Good evening dear citizens.

This time of year, Thailand may encounter summer storms and strong winds, possibly causing damage to houses, utility poles, street signs and banners. Please keep your children away from these places where they could get hurt. Please be careful. I have instructed responsible agencies to ensure public safety. I have also ordered public health units to prevent, tackle, as well as raise public awareness about summer diseases like diarrhea, stroke, and rabies. A lot of people nowadays have dogs as pets. Please make sure your dogs receive vaccination that offers protection against rabies. Please keep an eye on them and look out for abnormal behaviors. Children need to be under their parents’ supervision at all times when playing in water. Please heed and follow safety instructions closely. There have been cases of drowning already. Please look out for yourself and others as well. Take care of one another.

I would like to express my appreciation to the NBTC and the Universal Foundation For Persons with Disabilities for initiating the “Thai Telecommunication Relay Service” (TTRC) project, enhancing communication equipment for more than 100,000 people with hearing and speech impairments nationwide. The TTRC allows them to communicate through sign language interpreter video, texting, and an emergency notification system. The new technology will allow them access to information regarding education, healthcare, and other state services.  At present, there are a total of 120 TTRS kiosks across the nation. Thailand is the first country in Southeast Asia and third in Asia, behind Japan and South Korea, to initiate such a project, aimed at enhancing social equality. The Australian Communication Exchange (ACE) has ranked Thailand among world’s top 10 countries with the most advanced services. This is the latest innovation the world has adopted in order to ensure social equality, which is one of the 11 key policies of the Thai government. If you have any problems or suggestions, please let me know.

Human resources development is important to building a country’s foundation. In the past six months, the government has placed emphasis on this matter and on many occasions has articulated how all Thais should have good education, good occupations, and good health. So here are some of the government’s achievements in these areas.

1)            Education is the basis of national development. The national educational structure has already been readjusted. Educational reform has just entered its first phase, which should see concrete results by this year’s end, before we enter the era of the ASEAN Community. Education is important as Thailand must have skilled workers. In the past, the educational system in Thailand lacked quality, equality, and the practicability to meet demands in the work force market.

Educational reform is crucial and this is why the government has formed the “Super Board” to mobilize all efforts in restructuring the education system, as well as to integrate other work related to educational improvement such as: curriculum adjustment, enhancement of educators’ capabilities, encouraging students’ achievements, and promoting the “never stop learning” concept through the distance learning via satellite (DLTV) system. The DLTV system is only used in rural areas where students don’t have equal access to education. This system helps save a lot of money on education.

Educational institutions must produce human resources that can support future economic growth. These students will be Thailand’s driving force as skilled workers. Vocational students will get to perform in a real work place, giving them real work experiences. We have to be able to resolve common issues such as accessibility, justice, equality, technology, and market demand, all of which will be addressed in this very first phase. Other issues will be addressed later on.

2) During the past six months, the Ministry of Labor provided jobs to a total of 416,415 workers, accounting for a 59.8% of this year’s target which stands at 696,000. As many as 224,587 people have been employed as full-time workers. Furthermore, 7 Smart Job Centers have been set up in various provinces including Songkhla, Narathiwat, Pattani, Yala, Satun, and Nakhon Ratchasima. More centers will soon be set up in Rayong, Nakhon Pathom, and Chiang Mai. These centers have so far sought employment for 507,313 job seekers, representing a 50.84% of this year’s target which stands at 997,800. The centers are also responsible for monitoring recruitment agencies as well as supporting low-income earners. In addition, SMEs will have better access to loans under a scheme funded by the state and the private sector, with a budget of 10-25 billion baht.

We have different centers responsible for issues like this. We have potential staff that can do the job. However, more efforts must be mobilized and integrated. Everything must be pushed before the ASEAN Community is realized. Those who are unemployed can contact these centers. There are up to 7 occupations these centers can offer. Everything will be done faster if cooperation is given. The unemployed will be registered and when the ASEAN Community is finally formed, Thailand will have a greater potential to supply the regional labor market. Many foreign companies in Thailand are seeking both skilled and manual laborers. So all workers will be registered in a timely manner. We will support the first generation and generations after that.

