"Ekniti" Reveals He Left a Career-Oriented Life Because of Concern for the Country

Today (6 Feb) 4:00 PM at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center, the Bhumjaithai Party, led by Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Anutin Charnvirakul as the party leader, along with Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkaew, the party's prime ministerial candidate; Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Ekniti Nitithanpraphas, as a campaign assistant; and Commerce Minister Supajee Suthamphan, as a campaign assistant, held a major rally to conclude their election campaign under the theme "Choose Bhumjaithai Party, Get Professionals." "Transforming the Economy, Overcoming the Global Crisis"

In his speech, Mr. Ekniti Nitithanprapas stated that he never thought he would enter politics. The reason he left his remaining six years of civil service, including stability and the opportunity to become Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Finance, was because he met his mother and told her, "I am worried about the country." He decided to leave everything behind. He was concerned about another crisis. He had experienced the Tom Yum Kung crisis, seeing himself unemployed, businesses failing, and friends having to drop out of school. He said, "We cannot let that happen again. Thai people know this, but few act. That's why I volunteered to help. If everyone only talks and no one acts, Thailand will surely face a crisis." His main concern was warnings from three global credit rating agencies that Thailand's fiscal stability was negative to the point of being critical, with a very high chance of a crisis. Therefore, in his first 73 days as Prime Minister, he prioritized repaying the Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives (BAAC) debt, which had not been repaid for many years. "I created a fiscal sustainability plan to show that Thailand wouldn't be as bad as they thought. I started working on September 30, 2025. I asked the Prime Minister to use the remaining funds to repay past debts. Later, on November 13, 2025, S&P, a global credit rating agency, assigned Thailand a stable credit rating. Therefore, I have no regrets about saving Thailand from the crisis."

Mr. Ekniti further stated, "Thailand is like a car about to get stuck in the mud. The National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC) reported that the Thai economy would stagnate in the fourth quarter, growing by only 0.3 percent. This is causing suffering for the people; their income has decreased, and their earnings are insufficient to cover expenses. Many Thais are burdened with debt, having to borrow from both formal and informal lenders. Therefore, I asked the Prime Minister to implement projects like the 'Half-Price Plus' scheme, the 'Travel Well, Get a Refund' scheme, promoting tourism in secondary cities, and accelerating government spending to increase efficiency. These initiatives have transformed the fourth quarter, which was previously projected to grow by only 0.3 percent. Today, the Ministry of Finance forecasts that the Thai economy will grow by 1.8 percent in the fourth quarter. We will see smiles on the faces of the people." He will have more income in his pocket. This is what makes him not regret resigning from government service. In addition, there are debt consolidation programs to move forward and SME programs to increase liquidity. He helped the Revenue Department refund 60 billion baht to SMEs in the fourth quarter. He didn't incur a single baht of debt; it was already approved budget funds, which he used directly to stimulate the economy through multiple cycles. He did everything while maintaining fiscal discipline.

Mr. Ekniti further stated that, as the head of the economic team, he affirms that the Bhumjaithai Party will not engage in populism. If they do, it creates debt and leaves a burden for future generations. We must use money efficiently and within the framework of fiscal discipline. He appealed to all political parties to refrain from populism and expressed his happiness at having pulled the Thai economy out of the rut.

“However, I am still uneasy and troubled. Foreigners are saying that Thailand will be the new sick man of Asia. I cannot accept that. I have brought Thai businesses that were in the ICU out of the ICU, but I am still not at ease because we need to figure out how to get this sick man back to strength and competitiveness on the world stage.” "How do we get the car out of the mud?" I volunteered to take on the task. I had the opportunity to lead a private sector team, Team Thailand, bringing Thai businesses and the Thai government to the world stage in Davos, Switzerland. What I saw was the world falling apart. I saw the presidents of superpowers, and I saw the prime minister of one country using all their power to win people over. Where would Thailand stand? That's why we needed allies. I led Team Thailand to negotiate and get on the negotiating table on the world stage. I'm happy that we attracted investors. The most powerful statement at Davos resonated all the way to Daokhanong: 'If you don't negotiate at the dinner table on the world stage, you'll become food for them.' At least I proved that in 73 days of work, I led a team to the negotiating table. We brought in investments of no less than 500 billion baht. We must help develop the skills of Thai people with new technologies," Mr. Ekniti said.

Mr. Ekniti reiterated that, at the same time, he and the economic team of the Bhumjaithai Party have developed a 10 Plus economic policy that will help the sick recover. The first five key medicines to make Thai people richer are bringing modern technology to agriculture, using electronics to promote Thai products, and... "The green economy, clean energy, and the use of AI Plus to teach Thais how to use AI for free are key priorities. The final remedy is to expedite the approval process for investments in Thailand without delays. Last year, investment in Thailand totaled 1.8 trillion baht, a 63 percent increase. As for the other five remedies, I will ensure equitable income for all Thais, preventing wealth concentration and widespread poverty. This will be achieved by increasing income for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) through online sales training, enabling them to generate income without relying on others; the Community Plus project to find jobs for communities; the project to increase opportunities for Thai SMEs, preventing foreign exploitation; the Senior Citizen Plus project, training them in AI to generate income and reduce their financial burden on their families; and improving access to medicines, among others."

“My ‘10 Plus’ economic policy, a blend of ten key medicines, aims to ensure inclusive, high-quality, and full-potential economic growth for Thailand, based on sound fiscal discipline. Today, the last train is arriving; this may be Thailand's last chance. The news of the ‘sick man of Asia’ is circulating, and if we don't rise up and make him a strong, self-reliant nation, we may fall behind. Therefore, I am asking for this opportunity to continue this work. Why am I in the Bhumjaithai Party? Because the Bhumjaithai Party has given me the opportunity to work for the people and for Thailand. There are few people who can do it, who are capable, and who are truly dedicated to the country. I volunteer for this role. I have worked for 73 days—37 if you reverse the numerical value. I ask for your votes, number 37. I promise to work for the Thai people and for Thailand, with the honor of Ekniti," Mr. Ekniti stated.

Photo: Weeraphat Ratsameerueangrong via SAP NEWS