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Bangkok Post
Bangkok Post
National

Pheu Thai to boost income, soft power

The main opposition Pheu Thai Party has pledged to lift people's income, reform the welfare system and enhance the production of soft power through families, ahead of the general election.

The party unveiled its early campaign policies, centred around producing new "income streams", a goal it seeks to achieve by winning at least 250 MP seats, or half of the House seats, in the next poll.

Dr Cholnan Srikaew, party leader, reiterated Pheu Thai's ambition to win in the next poll -- tentatively scheduled by the Election Commission for May 7 -- by a landslide so it can govern as a single party.

Only through a landslide win can the party regain the trust of the people needed to materialise its campaign promises, he said.

Dr Prommin Lersuriyadet, chairman of the party's policy committee, said new incomes for people in the farming sector can be generated using technology.

The party will also support medium-sized enterprises, life-long education and the creation of its "one-family-one-soft-power policy" that expands its one-tambon-one-product programme, he said.

Wisut Chai-arun, a Pheu Thai MP for Phayao, said the party will introduce advances in agriculture to increase farmers' income and encourage them to grow in-demand crops.

Sutin Klungsang, party deputy leader and MP for Maha Sarakham, said it will also create a fund to supplement the income of people living below the poverty line.

The fund would encourage the poor to work and earn income so they will be qualified to receive aid from the supplementary fund, he said.

Paetongtarn Shinawatra, head of Pheu Thai's inclusion and innovation advisory committee, said the party will advocate a programme to create the "one-family-one-soft-power" initiative to encourage families to innovate products and create soft power.

Ms Paetongtarn, youngest daughter of former premier Thaksin Shinawatra, is a popular prime minister candidate among voters in the northeastern region, according to a Nida poll released yesterday.

A National Institute of Development Administration survey found she is far ahead of other names, with 36.4% of respondents favouring her.

Move Forward Party chief Pita Limjaroenrat was behind with 12.6%, but slightly ahead of Khunying Sudarat Keyuraphan of the Thai Sang Thai Party with 10.2%. Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha was fourth with just 9.8%.

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