Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha reaffirmed Wednesday that the key to ensuring Thailand escapes the "middle-income trap" and transforms into a high-income nation means sticking to the 20-year national strategy and Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) project.
Speaking at an event feting the 72nd anniversary of the Bangkok Post, Gen Prayut said his government has been working tirelessly to reform the country since the regime rose to power four years ago so it can keep pace with global developments and change.
"We have to move Thailand forward and escape the middle-income trap, so the important thing is a long-term national development plan. You can see that the words 'national strategy' were introduced for the first time by the current government," he said during the event held at Bangkok Convention Centre at Central World.
Gen Prayut said in the past Thailand only had development plans from the National Economic and Social Development Board (NESBD), which have never been fully implemented.
"If there is a framework for the next 20 years, we might be able to ensure continuity," he said.
Gen Prayut said the government has spent the last four years boosting GDP growth from 0.8% in 2014 to more than 4% by the end of this year, if everything goes as expected.
The national strategy together with the EEC could help Thailand become a high-income country in 20 years, he said.
"If the motto of the the Bangkok Post is the newspaper you can trust, mine is the prime minister you can trust."
Toast to the Post: Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha (centre) hoists a glass at the Wednesday event.
Gen Prayut said the strategy -- the first of its kind in the country -- involves projects to develop Thailand in six main areas: security, competitiveness, human resources, social equality, green growth, and rebalancing and public sector development.
The National Legislative Assembly (NLA) approved the National Council for Peace and Order's (NCPO) 20-year national strategy last month in a unanimous vote of 179-0.
As such, any future strategies proposed by political parties must comply with the broader framework until the end of 2036. Budget allocations and other policies introduced by government organisations must also follow this strategic framework.
Senators who will be tasked with monitoring compliance under the 20-year strategy are set to be appointed before the next general election, scheduled for early next year. The strategy will be reviewed every five years, under the National Strategy Committee.
"However, the long-term plan does not mean politicians can't introduce standalone policies in the future, as the framework is flexible," Gen Prayut said.
He said the national development plan is more of a general framework that can be changed and the new strategy aims to create a stronger and better-equipped generation of workers.
"For that, we have to start reform at the elementary school level. That's why it will take 20 years."
Gen Prayut said problems over the past three decades stemmed from corruption, a lack of research and development initiatives and human resources development, and a lack of continuity in implementing regulations and agreements.
"I've been to many international meetings and there is always talk about memorandums of understanding [MoUs] and various agreements, but my question is how many of them have actually been implemented during elected civilian governments," he said.
"The next elected government has to give importance to bilateral trade, the implementation of agreements and lifting our national standards in order to meet evolving international standards."
Gen Prayut also cited the establishment of the US$45-billion EEC among his achievements.
Thailand this year approved a law to develop the EEC -- rolling out a series of measures to spur foreign investment in the Thai economy.
The new law provides for over a hundred regulations to sweeten business incentives and revoke legal restrictions on foreign investment. It offers tax breaks for investors in the EEC project and encourages them to rent land for up to 99 years.
The regime also relaxed visa measures for foreign professionals and invoked executive powers to approve investments quicker.
The EEC framework targets 10 industries including automation and robotics, aerospace, digital, biotechnology, and medical and healthcare.
"If it goes well, there might be a Northern Economic Corridor and Southern Economic Corridor," he said.