Chalongphob Sussangkarn took over as Thailand’s minister of finance in March, following the resignation of his predecessor Pridiyathorn Devakula. A former president of independent economic think-tank the Thailand Development Research Institute, he is a key player in the interim government that was installed last year after a military coup. He spoke to Simon Montlake in Bangkok.
Dr Thaksin Shinawatra, caretaker prime minister of Thailand, explains his government’s new development paradigm that sees its staple industries of tourism and agribusiness in the rural and urban areas growing together while at the same time diversifying, and focusing on creating value.