The Democrat Party has unveiled its economic “Avengers” team to help draft policies for the party.
At a briefing on Monday, Mr Jurin introduced the party’s modern economic team, led by Prinn Panitchpakdi, son of senior party member and former Unctad secretary-general Supachai.
The other nine team members include:
- Ath Hemvijitphan, green economy expert deputy and former country chairman, The Shell Company of Thailand Limited;
- Assoc Prof Aksornsri Panitchsarn, an international economy expert, especially on China;
- Holly Amaranan, a campaigner on women’s rights and breast cancer prevention and cure;
- Suriyapong Tubtimtae, a specialist on sharing economy innovation;
- Nawee Nakwatchara, an expert on organic farming and village innovation;
- Sanjay Popli, a blockchain expert;
- Piyada Punnakittikasem, specialist on marketing strategies and social media;
- Poramin Insom, blockchain coder; and
- Somsak Booncam, an expert on social enterprises and community tourism
Mr Jurin said the team would play a crucial role in drafting the party’s economic policies in the future.
Mr Prinn said his team would visit people to learn about their problems and modernise skill labour through a network.
“Our e-commerce experts will coach farmers and new markets will be found to increase farm prices.
“A good society is not for sale. If we want it, we need to help build it together,” he said.
The new team will propose ideas and brainstorm policies with goals set from 3, 6, and 12 months.
“In the short term, for example, we will check whether websites which profiteer from Thai resources such as Agoda or booking services. They make big profits but are not taxed,” he said.
In any case, the team will push at the party level and will not lay down policies for party ministers.
With 53 MPs, Thailand’s oldest party was allocated eight cabinet seats, including the coveted agriculture and commerce portfolios, to be filled by seven of its members.
Mr Jurin will be deputy prime minister and commerce minister while secretary-general Chalermchai Sri-on was tipped to be agriculture minister, while veteran member Nipon Boonyamanee would be nominated minister of the Social Development and Human Security Ministry.
The four deputy ministerial positions in the party’s quota would go to former party-secretary-general and party-list MP Juti Krairiksh (Interior), party-list MP Khunying Kalaya Sophonpanich (Education), Songkhla MP Thaworn Senneam (Transport) and Rayong MP Sathit Pitutecha (Public Health).