Pita returns to parliament, criticises handout scheme

published : 25 Jan 2024 at 13:28

ORIGINAL SOURCE/WRITER: Post Reporters

Pita Limjaroenrat waves to reporters after concluding his interview at parliament on Thursday morning. He was entering the elevator to attend a House session. (Photo: Nutthawat Wichieanbut)

Former Move Forward Party (MFP) leader Pita Limjaroenrat made a return to parliament on Thursday and said the country is not in need of the government's 500-billion-baht digital wallet handout scheme, which could result in long-term burdens.

The prime ministerial candidate of the election-winning party that has turned into the main opposition party has retained his MP status after the Constitutional Court ruled on Wednesday that he did not violate the regulation prohibiting MPs from owning shares in media companies.

"I miss the parliament atmosphere," Mr Pita told reporters.

As the main opposition party, Mr Pita raised concerns about the Pheu Thai-led government's digital wallet scheme, which aims to hand out 10,000 baht to every Thai aged 16 and above through a digital wallet to stimulate the economy.

He proposed that a strategy focusing on small, numerous projects to stimulate the economy from the grassroots level should be enough to drive the economy, aiming to avoid unnecessary debt burdens.

"A top-down handout is unnecessary," Mr Pita said.

Vocabulary

atmosphere: the mood or feeling that exists in a place - บรรยากาศ
burden: a serious or difficult responsibility that you have to deal with - ภาระ
candidate: a person who is trying to be elected - ผู้สมัครรับเลือกตั้ง
grassroots level: involving the ordinary people rather than their leaders - ในระดับรากหญ้า
handout: an amount of money or goods giving to people who need them - การให้ทาน
opposition: of a political party that is not part of the government - ฝ่ายค้าน
parliament: the group of people who are elected to make and change the laws of a country; the building where members of parliament meet. - รัฐสภา
prohibit: to not allow; to ban - ห้าม
retain: to keep - รักษา
share: any of the units of equal value into which a company is divided and sold to raise money. People who own shares receive part of the company's profits - หุ้น
status: official or legal position - สถานภาพ
stimulate: to make something develop or become more active; to encourage something - กระตุ้น, ส่งเสริม
top-down: starting from or involving the people who have higher positions in an organisation -
violate: to do something that is against the law - ละเมิดกฏหมาย

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