The government is pressing ahead with its national reform strategy to bring about concrete results this year which it hopes will lay the foundation for elected administrations to abide by.

But critics believe the government's national development plan over the next 20 years and its reform measures will restrict the power of future governments.

In particular, the 20-year national development plan will impose a straitjacket on future governments, crippling their ability to freely make decisions to respond and adapt to changing circumstances, the critics have warned.

Shortly after the coup on May 22, 2014 Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha set up a panel to bring about national reconciliation.

Gen Prayut chaired a meeting Thursday to discuss this national reform, national strategy and national reconciliation.

He said this is the first meeting to lay the groundwork for reforms, national strategy and national unity.

"This will be crucial to the country's future and determine how Thailand will advance to higher levels.

The government aims to raise the status of Thailand from a middle-income country to a high-income country in 15 years, Gen Prayut said.

The country is in need of reform in several areas so the National Reform Steering Assembly (NRSA) and the National Legislative Assembly (NLA) have been asked to work with the government, he said.

The government will remain committed to its roadmap leading to a general election, Gen Prayut said while adding that it has initiated various measures and projects to "repair, reinforce and rebuild" the country.

One development project is the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) project, which the government hopes will create investment and boost economic activity. Gen Prayut stressed that the project must get off the ground this year.

The EEC spans Chon Buri, Rayong and Prachin Buri provinces, which will be designated for development as a high-tech industry cluster with an eye towards becoming a hub for industrial, infrastructure and urban development in Asean.

Prime Minister's Office Minister Suvit Maesincee said the prime minister has set up four separate committees -- one working on preparing for national reforms, one to prepare the national development strategy, one on building national unity, and one for strategic national administration.

The prime minister will oversee the four committees. Of the four committees, three will be headed by deputy prime ministers, and they will work in tandem with the NLA and the NRSA.

Regarding the committee for strategic national administration, it will serve as a "mini-cabinet" working on three levels of administration -- the command, development supervision and operational unit levels, Mr Suvit said.

Mr Suvit also said that Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwon has been assigned to chair the committee on achieving national reconciliation and that the top priority will be to address social disparities and injustices.

Mr Suvit said the prime minister stressed that the first five years of the 20-year national development plan is the most important and that the government will make the most of its remaining tenure in office to ensure success in the initial stage of the plan.

NLA deputy chairman Surachai Liangboonlertchai said the government is expediting efforts to push for reform plans to yield initial concrete results by this year.

The implementation of all reform measures must be completed by 2021, Mr Surachai said after attending Thursday's government meeting.

If the government gets down to work this year, it expects to hand over all its work to the next elected government to finish what it has started, Mr Surachai said.

The NLA is ready to support the government by passing essential legislation and pushing forward national reform plans, Mr Surachai said, adding that several key bills are expected to be presented to the NLA in March.

Wanwichit Boonprong, a political science lecturer at Rangsit University, welcomed the government's national development strategy, saying it is moving to strengthen all sectors of society, unlike previous administrations which he said had never came up with clear-cut strategies.

Mr Wanwichit said the government must initiate projects to create new jobs in the country's regions to adapt to increasing global competition and it has announced its Thailand 4.0 policy which lays out development plans for digital infrastructure.

Pheu Thai acting deputy secretary-general Chavalit Wichayasut said positive signs have emerged of the country moving toward peace and democracy as the government has signalled it wants to hold reconciliation talks before the next poll.

He also said national reforms are necessary, though the government must be fully committed to reforms if it wants its efforts to be recognised by all sides.

Source:
courtesy of BANGKOK POST

by Mongkol Bangprapa and Wassana Nanuam

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