The Anutin Charnvirakul administration appears to be entering a new phase of governance — one marked less by headline-grabbing populist initiatives than by difficult policy recalibrations. Over the past few weeks, the government has quietly delayed, suspended or softened a number of high-profile initiatives, the latest being the Commerce Ministry’s proposed 40-baht curry rice scheme.
The move has fuelled criticism that the government is retreating from its own promises and lacks confidence in its policy direction. Yet, viewed collectively, these decisions suggest a more deliberate political strategy: reducing controversy ahead of the parliamentary debate on the 2027 fiscal budget while preserving room to pursue structural reforms the administration considers more important to the country’s long-term future.
