Laos. Furthermore, the two countries agreed to construct a sixth friendship bridge, further solidifying their collaborative efforts. To boost business relations, he temporarily waived visa requirements for Japanese business travellers. Discussions with the
Japanese Government included a focus on strengthening cooperation between Thailand and Japan. Srettha expressed support for initiatives like the Asia Zero Emission Community (AZEC) and the Strategic Programme for ASEAN Climate and Environment. This discussion was a continuation of both leaders' previous expressions of intent to deepen bilateral ties, as stated during their meeting a month earlier in San Francisco. Informal Dialogue and Working Lunch in 2023 , President of the European Commission at the
World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland in 2024 During the 2024
World Economic Forum conference held from 15 to 19 January in
Davos,
Switzerland, Srettha represented his government to promote the land bridge mega project. He was joined by Transport Minister
Suriya Jungrungruangkit and Foreign Minister
Parnpree Bahiddha-Nukara. On 17 January, Srettha introduced the concept of 'Seamless
ASEAN', envisioning it as a unified tourist destination achievable within the next 5 to 10 years. Srettha's engagements in Davos included a discussion with the
Adani Group, during which he shared on social media that the group showed significant interest in the project. Another notable meeting was with
Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, the chairman and CEO of
Dubai Ports World (DP World). Srettha reported that the CEO of DP World expressed a keen interest in the land bridge project and committed to sending representatives to Thailand for further discussions and location scouting. This visit was notable as it was the first time in 22 years that the German President visited Thailand. The visit, spanning from 24 to 26 January, focused on key issues such as trade, investment, climate change, and vocational education. He acknowledged that while substantial changes could not be expected so soon into the administration, the initial developments were promising. Srettha participated in the
Independence Day celebrations at
Galle Face Green in
Colombo,
Sri Lanka, on 4 February 2024. The visit was a response to Sri Lanka seeking Thailand's assistance in revitalizing its economy amid a
challenging period. The state visit culminated when the two nations signed a
Free Trade Agreement (FTA). As a
guest of honor alongside Sri Lankan President
Ranil Wickremesinghe, they finalized a
Free Trade Agreement (FTA) aimed at fostering economic cooperation. The FTA, replacing a prior agreement from 1950, focuses on reducing trade barriers and fostering collaboration in air services. Anticipated benefits for Thailand include enhanced exports of automotive parts, textiles, electrical appliances, machinery, steel products, paper, processed food, and animal feed. Additionally, a
Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed to facilitate collaboration between the National Gem and Jewellery Authority of Thailand and The Gem and Jewellery Research and Training Institute of Sri Lanka. Upon returning to Thailand, Srettha held discussions with the CEO and board chairman of
PTT, encouraging their support for Thai startups and investment in Sri Lanka's floating solar farm. On 7 February 2024,
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet visited Thailand for official discussions encompassing transport, trade, investment, and the long-stalled joint development of natural resources within their disputed maritime boundary. This marked Hun Manet's inaugural visit as the country's leader, aiming to strengthen the longstanding ties between the two nations. Srettha actively engaged in the bilateral talks, emphasising Thailand's commitment to ensuring fair treatment and an adequate economic safety net for Cambodian workers in the country. Notably, recent events revealed the detention of Cambodian opposition figures and government critics in Bangkok, who had sought refuge in Thailand to evade arrest under
Hun Sen's government, potentially indicating efforts to prevent protests against Hun Manet. Manet expressed gratitude to Srettha for preventing Thailand from being used as a base for external interference in his country's affairs. In a joint press conference, both Srettha and Manet announced their shared objective to increase bilateral trade value from 8 billion baht in 2023 to 15 billion baht by the following year. Given Thailand's reliance on imported energy, there was a keen interest in negotiating a deal with Cambodia to develop a disputed zone in the
Gulf of Thailand, believed to harbor significant natural gas and oil deposits totalling around 11 trillion cubic feet. In addition, Hun Manet planned to meet with King
Maha Vajiralongkorn and participate in a Thailand-Cambodia business forum. Thailand and Cambodia signed five Memoranda of Understanding.
Foreign policy In response to the
Gaza war, Srettha denounced the actions of
Hamas, including their kidnapping of Thai citizens. He then ordered the
Royal Thai Air Force to begin evacuations of Thai citizens in cooperation the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Myanmar civil war Following developments in January 2024 during
Operation 1027, Srettha's government is considering sending humanitarian aid to Myanmar through the Asean Five-Point Consensus.
Dismissal In May 2024, 40 military-appointed senators submitted a case accepted by the Constitutional Court requesting the removal of Srettha and
Pichit Chuenban under Section 170 (4) and (5) of the Constitution, which concerns the ethics of cabinet ministers. The case was in response to Srettha's appointment of Pichit, who had previously served time in jail for attempting to bribe Supreme Court officials, as a minister of the Prime Minister's Office. Pichit resigned on 21 May. On 14 August, the
constitutional court dismissed Srettha for gross ethics violations. == Political positions ==