Policy Announcement*
Mr.
President,
Distinguished Members,
Pursuant
to His Majesty the King's gracious appointment of myself as Prime Minister, per
Royal Command dated 2 March 1991 and the subsequent appointment of the Council
of Ministers, per Royal Command dated 6 March 1991. The Council of Ministers has
now formulated the formal policies, which have already been raised to the State
Security Council, to present to the National Legislation Council, as follows:
Political Policy
| 1. | The government shall respect the royal throne, protect the institutions of Nation, Religion, King and democratic administration, with King as Head of State, and maintain the national security and prosperity. |
| 2.
| The government shall support the National Legislation Council in the drafting of the new Constitution, in accordance with the aforementioned policies, and improve the Election Act, Political Party Act, and related laws, in accordance with the new Constitution. |
| 3. | The government shall encourage the public awareness in the democratic system, with King as Head of State. |
| 4. | The government shall organize and supervise a clean General Election. |
Policy on the State Administration and Legal Revision
In
order to envisage the legal and administrative efficiency and flexibility, according
to the national development scheme, prevent and supress corruption and malfeasance,
the government shall:
| 1. | Improve the state administration, as follows: |
| 1.1 | Set the threshold of civil servants and officers, increase the income, improve the welfare, and set measures for the efficient operation, as to raise the morale and will. |
| 1.2
| Revise the State Administration Act and related regulations, as to facilitate the government procedures, implement the top-down power relocation, reduce the methodic redundancy, and standardize the process and timeframe of the permission and authorization systems, and other related operations, as well as, reveal the said process and timeframe to the public, as to suppress the possibilities of the corruption and malfeasance. |
| 1.3 | Strengthen the anti-corruption and malfeasance measures, by means of enforced punishment and suppression. |
|
1.4 | Improve the structures and consideration processes of the human resource, budget, planning systems and the inter-departmental link, as to ensure the efficiency and accessability. |
|
1.5 | Improve the related laws, rules and regulations, as to relocate the central administrative power to the provinces, be it human resource, budget, or public service, by administering the budget directly to the provinces. |
|
1.6 | Promote and support the utilization of computers and Information Technology, as to ensure the efficiency in the operation and public service. |
| 2. | Implement the legal revision, in accordance with the current economic and social development, and lay the strong foundation to the future developments, as follows: |
| 2.1 | Reform the Control System and convert to the Supervision and Support System, unless the national security and safety are involved. |
| 2.2 | Modernize the outdated or non-performing laws, unappropriate for the current situations, national developments, and the free competition, or abiding to unnecessary procedures. |
| 2.3 | Implement the systematic and continual legal revision. |
| 3. | Improve the laws for the installation of the social justice, by enacting the Welfare Act, for the right protection of children, ladies, elders and handicapped, as well as, the related laws and regulations for the developments of the elders' health and potential. |
Policy on the Security
In
order to effectively maintain the national security, independence, sovereignty,
liberty and benefits, the government shall:
| 1. | Strengthen and modernize the army, as to remain prompt and ready for the operations, in accordance with the current situations and national economic status. |
| 2.
| Support the preparation of the National Security Force Integration system, be it military, paramilitary, civil officers or civilians, as to cordon off the external threats, install the national stability and protect the national resources. |
| 3. | Improve the national defense industry, as to enhance the capacity level of self-reliance, support the researches, developments, and manufacturing of national weapons, through collaborations from the government agencies, private sector, and friendly nations. |
| 4. | Improve and support the military welfare and the development of the vocational education, as to prepare the concripts for the profession, once off duty, and improve the veteran welfare, as to guarantee the decent and dignified living. |
| 5.
| Support and promote the army participation in the national developments, operations of the royal development projects, the social assistance, and the alleviation of disasters. |
Foreign Policy
In
order to achieve the greatest national benefits, in accordance with the international
obligations, treaties, and agreements, of which Thailand is member, the United
Nations Charter, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and the establishment
of good relations with ASEAN member countries, neighbour countries, friendly nations,
and super powers, the government shall:
| 1. | Cherish Thailand's reputation and confidence, amongst sovereign nations, in the continuation of policies. |
| 2.
