The ruling Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP) has pledged to intensify the promotion of soft power as another key driver of the economy if the party wins the general election, set to take place on May 14 this year.
Charnkrit Dejwithak, a spokesman for the party's election strategy committee, said the Songkran festival, which attracts hordes of foreign tourists to Thailand, demonstrates the importance of a soft power development policy.
However, the country's soft power initiatives still lack support, he said, adding the PPRP, if elected into government, will move ahead with measures to promote them through the Pracharath fund.
He said Thai cultural products to be promoted include Thai kickboxing, Thai fabrics, performing arts, films and festivals, which have great potential to enhance the country's competitiveness and generate revenue.
With the election less than a month away, Mr Charnkrit said the party is gearing up for a new campaign strategy to engage people.
Bhumjaithai's promise
Meanwhile, the Bhumjaithai Party has promised a better quality of life to over 1.3 million local public health volunteers countrywide by offering them lucrative financial packages.
Led by leader Anutin Charnvirakul, the party held a press conference on Monday to unveil its policies to upgrade living conditions for local health volunteers. He insisted that the health volunteers are the group that should have better living conditions because they are a significant element for the country's public health security.
Mr Anutin, who is also public health minister, said that the party was aware of their effort to create a solid national health infrastructure, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Having worked hard with public health officers to overcome the recent public health crisis caused by the pandemic, the cabinet rewarded them with an additional 1,000 baht in 2018 and will increase the budget to cover a 2,000-baht stipend starting in the next financial year, which falls on Oct 1 this year, he said.
He said his party supported the 2,000-baht increase and would continue to do so if it was to form the government after the coming election.
The policy will also include health insurance with daily compensation not less than daily wages if a health volunteer is admitted to a state hospital.
The party also has a policy to offer more benefits to health volunteers, including providing 500,000 baht for the family of a health volunteer who dies on duty, up to 100,000 baht in zero-interest loans and having a fund to encourage each health volunteer to save money.
"Our policy will make health volunteers financially stable as we value their efforts. We are ready to make it happen as soon as we are voted in to form the government," he said.
