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But he looks much less interested in economic sustainability, policy coordination, transparency and accountability in public policy.

Just like former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, Surapong is following Thaksin-style economics by boosting consumption via easy credit and public spending.

Surapong has not addressed the weaknesses of previous populist policies, said Lae Dilokvi-dhyarat, economist and director of the Labour and Manag-ement Development Centre at Chulalo-ngkorn University.

During the Thaksin years, debt suspension, revolving village funds and other easy credit programmes handed out by state-owned banks were used to boost growth in the aftermath of the 1997-98 financial crisis.

Thaksin also promised to implement economic restructuring but never actually did it.

As for Surapong, the first economic stimulus package worth about Bt40 billion was launched in March. It was then followed by another Bt20 billion worth in handouts to villages and debt suspension for farmers, the real cost of which is not yet known.

Critics said such handouts to villagers now have the potential to be inflationary.

Somchai Jitsuchon, research director at Thailand Development Research Institute (TDRI), said such measures are not necessary as farmers' incomes have risen due to the high price of rice and other farm products.

On the other hand, as finance minister, Surapong is supposed to play the leading role in tackling problems caused by high oil and food prices.

"We have not yet seen how the government will restructure the economy, making it less dependent on imported oil," said Teerana Bhongmakapat, dean of Chulalongkorn University's economics faculty.

He suggested that the finance, industry, commerce, science and agriculture ministries work together closely to restructure the industrial and transportation sectors. For example, the government should promote the use of cars powered by electricity or lithium batteries.

As the government focuses only on short-term growth, the more important issues are left unattended, he said, adding that several rail and mass transit projects have not yet taken off the ground.

On rice, there has been a lack of government policy coordination as Surapong and Commerce Minister Mingkwan Sangsuwan appear to be working separately.

Sompop Mana-rungsan, an economist at Chulalongkorn University, said Surapong might not have learned the lesson from the collapse of the Thaksin government.

Now, political conflicts are running high again, but the minister has often said publicly that there would not be another coup.

According to Sompop, the heart of the issue is the lack of accountability and transparency in public policy.

In economics, government accountability and transparency should mean that taxpayers' money is used efficiently with minimal waste.

In industry and business, accountability and transparency should mean a level playing field for all participants. Overall, accountability and transparency help create trust while their absence breeds suspicion.

Currently, policy-makers have failed to ensure that they are really accountable and transparent. Hence, more and more people are once again suspicious whether public interest still really comes first.