Economic recovery and national reconciliation are the
government's two top priorities for 2012, Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra
said yesterday (December 31) in her weekly address.
"The government is looking
forward to working on implementing economic recovery plans," she said.
Yingluck pledged to ensure a
good standard of living and to bring about reconciliation, on top of focusing
on the economy.
"Reconciliation and
democracy share the same principle - heeding the people's opinions," she
said, voicing optimism that an opportunity is at hand for mending fences
because the people are weary of division.
For four months since assuming
office, she has devoted her full attention to her work, she said, adding that
her experience as prime minister had been invaluable because she had learned
several lessons that would not have been available to her had she remained a
private citizen.
"I know I am not a talker
but a doer," she said, arguing that she gave the job her all.
She said one of her proudest
moments was the opportunity to take part in the celebrations of His Majesty the
King's 84th birthday.
In her New Year's wish, she
said 2012 should be filled with smiles, happiness and unity.
"This year we overcame a
lot of problems related to the economy, price increases and the flood crisis;
nightmares and problems are over and next year will see Thai people smile and
reconcile," she said.
Pheu Thai MP Watana Muangsook
said the House committee for reconciliation was poised to propose amnesty
legislation as a way to end the political turmoil.
"Without an amnesty, blood
will spill on the streets again," he said.
Watana said he was concerned
that a new round of political violence might erupt within the first four months
of the new year.
April would mark the
anniversary of the red protests in 2010, and the red shirts might organise a
mass rally to seek justice for victims of the riots, he said. The political
volatility was likely to increase because the red rally, if it happened, would
coincide with the anticipated inquest into 16 deaths during crowd-dispersal
operation, he said, noting that rival camps might try to politicise facts
coming out of the judicial process.
If the government lost control
of the situation, then the red shirts might unleash their wrath on the
coalition, he warned.
In a separate New Year wish,
House Speaker Somsak Kiatsuranont said he wanted to see the formation of a
Constitution Drafting Assembly (CDA) to take charge of amending the charter.
"I think the CDA is the
best option," he said, expecting that Pheu Thai would introduce a motion
on a charter rewrite soon after the break.
Somsak said the CDA should
comprise elected drafters in line with democratic principles.
Following completion of agreed
changes, the charter draft should be subject to a referendum before being put
to Parliament and promulgation.
He ruled out speculation that
the government might dissolve the House to call a snap election under the new
charter, arguing he saw nothing to justify the government not seeing out its
four-year term.
News Desk
The Nation
Business & Investment Opportunities
YourVietnamExpert is a division of Saigon Business Corporation Pte Ltd, Incorporated in Singapore since 1994. As Your Business Companion, we propose a range of services in Consulting, Investment and Management, focusing three main economic sectors: International PR; Healthcare & Wellness;and Tourism & Hospitality. We also propose Higher Education, as a bridge between educational structures and industries, by supporting international programs. Sign up with twitter to get news updates with @SaigonBusinessC. Thanks.
No comments:
Post a Comment