TDRI director worried over new finance minister

Somchai Jitsuchon, TDRI's research director for Macroeconomic Development and Income Distribution, said Surapong had no background in financial or economic matters.

"The Thai economy is now in a difficult period and we need a finance minister who is able to make decisions and map out plans both defensively and offensively," he said.

The senior researcher said the new government's first task of reviving the economy was to encourage large investment projects.