Suchatvee Suwansawat disclosed the policy of a new party, Thaikaomai, on Friday to use education as a key driver to woo voters when it contests a new general election next year.
“Education is the core of everything. Education is the game changer for Thailand,” he told an event to kick off the party platform.
The party was formed last month after he resigned from the Democrat Party in July. It was officially introduced to the public on Friday.
Thaikaomai unveiled what he termed the four-arrow policy to improve education, and use new technology to help small- and medium-enterprises and startups to steer the economy. The other two arrows targeted plans to improve the quality of life and measures to stamp out corruption.
Mr Suchatvee attacked a populist policy used to attract voters for failing to resolve all problems as it only delayed the country from reaching “the stage of a coma”. “Education is the strongest medicine (to cure the country),” he added.
Education would turn around Thailand from a labour-exporting country to be a nation equipped with innovation and creativity to compete in the world and attract investors to the kingdom, he added.
Mr Suchatvee was the president of King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Ladkrabang before entering politics.
Key leaders of the new party include Khunying Kalaya Sophonpanich, a former Democrat deputy leader, who is the Thaikaomai chairwoman. Varavij Kambhu Na Ayudhaya is one of the deputies and Kanate Wangpaichitr leads the economic team.
Mr Suchatvee said Thaikaomai will consider invitations to join a government after the new nationwide poll if the party is given an opportunity to take responsibility for education.