Chart Thai Pattana party unveils policies

Extending the official mandatory retirement age from 60 to 65 years, legalizing of same-sex marriage and depoliticizing the education system form parts of the policies unveiled by Chart Thai Pattana Party today.

Speaking at a press conference at the party’s head office, Varawuth Silpa-archa, the party’s policy and strategy chairman, said the party also plans to introduce measures to reduce production costs for farmers and tackle their debts as well as to increase their income by 5,000 baht per rai. Farmers’ children will also be provided with free education up to university level.

Varawuth said his party will make ” revolutionalizing ” the education system a priority by freeing the Education Ministry from political control. Chart Thai Pattana will propose to it would-be coalition partners to make reforming education a national agenda and that Education Ministry be headed by a non-politician to ensure continuity.

Despite its huge budget, the Education Ministry has always been treated as a low-priority portfolio. Most of its annual budget is tied up fixed costs and salaries for state teachers.

He said the party attaches importance to elderly people, the under-privileged and LGBT by legalizing same-sex marriage and increasing official retirement age from 60 to 65 years.

Bhumjai Thai party leader Anuthin Charnveerakul, meanwhile, said the party would push for the legalization of Grab online taxi service, insisting that the service does not pose a threat to ordinary taxis because they cater to different markets.

The party’s registrar Mr Supachai Jaisamut said the party would seek to curtail the powers of the state and, at the same time, increase the powers of the people.