In order to support low-income people, the government is in the process of drafting the Business Security Act which will allow the public to use their assets as collateral when paying off their debts. The government is adamant to help you. We understand that you won’t be able to borrow if you already have a lot of debt. If you are overwhelmed by your debts but still have unsold products, these can be then used as collateral to get you a loan. Moreover, the government is expediting its nano-financial services, giving loans of no more than 100,000 baht with an interest rate of no higher than 36% annually. The service is hoped to solve people’s financial instability and resolve informal loans which are very high. So far, 4 institutions out of 20 that have submitted requests have been granted a license to issue such a loan. The service is expected to be launched by May this year. Please contact us should you have any questions. Not only that, there are other projects like the community market project which acts as a distribution channel for agricultural goods and OTOP products. I want this project to be just about farmers and not dominated by financiers. I know that everything starts small and will grow. Once expanded, creditors come into the picture. I do not want to see this transpiring, as we are doing this for the low income earners. They should have their own market. They should have the chance to sell, buy, and produce within their community, so that they understand the true demand in the market, both domestic and international. How much you can produce should be based on your capability. If you can afford things, you can buy them off a supermarket where there is air-conditioning. But if you want cheaper things, you need to go to community markets. This is how the market works. It is impossible to have all producers sell goods at the same price.

Currently, there are 2,102 community markets, joined by 83,224 farmers and producers. Let me say it again. Don’t get financiers involved in the community market project. It is only for the farmers.

In the first phase, 53,697 rais of land have been assigned to landless farmers in four provinces for them to generate income. In the second phase, 57,514 more rais of land will be given to farmers in 8 provinces. And in the third phase which will be in 2016, 50,018 rais of land in 17 provinces will be given to the people. The number of rais totaled 160,000. These lands are not for sale. You are only authorized to make use of public areas and generate income.

Concerning public health and social welfare, the government will take care of people of all ages as well as the sick, disabled, and the underprivileged. Thailand is turning into an ageing society. The state has to cover these expenses. People who are not civil servants or have welfare will be supported by the state. We will have to spend much money on this group. For instance, financial support will be given to 170,000 families with new born babies. 400 baht will be given monthly to each baby (4,800 baht/person/year). The monthly allowance for the disabled has been raised from 500 baht to 800 baht per person. There is also the “Family Care Team” project, aiming to provide healthcare services to 35,877 elderly and disabled people. 200,000 diaries/notebooks will be offered to senior citizens so that they can keep track of their health. Children need to take care of the elderly and look after their parents. Your job is to take care of every member of your family. Your parents took care of you since you were a baby. It is time you give back, as Thai families stay together.

There is also the “Baan Mankong” project which will be launched in a community housing 248 families in the initial stage. The target is 3,700 families. The project will be introduced in urban communities in 5 provinces including Bangkok, Surat Thani, Krabi, Khon Kaen, and Nakhon Sawan. The first phase covers 1,185 houses from the target of 6,300 houses. Additionally, the government will help solve land problems for the poor and the underprivileged in rural areas in 40 provinces (200 sub-districts) nationwide. The budget has been set at 60 million baht. The only problem is that The Government has a limited budget. There are many challenges to be overcome in the trade and investment sector as well as in the taxation system. I would like to call on everyone to help build stability for our country and increase our potential for trade and investment through self development as well. You cannot only rely on the government. Without realizing your maximum potential, how will the country earn? Where will we get the money from? I don’t want to create problems for the future. I want everyone to help me think. It is imperative that we do our utmost to eradicate social disparities. I think there are a lot of rich people in Thailand, as there are a middle class who are secure financially. I have already given some policy guidelines to the Finance Ministry to work on this issue. Everyone is entitled to healthcare scheme such as the 30-baht program. Can there be some sacrifices by not claiming this privilege, so that we could use this money to actually help those that are really in need? If you can make this sacrifice it would a noble act of charity. I am willing to make such sacrifice as well, and I think that some us can afford to pay for our own medical expenses. However, we have to think about those who can’t afford this or don’t have the opportunity to access adequate medical care. In the meantime, we must all try to maintain our own good health. Make sure you exercise regularly and eat the right food, so that you can stay healthy. With that being said, the most important thing is “support” either from your friends or family.