| Encourage the regional peace and good understanding with neighbour countries, in order to achieve the greater regional stability, security and prosperity. |
| 3. | Increase the economic, commercial, investment, social, and cultural cooperations with ASEAN member countries. |
| 4. | Establish the economic, academic and cultural developments with other developing countries, especially with neighbour countries. |
| 5.
| Support the economic, commercial, investment, tourism and laboral relations with friendly nations or Thailand's major trade partners. |
| 6. | Justify Thailand's role in the world economy, as to promote the free trade and enhance the competitive potential in the global economic stage. |
| 7.
| Protect and preserve Thai benefits abroad, as for the indiscriminatory treatment. |
Economic Policy
Nowadays,
the national economy has settled in the firm ground and is prone to future growths.
It is, however, duly essential to resolve the problems, which have resulted from
the economic growth, especially the issues of income distribution, poverty, and
degradation of the natural resources and environment, with promptness and carefulness,
by following these steps:
| 1. | Resolve the urgent economic problems, which have affected the lifestyles and well-being of the people |
| 1.1 | Alleviate the problems resulted from the draught and low price of agricultural products, by implementing, in due course, the efficient water distribution, be it for consumption or agriculture, as well as, suppressing the pest outbreak, and providing the manufacturing basics to agriculturists. |
|
1.2 | Resolve the accommodation problems of the low-income in the urban areas, by granting subsidies, as for the decent accommodation, and implementing efficient measures on city planning and taxation, as for the efficient land utilization. |
| 1.3 | Support the prompt continuation of the useful yet belated infrastructure projects and consider the current projects carefully, with the focus on the benefits of the nation and the people. |
|
1.4 | Resettle the confidence of national and international business groups on the economic, commercial, and investment opportunities, as to generate the employment and income. |
| 1.5 | Revive the tourism industry, affected by the Middle East Crisis, by enhancing the national reputation in international tourism markets. |
| 2. | Enhance the efficiency of the national economic system, in accordance with the volatile economic situation, and improve the competitiveness in world markets |
| 2.1 | Reform the Control System and convert to the Supervision System, as to support the role of the private sector, in accordance with the free economy system and fair competition. |
| 2.2 | Improve the efficiency of state enterprises, support the capital mobilization from the Stock Exchange, and encourage the private participation in the service of state enterprises. |
|
2.3 | Standardize the governmental tax and fee tariffs, as to meet the international standard, decrease the economic costs, and attain the efficient level of competitiveness in world markets. |
| 2.4 | Implement the more liberal financial system, as to enhance the efficiency of the financial system. |
| 2.5 | Revise and modernize the non-performing investment laws, rules, and regulations, and reduce the government service procedures. |
|
2.6 | Enhance the mechanism and capacity level of government agencies in the analytical, control, and follow-up systems for large-scale projects, as for the greatest benefits of the nation and the people. |
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2.7 | Revise the mechanism and measures on export promotion, as well as, the related laws, regulations and ordinances, implement efficient measures on the decrease of export costs, by improving the basic structures and taxation system. |
| 2.8 | Implement the management system on the international economy, especially for the negotiations of the international trade, as to protect the national economic benefits. |
| 2.9 | Abolish the prohibition of the establishment and expansion of the commerce and industry, abiding to the official announcements, except those involved with the economic stability, national security, and good morals. |
| 3. | Resolve the basic economic problems and those resulted from the economic growth, especially the issues of the income distribution, environment, and traffic congestion, as to raise the quality of life of the public. |
| 3.1 | Implement the efficient system to provide financial assistance to agriculturists, affected by disaster, low price of agricultural products, or debt burden, by administering the sufficient budget, responsible organizations, careful plans and measures, for the effective operations. |
|
3.2 | Enhance the manufacturing efficiency, in accordance with the natural resources of the locality, by supporting the role of agriculturists in manufacturing planning, as well as, establish the National Agriculture Council, as to enable agriculturists to formulate the manufacturing policy, in accordance with the markets. |
| 3.3 | Implement the efficient land reform, as for the land distribution and legalization for agriculturists. |
|
3.4 | Support the provision of manufacturing factors, especially the effective fertilizer, cropping and chemicals, at reasonable price, and promote the efficient utilization of manufacturing factors. |
