Thai PM Srettha halts overseas travel for two months after criticism

Thailand’s Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin looks on as he and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (not pictured) hold a press conference at the Chancellery in Berlin, Germany, March 13, 2024. REUTERS FILE PHOTO

BANGKOK — Thailand’s Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin said on Wednesday that he will halt overseas travel for two months as public criticism of his tours abroad grows.

“I acknowledge your comments and concerns. From March 14 to May 15, I will not travel abroad,” he posted on X.

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Srettha has spent about a third of his six months in office overseas to promote investment in Thailand, most recently at a tourism expo in Berlin. But his globe-trotting has drawn flak for not focusing on domestic issues like urban pollution.

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“A new record, 6 months as prime minister, abroad in 16 countries,” Senator Somchai Sawangkarn posted on X this month. “Are there any results? Fly here, fly there.”