"Aekniti" issued policy directives to Udonthani treasury executives, urging rapid adaptation to restructure the country amid concerns over risks of falling behind and missing the development train. He recommended the Revenue Department transform from a strict, intimidating entity into a friendly, smiling giant.
On 2 Nov 2026 GMT+7, Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Aekniti Nitithanprapas delivered policy guidance at a meeting of Udonthani provincial treasury executives. He called for all sectors to work together to drive the local economy through this transition period, emphasizing close cooperation with the private sector, which would lead growth. Examples include modern agriculture supported by the Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives (BAAC), processed food industry, smart electronics, electric vehicles (EVs), high-value tourism, medical services and hospitals, wholesale and retail businesses, and the creator economy by integrating young content creators such as those on TikTok into the system to build new revenue streams for the country.
He also established a working framework called D-E-E: D (Data/Disclose) to publicly disclose all government data and procurement transparently for safety and budget oversight; E (Easy) to instruct agencies such as the Revenue Department, Excise Department, and Customs Department to select one key public service each that impacts citizens most and simplify procedures to the utmost, while improving the Revenue Department’s image to be friendly and serve citizens with a smile; and E (Efficient) to enhance civil servant productivity by adopting digital technology to reduce unnecessary workload and steps.
"The Revenue Department was once seen as a giant. From now on, we will make services as easy as possible, turning the fanged giant into a smiling giant, cheerful and serving the people, so that citizens will like us more," he said.
Aekniti further compared the Ministry of Finance’s organizational structure to a “fried egg” model, where the “egg yolk” represents government agencies or departments under the Ministry, and the “egg white” denotes state specialized financial institutions and affiliated units such as the Government Housing Bank (GHB), BAAC, Government Savings Bank, Small and Medium Enterprise Development Bank of Thailand (SME Bank), and Krungthai Bank.
Both the yolk and white must move together in harmony to ensure fiscal policy momentum and effective enforcement. He urged an urgent survey of non-performing loans (NPLs) under 100,000 baht owed by people in the upper northeastern region to join the quick debt resolution program, increased loan guarantees under the SME Credit Boost project, additional funding to support small entrepreneurs (SMEs), and accelerated promotion of solar loans through three state banks down to the district level.
"I want to emphasize that this period is Thailand’s last chance to transform its economic structure. If reforms are delayed, the country risks falling behind and missing the development train. The Udonthani provincial treasury and upper northeastern provinces are key engines driving regional economic momentum and must align with central policies to achieve clear change within one year and long-term goals over the next four years. I have boldly stated on multiple platforms, including at the IMF and World Bank, that this is Thailand’s last opportunity. If we fail to transition now, we may fall behind and miss out like other countries facing similar problems," he warned.