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3.5 | Develop the water sources, as for the national consumption, agricultural development support, industry and tourism, as well as, implement the efficient utilization of water. |
| 3.6 | Encourage the private participation, in conjunction with the government and local people, in the development of provincial industries, as to generate employments and income distribution. |
|
3.7 | Reform the tax structure system, as to achieve the social justice, prevent redundancy and tax evasion. |
|
3.8 | Promote the industrial investments, especially those involved with the commerce and industrial developments, with the focus on regional industries, the investment on the social assistance, the resolution to social problems, especially environmental issues, and activities dealing with the enhancement of the national capacity in science and technology. |
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3.9 | Establish efficient measures and mechanism on the resolution of the traffic problem in big cities, with unity and effectiveness. |
| 4. | As to encourage the continual economic development and stability, the government shall: |
| 4.1 | Encourage the public savings, by developing the appropriate financial instrument, support the diversification in service of financial institutions, as well as, enhance the Stock Exchange's reputation as the support institution for the public and private investment and capital mobilization. |
| 4.2 | Maintain the financial and monetary discipline, by controlling the national budget, foreign debt, and cash volume. |
|
4.3 | Enhance the flexibility and expedience of the government's distribution system, as to reduce costs and achieve the greatest national benefits. |
Social Policy
In
order to improve the human resource, enhance the quality of life, by means of
the good morals and ethics, resolve the social problems, and maintain the national
security and well-being, the government shall:
| 1. | Prevent and suppress crimes and delinquences, especially mafia groups, weapon traders and users, illegal loggers, and influential groups, benefiting from children, women, handicapped, elders, and workers, as well as, suppress the economic crimes. |
| 2.
| Prevent and suppress the narcotic-related problems, be it manufacturing, trafficking or consuming, revise related laws and law enforcements, collaborate with the United Nations and friendly nations, implement efficient measures on the control of stimulants, and suppress illegal manufacturers and sellers. |
| 3. | Support the unification of the Consumer Protection system and inter-departmental cooperations, as to guarantee the social justice. |
| 4. | Encourage the participation of the public and volunteer groups in the crime prevention and suppression, and utilize advanced technologies in the compilation process of the criminal information between the central and regional administrations. |
| 5.
| Support the role and participation of beneficial organizations, by revising the related laws and taxation system. |
| 6. | Establish the Alarm System, as to prevent and alleviate the disasters with promptness. |
| 7.
| Prevent and suppress the contagious outbreak, especially of AIDS disease, and collaborate with the private sector and beneficial organizations in the campaign, as to encourage the public awareness of the danger and national participation in the prevention and suppression. |
| 8. | Enhance the efficiency and quality of the public health care service, as to meet the public requirements, as follows: |
| 8.1 | Enhance the capacity level of medical and health care centers, especially in Tumbon and Amphur levels, as to reduce the crowdedness of big hospitals in the city, by resolving the doctor shortage and improving the efficiency of the patient interlink. |
| 8.2 | Establish the Social Security system, especially for the low-income, underprivileged, and elders. |
| 9. | Improve the educational system, as to enable the development of human potentials, as well as, ethics and morals, as to meet the national requirements, as follows: |
| 9.1 | Extend the educational opportunities and services, both in formal and non-formal systems, as to raise the standard of the compulsory education, from six to nine years, as well as, extend the primary education in the provinces. |
| 9.2 | Enhance the flexibility, efficiency, and effectiveness of the administrative system of state universities, as well as, encourage the collaborations between state and private universities, both inside and outside the kingdom, and between universities and the private sector. |
|
9.3 | Implement efficient measures to resolve the shortage of qualified teachers in the most required fields of study. |
| 9.4 | Implement the vocational education and practice, both in formal and non-formal systems, as to resolve the shortage of skilled labour, required to support the national developments. |
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9.5 | Enhance the flexibility of the central and provincial educational agencies in the administration of the education, religion and culture. |
| 10. | Enhance the clarity, justice, and operational flexibility of the Social Security Act, as to support the welfare of employees. |
| 11.
