Assoc. Prof. Dr. Jade Donavanik, former adviser to the Constitution Drafting Committee (CDC) and Dean of the Faculty of Law at Dhurakij Pundit University, told Thai PBS World last Thursday that there will be four major issues, namely economic stability, accountability, corruption and national reform, facing Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha’s new administration.

Dr. Jade said that economic development and stability will be the first issue and the greatest challenge for the government because many people may view the management of the economy as a weak point of the former Prayut administration.

He cited accountability as Prayut’s second challenge, claiming the Thai people are keeping a close eye on several ministers who seem to have doubtful backgrounds, adding that some of them had reputations as ‘mafia’ figures and some are linked to matters of a criminal nature.

“Whether they have done something wrong in some other administration or not, to demonstrate their good character in the new era of this new administration is more important” Dr. Jade said.

The third issue, according to Dr. Jade, is the risk of corruption among members of the administration, claiming politicians and political parties have probably spent a fortune to win the recent election and they may be tempted into corruption to recoup some of that money.

The fourth challenge for the new Prayut administration is the long-promised national reform and reconciliation, when it goes without saying that the existing political divide is major evidence that reform is not yet a reality.