After chairing his last Cabinet meeting on 29 August 2023, outgoing Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha thanked all Cabinet members and officials for joining hands in working together for the nation. General Prayut will serve as caretaker prime minister until the new Cabinet is sworn in before assuming office, which is scheduled for some time in September.

He said that, after leaving office, he would take some rest and spend his time with his family, as an ordinary citizen with no privileges. 

Previously, General Prayut bade farewell to the Thai people and all sectors, saying that his nine years in office as the 29th Prime Minister of Thailand were the most meaningful period of his life in working to protect the country and contribute to the people and the nation.

In his farewell message, he stated that, during the period, Thailand had grown leaps and bounds. Firstly, it was the first time that the country has had a national strategy that spanned 20 years and served as a framework for long-term development of all dimensions.

Secondly, his administration had invested enormously in transport infrastructure, covering land, rail, sea, and air transport systems, to accommodate the country’s economic and social expansion in the future. Thirdly, investments were made in telecommunications infrastructure and digital platforms in order to upgrade the people’s quality of life and generate more income for them.

Fourthly, 12 target industries had been set as future industries, with the development of the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) and special economic zones. This would create specialized labor skills in response to future labor market demands and national development in the 21st century.

In the fifth area, mechanisms were established to manage Thailand’s key natural resources, such as water, land, and forestry. The first water law was issued. The Office of the National Water Resources was set up for the management of the country's water resources. The Office of the National Land Policy Board was also established, and the “One Map” program was launched to resolve overlapping land problems and help in land distribution for landless farmers. Community forest laws were also issued to increase green areas for the country.

In the sixth area, the Government emphasized human resource development, and various funds were set up to promote welfare for vulnerable groups and equal access to education to cope with new global challenges in the future.

In the seventh area, legal reform had been introduced to ease obstacles to national development, enhance Thailand’s competitiveness, facilitate business operations, and attract investment. Various laws were amended to tackle several national crises, such as the problem concerning the “red flag” issued for Thailand on air safety standards by the International Civil Aviation Authority (ICAO) and the issue of illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

In the eighth area, modern technology had been adopted in the public sector to improve public services for easier access and greater flexibility and transparency, such as the state welfare card scheme and 1669 hotline for emergency medical services.

In the ninth area, the Government promoted strong relations with various countries around the world. It restored diplomatic relations with Saudi Arabia, leading to various areas of cooperation and increasing trade and investment opportunities for both countries.

General Prayut added that Thailand had also faced crises from COVID-19 and global conflicts, which affected energy prices, the cost of living, and inflation; therefore, the country’s journey over the past nine years has not been smooth or easy. However, thanks to the cooperation and unity of the people, Thailand has been able to get through various difficulties and obstacles and to recover amidst the volatility of the present world situation.