The ruling Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP) and the United Thai Nation (UTN) Party are now involved in a tug-of-war over the ownership of the state welfare scheme, highly popular among grassroots voters, according to political analysts.
Sang Anakhot Thai Party chairman Somkid Jatusripitak has urged the government to focus on maximising Thailand's regional competitiveness, as waiting until after the new general election may cost the country a good chance to keep up with its competitors.
The next general election is now firmly on the horizon, with the Election Commission (EC) having tentatively set the date last month as being May next year.