04.11.11
Ron Gluckman
Forbes
Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva will soon dissolve Parliament, paving the way for elections in late June or early July. The 46-year-old took over in late 2008, and few believed his government would last more than a few months. Deadly street protests paralyzed the country a year ago, but the economy has roared back, with unemployment falling to nearly 1%, the baht continuing to rise against the U.S. dollar and the stock market hitting 14-year highs. He met with FORBES ASIA at Parliament House on Mar. 25.
Why did you decide to call elections now?
ABHISIT VEJJAJIVA: This government is ready to stand on its policies. This election is about the economy and the future, not about the color of shirts. I think we’ve had enough of the political theater of the past. I think all Thais are tired of this. We want to move the country forward. The election is a way normal people can take action. I think now is a good time for a strong mandate.
How does your time in office so far compare with former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra’s?
Thaksin had almost six years in, and there were achievements from his rule–we don’t deny that. And many Thais are happy with those achievements. We’ve only had two years, and at a time when that hasn’t exactly been easy. In two years, with all the limits caused by the [global] economic [turmoil] and the political turbulence, we’ve done a lot, and I believe people will recognize what we’ve done. When I took over the party leadership in 2005, polls showed we had 7% support in the northeast, which has been a Thaksin stronghold. Now polls show we have 25% to 30%.
Thailand faces an unusual problem–unemployment so low that it’s creating labor shortages in some industries.
The number of unskilled immigrant laborers in Thailand is already in the millions. It’s inevitable that we will need to take a more liberal approach [with guest workers]. With skilled labor, we’re talking to business about plans for education and training.
Thailand had looked at building several nuclear power plants. Has this changed since the Japanese disaster?
When I came in I was presented with a power plan, and nuclear power was in that plan. I asked for a Plan B, so if there was no nuclear development, we’d have a fallback option. No decisions have been made, but all countries with nuclear plans are reassessing them. It would have been tough anyway convincing people to support nuclear power. The argument has always been that nuclear was a cheaper, as well as cleaner, option. I’m just not sure that is true. We realize that Thailand needs energy, but I think it’s perfectly possible to meet our needs without nuclear power. We have to work more on energy efficiency. I feel technology will change the power equation.
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