In terms of social development, people should be good citizens who see the importance of the common good and benefits for the whole of society, and uphold the 12 core values which are being taught through the “Five Precepts Village” project, hoping to promote social unity, peace, sharing, revamp social norms, and create orderly public spaces. A lot of progress has been made under this administration so far.

We have to take care of low-income residents and make sure they have a place to stay or to make a living. They can rent or buy an apartment. You can’t just live there for free. The owner can’t have you kicked out. Cooperation must be sought from both sides. This requires both time and money. However, the government will pursue this until the problem is solved.

The government has been reorganizing public spaces, public transport (91,874 bike taxis and vans in 148 routes), entertainment venues, street vendors, beaches, tourist destinations, for example. There remain problems with landfills recently. Reports said there are fires at dumpsites. What are we supposed to do if you continue to disagree with waste treatment plant construction? We cannot let the waste accumulate. We can make use of the waste, turning it into energy. Local people said they didn’t want to make sacrifices or see things change. This kind of thought will only jeopardize the country’s future development. Take Ayutthaya for example. They have been doing a very good job over there. The locals are satisfied with the plant. The waste treatment process is being done efficiently. Waste is being turned into power. Should you keep on rejecting this project, there will be some major issues in the future. The other day, fire broke out at a landfill in Bangkok, posing as a threat to everyone in the area.

The next topic concerns retrieving of forest areas. The state has reclaimed 35.34 million rais of forest land from invaders and allocated state-owned spaces to 2.71 million people. Invaders of forest areas must be moved out, but will be assigned to another location where they can generate income. Once assigned to you, you cannot sell off those lands. They don’t belong to you. Authorities will discuss laws concerning this matter. If possible, we will have you present collateral before you can make use of the land. We will have laws drafted to support the poor. The poor must first help themselves and respect the law. Please be honest to yourself, your employers, and your landlords.

As for measures to tackle and prevent corruption, the government has deemed this to be one of our national agendas. We are wasting no time on this. We are raising awareness, preventing possible fraud, and making sure all projects are able to be forged ahead. Today, we brought in the Construction Sector Transparency Initiative (CoST) from overseas to monitor the government’s mega projects such as Suvarnabhumi Airport expansion while the Integrity Pact (IP) will be initiated to monitor the procurement of NGV buses as well as the MRT blue line extension. There will be more laws to help prevent corruption. Some of the laws have not been enforced as they are now being drafted and reviewed by the National Legislative Assembly. Next is about an Act concerning the facilitation of state affairs for expediting the work and services provided by the government. A Good example of a benefit of this Act has been the “One Stop Service Center” which offers the public more convenient and faster services. You can contact this center and the center will forward your case to responsible agencies. Then you will be offered advice or services according to your need. This process also eases the work of investors and businesspersons and has been adopted in many countries. It would be ideal if we could separate them into groups such as investment category, economics category, or the trade category. If these groups are clearly divided, the job will be done quicker and more productive. You can also go to “Damrong Tham” center for help. The center will send your request to relevant units. Please familiarize yourself with this center. You can contact the center at 1567. So far, 949,788 people have made their requests or sought assistance from the “Damrong Tham” center, 907,353 of which cases have already been resolved, accounting for 95.54%. This kind of thing has never been done before. People are satisfied with the service we are providing. Bigger or more difficult issues will be addressed once we have effective laws in place. Things we can do now will get done right away. As for the Hotline 1111, I ask that no more prank calls are made to this number. I am very concerned about these calls. Female operators have been abused by callers. This behavior is inappropriate and unacceptable. The operators are there to help you out, not to be treated like this. Male operators may not have been abused as badly as female operators. Thai society should be better than this. People should live in a peaceful and safe environment with social justice and equal opportunities. I know a lot has been said on this, but I can prove to you what I have been able to do so far. However, I will not promise that everything will be done under my administration whose timeframe is very limited. I have started progress on many things and stopped violence, and the reform process has started, along with remedies to urgent problems. But things that have to take time will need to be passed on to the next government. If you want to see an elected government soon, then you must do your best to make sure that the progress achieved so far is continued. What we can do is build a strong foundation for the country. The country’s future is yours to decide.

