Srettha aims for 5% economic growth, denies being political puppet

Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin has denied he is a political puppet and that he intends to serve out his four-year term during which he wants to see an average economic growth of 5 per cent for Thailand.

Speaking to Thai PBS in a special interview early this week, Srettha said his government is working hard to draw in foreign direct investments and concluding a series of free trade agreements in order to stimulate the Thai economy.

The World Bank has projected a 3.2 per cent economic growth for Thailand for 2024 compared to 2.5 per cent last year, with strong support by a recovery in tourism and sustained private consumption.

He touted the “land-bridge project” in southern Thailand as a major magnet that would attract large-scale investments from foreign corporations. He also believes that tourism will continue to be an important engine for growth.

However, he admitted that he…