| Implement the Declaration of Child and Family Support, by encouraging the pre-marital awareness in family planning and responsibility. |
Policy on the Justice
| 1. | Enhance the promptness, coverage, and efficiency of the royal courts, by revising the court procedures, in accordance with the current social situation. |
| 2.
| Respect the freedom of the royal courts in the trial of legal cases, by separating the judiciary administration from the central administration and ensuring the status of free institutions of the royal courts, as to guarantee the social justice and greater efficiency. |
Policy on the Natural Resources, Energy and Environment
In
order to revive the degradation of natural resources, preserve and improve the
energy exploitation, prevent and suppress the environmental problems, the government
shall:
| 1.
| Preserve and prevent the degradation of natural resources, be it forest, land, water source, and other resources, by enhancing the capacity level of related government agencies and encouraging the community participation in the preservation of natural resources. |
| 2. | Implement the survey, generation, and provision of the energy, as to meet the increasing needs, and implement attractive measures on the economical, worthwhile, and efficient utilization of energy, in accordance with the protection of the environmental quality. |
| 3. | Implement the legal revision, as to guarantee the governmental power in the supervision and enforcement of the laws, rules, and regulations on the preservation, revival, and development of the environment, as well as, encourage the public awareness and participation in the protection of the environmental quality, as to raise the quality of life and enhance the role of the private sector in the resolution of environmental problems, in conjunction with the government agencies. |
| 4. | Enhance the efficiency of the environmental administration and management systems, through the establishment of an agency, responsible for the research, definition of the environmental standard, and enforcement of the standard, and implement the Fund for the Improvement of the Environment and Quality of Life, through the donations from the degraders of the environment. |
| 5. | Resolve the health-menacing environmental problems, especially water, air, and noise pollutions, garbage and sewage treatments from the communities, factories, and other businesses, by obliging the related factories to finance the resolution of pollution problems. |
| 6.
| Prevent the diffusion of toxics and dangerous substances, by improving the control system for the transportation, maintenance, utilization, and treatment, implement the legal enforcement, and encourage the participation from the communities and private organizations in the control. |
Policy on the Science and Technology
In
order to excel the economic development and the capacity level of competitiveness
in the global stage, the government shall:
| 1.
| Recruit the qualified scientists and technicians, both in terms of quantity and quality, by means of increasing scholarships and researches on science and technology. |
| 2. | Implement the efficient mechanism for the support of the scientific and technolgical joint-developments between the government and private sector, e.g., the establishment of the Scientific and Technological Park and the Technology Evaluation Organization. |
| 3. | Implement attractive measures on the development and utilization of science and modern technology, by improving the tax structure for the import and utilization of modern technology, as well as, the financial and monetary measures for the support of private researches. |
| 4. | Improve the structure and mechanism for the coordination of organizations for the research and development, and enhance the efficiency of the science and technology in the national developments. |
Mr. President,
Distinguished Members,
The
presented policies may have not covered all points. As this government has limited
times for the state administration, it is essential to formulate the policies,
especially for the most affected and urgent, for the establishment of the strong
foundation and the suppression of restraints for the national developments and
the public service. For those uncovered, the government shall follow the National
Economic and Social Plans and implement the continuation of the government's general
plans.
With
the goodwill and determination, I believe the National Legislation Council to
be kind enough to support the government's policies, in order that the latter
shall smoothly run the state administration, support the national prosperity,
and provide the public well-being, which are the highest goals of both the National
Legislation Council and the government.
Thank
you.
*National Legislation Council Meeting Report of 2/1991, 4 April 1991, page 23-37
Unofficial Translation