Aside from the various economic measures, there has been much progress in affairs of transportation, service centers for businesses, and water management projects.  There exist other numerous measures for the boosting of Thailand's competitiveness in trade and investment, so that our small, medium and large businesses may competitively sell their products at the regional and global stages.

Today, about 1.6 million migrants from Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia have been registered.  Temporary residency permits are being used for the time being, as the nationality verification process is not yet complete.  Originally, the plan was to complete this process in 6 months.  The temporary permits have to be extended year-by-year because of incomplete verification.  But is not because of our own doing – we have done well, considering that we have been able to provide registration.  The verification process, however, requires each respective country to send in its own teams to carry out verification.  The productivity of the verification process has been lagging.

So, we have to accept certain obstacles when collaborating with different countries on certain issues.  I will arrange for the temporary permits to be extended.  Importantly, employers must not let the workers take up work elsewhere, because of the temporary nature of the permits.  The verification teams from the three countries are only able to verify a handful of people per day.  We have been able to carry out our part of the registration because we used hundreds of teams.

On the matter of fishing vessels registration, 50,970 vessels have been registered so far.  By comparison, the number of registered vessels was previously very small.  The registration of low income earners also needs to be carried out quickly.  Earners of, say, 300 baht per day or less would not need to pay tax, because they earn less than the standard criteria.  They need to be registered so the state can be aware of their occupation.  With this information, support or assistance will be correctly provided.  We would otherwise be creating a future burden if assistance is handed out indiscriminately.

For the matter of urban planning, we must commend the Ministry of Interior for its current efficiency.  Before this government came in, town and country planning was only available for 19 provinces.  We are working to undertake urban planning for all 77 provinces.  I must thank the Ministry of Interior and all relevant civil servants.  It is hoped that with the planning, affairs of re-organization, mapping, forestry, agriculture, industry, housing and administration will become easier.  Each of these aspects can be more properly managed by the use of urban planning.  There have been complaints about the town and country planning in several provinces.  The Department of Lands and the Ministry of Interior will address these complaints.

On the matter of applications on mobile devices, I am not expecting each and every ministry to propose its apps to me or to civil servants. Instead I want the public to be aware of the apps.  Most people have mobile phones and they will be able to access vital information about themselves, diseases, rights, and data on soil, water and air.  The public will be able to access this information.  Farmers will know the prices of produce.  People will know which agency to contact for certain affairs.  They will know about any illness afflicting them and who they should see.  Questions will be answered more quickly.  We are looking into setting up a ministry of digital economy. We must all go through this learning process. New age farmers and citizens should learn to make use of modernity while also being mindful of sufficiency.  The information available will allow decisions to be comprehensively made.  This would also be true for investment decisions.

On the matter of promoting the application of science and technology researches in manufacturing, a committee has been established for this purpose and a budget of greater 1% of the GDP has been earmarked for research and development.  There have been calls for 3-4% of the GDP to be derived from these activities.  Let us start with 1% first.  The amount of research and development spending accountable towards juristic persons income tax exemption has been raised to 300% from 200% previously to encourage such activity.

The creation of a national innovations archive is also considered a national agenda.  Businesses and communities are encouraged to apply their innovations in the manufacturing field.  So far there have been 29 owners of such innovations.  The innovations will reduce dependency on imports.  Examples include the processing of natural latex into flooring material for running tracks and multi-purpose fields, and the use of energy-saving machines to bake rubber sheets.  Relevant laws had to be modified to allow state agencies to purchase these innovations, because the regulations previously forbid procurement of untested products.  In the future, we will register these innovations abroad so we can sell them to foreign countries.

