Thailand’s political landscape has recently taken an interesting turn as the nation’s parliament voted in favor of real estate magnate Srettha Thavisin to become the next Prime Minister. Thavisin isn’t a conventional politician. His entrepreneurial background is closely tied to the cryptosphere, raising speculations on potential implications for Thailand’s crypto jurisdiction.
Formerly, Thavisin served as the CEO of Sansiri, a prominent real estate company in Thailand, known for their active investment in digital asset projects, such as XSpring Capital— a crypto-friendly investment management firm. Thavisin’s Sansiri also made strides in the crypto world in 2022 by launching its own tokens, the SiriHub Tokens, as part of a property-backed Initial Coin Offering (ICO). These credentials hint at a potentially positive outlook for Thailand’s crypto industry under Thavisin’s leadership.
On a cautious note, however, some political promises have stirred concerns. The Pheu Thai Party – Thavisin’s party – promised to distribute 10,000 Thai baht ($285) to Thai citizens via digital currency on winning the elections. The idea of utilising digital currency for cross-citizen transactions raises concerns about the exploitation of blockchain’s pseudo-anonymous nature for concealing money trails.
Yet Thavisin remains optimistic, stressing on his commitment to combat poverty and economic inequality. His government is expected to take office by the end of September and market watchers are keen on discovering how his crypto-friendly background may steer Thailand’s digital asset industry.
Adding to Thailand’s intriguing crypto dynamism is the cabinet’s recent decision to provide tax breaks for corporate income tax and value-added tax for companies issuing investment tokens. The magnitude of these shifts signals towards Thailand’s drive to foster crypto industry growth, an approach increasingly taken by several Asian economies. However, public opinion retains mixed sentiments. While the crypto realm potentially offers economic boosts, the lack of proper regulations pose substantial risks.
In the end, Thavisin’s promise to improve the economy, his publicity for poverty alleviation, and his crypto-centric past all play a crucial role in framing the nation’s approach towards the digital asset universe. Regardless of the stance, the necessity remains to maintain a balance between fostering technological innovations within the crypto sphere and implementing suitable measures for investor protection. In this dynamically evolving field, only time will reveal the actual impact of these newly-elected crypto-savvy leaders on the countries’ digital future.
Source: Cointelegraph