The responsible agency has reported to me that about 100 innovations will be registered this year at the very least.  All of them are Thai-made.  The innovations will be turned into finished products, and every ministry will be able to purchase them.  These innovations will not likely involve anything large-scale.  They will have low prices and will be durable – attributes that are appropriate for Thailand and ASEAN.

On the matter of IUU fishing, the government has been continually addressing this issue.  A working committee exists, and the issue has been marked as a national agenda.  Section 44 was being used only to augment the effort.  We came in knowing of this problem, and the government is addressing the issue in an integrated manner.  Only parts of Section 44 are being used, mainly to maintain this synergy between government agencies so that the problem can be addressed quickly and unobstructed.  What follows will be a matter of normal laws.  We will not be using Section 44 on everything – only for certain issues, such as expensive lime prices, economic problems, the ICAO issue.  Section 44 exists to facilitate the process.

Regarding the yellow card issue, please do not be overly anxious.  We have to accept this and that there is no one else to blame, and must address this problem.  This government has tackled the issue to our best ability and sent in many committees to work it out, but this was still not enough.  I cannot guarantee if we will be able to solve the problem in 6 months.  It depends on everybody, whether or not we can meet this time frame.  If today I am informed that are fishing vessels that have yet to be registered and that they are likely to be in another country, then I have to ask where exactly. So has this been happening all along in the past?  Where do the crew members come from? Who has been hiring them and based on any regulations?  If you cannot provide me with any answers, what do you expect to say to others? How do we solve this problem quickly then?  It would depend on all of us.  I am hoping that we will be able to solve this problem in 6 months, so that they can improve our ranking, in fact for other issues as well.  The decision on whether we are to be put in tier 2 or 3 does not rest with the government to do as it pleases or as everyone pleases, it is a decision for external parties who evaluate us.  So Section 44 is being used to facilitate our work, and rest assured that we are doing all we can.

It was not unexpected, as there was a plethora of issues at hand.  The registration of ships alone took immense effort and was completed in a few days /months, but not all have been completed, and there was not much cooperation [from the fishing fleets].  From now on, centers will be set up, manned by soldiers and policemen, at various ports to monitor incoming and outgoing vessels. You must cooperate. This is the measure I will use. Failure to return to port, failure to report journeys, failure to account for the crew are all misconducts and have caused this problem that we are faced with today.  The same goes for the human trafficking issue.  Although human trafficking, IUU fishing and the ICAO problem are different affairs, Section 44 can be used to facilitate our work on them.

Please do not be overly concerned about exports.  Based on our discussions with the private sector, there may not be a significant impact for now.  It cannot continue this way, however.  They have given us opportunities and have informed us of this matter since 2005.  I have only been at it for the past 6 months and have accomplished a number of things.  They have welcomed how Thailand has shown resolve in fixing the problem, and they know that the government is sincere and intends to resolve this problem. We want to do this as quickly as possible, so therefore they have had to maintain their evaluation level, and it serves as an example for other countries.  I have been trying to resolve this issue comprehensively. Fishery-related laws needed to be overhauled.  We need to make registration, install GPS tracking on ships, and install VMS systems.  We have to know where they are catching fish, otherwise we cannot regulate them.  A coastal fishery control center will thus be set up.

But if we have to wait for certain laws to be promulgated first or if we proceed using normal laws, we cannot establish these centers in time.  So we must use Section 44 to facilitate implementation although the application of penalties against offenders – business operators, consumers, workers – will be based on normal laws.  Naval vessels and sailors will assist in the making of arrests in such cases.  Normally, this cannot be done, as the duty rested with officials within the civil sector, such as from the fisheries department. Now all officials will be involved.

We have to let the EU know about our progress, while avoiding the view that they are only trying to find fault with us.  They do the same thing for every country.  It happens that we have been lagging.  The repercussion has been significant since this problem had not been previously addressed. Please do not be discouraged. I view this crisis as an opportunity for better cooperation and understanding.  The media needs to help present the facts from all angles, to let people know about the state of the problem and the government's efforts in addressing it.  They do notice our efforts, and are giving us the opportunity to improve.  I expect these improvements to come about within the designated time frame, but this depends on all of us.

I have discussed this matter with the Indonesian president during my recent trip to Indonesia, and he has expressed willingness to support Thailand in addressing ASEAN's fishing industry.  Fishing vessels currently engaged in illicit activities in Indonesia also pose a significant problem for us.  The president and I discussed how to get these vessels back and enforce the appropriate laws and penalties.  I have said before that we have been overwhelmed with work since May 22.  There are hundreds of issues.  Could we have picked just a handful and leave the rest?  I needed to see to all of them.  The most troubling ones receive the most input.  They all must be addressed, however.  The problems are intertwined.  Fishing vessels and stranded fishermen will be looked after.  Entrepreneurs must be responsible and illegal business operators must be made accountable.

As for our current work, I would like to say that we came in to stop violence, to solve urgent problems and to prepare for reforms.  Everything needs to be reformed, and this will take time.  We are doing what we can at present.  Do not assume that I am promising that certain problems will be solved by a specific date.  I will finish the re-organization attempts within the time frame stated in the road map.  We are all compelled to work quickly.  So when you make demands on me, I make demands on the officials to do their duty more quickly.  Time is needed on some issues, so please have some understanding.  Do not worry over Section 44 and have trust and confidence in our intentions.

Please also do not worry over transfers and reshuffles.  Most of the transfers were being made in line with the transfer seasons in April and October.  In the meantime some offenders are being moved in accordance with normal disciplinary actions.  Those that have blatantly broken the law or have been found guilty of corruption needed to be removed from their immediate positions first.

It would normally be difficult to dismiss them because of the civil service commission's law.  Thus, we might have to use Section 44 to remove from their positions first.  It does not mean they are guilty, until investigations are complete. But leaving them in their position could cause problems, and therefore, removal would facilitate the investigations.  Please understand that Section 44 is not being used to suppress graft – normal laws are being used in the suppression.  Section 44 is being used to allow investigations to proceed rapidly and to spare officials of any difficult/awkward situations.

Let the justice procedure take its course.  The end result will be the same as in other court cases.  If we speed up the justice procedure too much then the courts would come under fire in the future.

Please also follow up on the work in progress.  I have talked about them many times before.  Section 44 cannot be used to create reconciliation.  It is a matter of each person and each conflicting party's willingness to reconcile – talk together, cease hostilities and refrain from using force.  I cannot use Section 44 to foster reconciliation by waiving penalties for wrongdoers.  That would be a misuse of Section 44.

As for the charter, I listen to the deliberations everyday if I have the chance.  Please see to how the constitution should turn out in the end, and how it can be a constitution for real reform.  Can it strictly be based on the international norms or on the previous charters?  I do not know.  I would like for us to consider the opinions of others as well.  Most of the time, we have been thinking and arguing among ourselves.  Let us listen to how other countries have worked it out and apply some of their methods.  We have been thinking and acting like this and thus fighting among ourselves for decades.  If we can get it right this time and our international friends understand us, then there will be less condemnation on us in the future.  I also need to be careful as I do not want people condemning me. But I do not have the tolerance for those who commit misconduct and continuously avoiding taking any responsibility for them. I am not that kind of person.

Next, I shall invite Deputy Prime Minister Yongyuth Yuthavong, who oversees social and psychological affairs, to speak on additional matters.  I hope that everybody understands our determination to address all issues, in our capacities as the NCPO and the government.  We are currently within phases 1 and 2.  Phase 3 is a long time away from realization as there are overlapping problems that require a system-wide approach to fix.

Thank you and goodbye

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                                                                                                         Origin : http://www.thaigov.go.th