General Prayut Chan-o-cha

Prayut Chan-o-cha (Thai: ประยุทธ์ จันทร์โอชา; born 21 March 1954) is a Thai army officer who is the Prime Minister of Thailand and the Head of the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), a military junta that has the power to control the prime minister. [Wikipedia]
Prayut is also former Commander in Chief of the Royal Thai Army, the post he held from October 2010 to October 2014. After his appointment as army chief, Prayut has been characterised as a strong royalist and an opponent of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra. Considered as a hardliner within the military, he was one of the leading proponents of the military crackdowns on the violent "Red Shirts" demonstrations of April 2009 and April/May 2010. He later sought to moderate his profile, talking to relatives of protesters who were killed in the bloody conflict, and co-operating with the government of Thaksin's sister Yingluck Shinawatra who won the parliamentary election in July 2011.

http://www.thaigov.go.th/en/speech-2/item/86578-86578.html

National Broadcast by General Prayut Chan-o-cha, Prime Minister – October 10, 2014

Good evening, dear Thai citizens.

Good evening dear Thai citizens. Before I begin, I would like all of us to send our best wishes for the good health of Their Majesties the King and Queen, and for Their Majesties' speedy recovery.

This week, I had the opportunity to represent the public in leading the cabinet ministers and members of the National Council for Peace and Order to Siriraj Hospital to sign our names in the well-wishing book for His Majesty the King. I would also like to invite you to also sign your name and express your wish for His Majesty's speedy recovery.

A recent report that should please Thai citizens is the success of Siriraj Hospital's medical team in producing a prototype antibody for treating Ebola patients. The World Health Organization (WHO) has congratulated the Thai medical team for their success. However, further testing of the prototype against real virus in a level-4 biosafety laboratory in the United States is required. If the antibody performs well, it will be developed for mass production. In such case, an exception will be made on the steps of animal and human testing, in order to immediately treat Ebola patients.

The Fong Khao Surada, a blood stopper sponge for use in surgery, is another commendable achievement. The blood stopper is made from rice flour, and is an invention by Bunyanit Watsadu Kanphaet Co. Ltd. It won the first prize in the industrial category at the annual competition for Thai rice inventions, which was jointly hosted by the Thai Rice Foundation under Royal Patronage and the National Innovation Agency. The blood stopper sponge can be made domestically at a low cost. Importantly, it uses local materials.

Both inventions are intellectual properties of Thai people. The government will work to ensure that the associated IP rights are upheld in other countries. We will encourage the invention owners to file for rights under the World Intellectual Property Organization's Patent Cooperation Treaty. There are many other examples of Thai-made innovations. Please help support Thailand's brands. Doing so helps to increase the value of the various raw materials produced locally.

Meanwhile, our youths have been able to make fame for Thailand at the Taipei International Invention Show & Technomart for Intellectual Property, Patents, Trademarks. Thailand's young inventors were awarded, alongside international researchers, for two innovations. Students from the Mathayom 6 level at Romklao Kanchanaburi School were awarded for their 'energy-saving stove' and students from Ubolratana Phitthayakhom School in Khon Kaen were awarded for their 'electric sticky rice container'. The inventions do not utilize high technology but are able to serve the community's need to conserve energy. The inventions were also developed with regard to the local way of life. These are all commendable achievements. Thailand has an abundance of capable individuals. Previously, research projects and development projects may not have received adequate support.

Realizing that these projects are important for our future, the government is pledging its support for such undertakings. The ministries responsible are being tasked with preparing information on such projects, to be used by the government in its deliberation of support for the projects. We must encourage these undertakings, which reflect positively on the country and brings us honor. Right now, we should refrain from giving importance to matters that do not contribute to national development. I ask you all to contribute towards this goal, so that our standing within the international community might improve. The government would like to offer its moral support to all groups pursuing said undertakings.

Let us turn to the topic of work in progress by the government. I have issued a policy objective for all ministries to achieve tangible results as a gift to the people this coming New Year's. Every 3 months, the public shall be informed of the progress of each project. The projects concern issues related to state administration, including the reduction of social disparities– this includes job creation, access to the justice procedure and access to public funds.

On the matter of national reform, we are working on updating laws, and on improving work processes; we aim to foster increased efficiency, transparency, good governance and acceptability in the eyes of all sectors – all this is being done so the law will no longer be a subject of conflict among different parties.   The state sector will need to foster clear understanding about this drive among all groups of the public, through the use of different means of explanation; some people understand legal wordings easily while others do not. More public participation in this drive will be encouraged; we want to hear the voices of all groups within the public. As an example, the Ministry of Justice has been taking inputs from the private sector, stakeholders and academics into consideration when deliberating law amendment; this is especially true of laws that had significant direct impact on the lives of people. The end of the year will mark the government's three months in office. I ask that the NCPO and the government agencies continue to carry out their work to the fullest extent.

Last week, I spoke of the government policy to promote the use of bicycles as means of exercise or daily commute vehicle. Riding to work will likely be possible only in selected areas. Very positive response has been received; many agencies have allocated space for people to ride their bicycles – at the very least, this helps to improve people's health and reduce air and noise pollution.

Cycling will also afford people in the community the time to greet one another and have exchanges, in contrast with the social isolation that comes with driving in a vehicle. Please take the opportunity to greet one another when you can; this would help create a sense of community. Cycling would also promote local businesses, as people are afforded the opportunity to pull over and look at the merchandise in each of the local store. Space should be made available along the bike routes for the sale of locally-made items.

The details of these bike lanes must be thoroughly pondered, starting with the standards for lanes – width, number of lanes, surface material, linkage with hotspots in the province, safety and facilities such as parking. Bikes for rent or free use may also be considered. Schools also need to teach children traffic regulations and proper conduct for cycling; this would also make them less likely to break traffic rules when they move on to motorcycles and cars when they grow up.

Mountain bikes and walking can provide access to hard-to-reach tourism spots without the need to invest in expanding certain paths nsuch as roads. This is the current norm abroad, where visitors get to exercise by walking and cycling around the tourism site; there really is no need to reach all sites by cars. Expansion of an access path to a site has its drawbacks.

In Tuesday's meeting of the Cabinet and the NCPO, I assigned the Transport Ministry and other state agencies to lay down new routes and also to improve upon existing bike routes in Bangkok and other provinces. I ask that drivers and motorcyclists take note of cyclists and share the road with them.

Let us turn to the matter of promoting learning through museum visits. I have paid homage to the body of the late Supreme Patriarch on the occasion of one year since his passing. On this occasion, I also visited the museum in Bowonniwet Vihara Temple, where exhibits of the histories of each king in the Chakri Dynasty and each supreme patriarch were displayed along with the history of the temple. The presentations used multimedia, and it was hard to get bored. Visitors to museums should be presented with similar integrations of cultural, social and scientific facts, to facilitate their learning.

The government will provide support to extracurricular learning through visits to 'live museums', which has long been promoted by other countries. Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn has been encouraging the improvement of museums, for them to possess more interactive items. I have already assigned the Ministry of Education to promote learning outside of schools and do away with the practice of rote learning from texts, which does not foster understanding. We have both up-to-date and not so up-to-date museums, and we should create more incentive for people to visit them.

At present, very few people visit museums. Children must be drawn toward them; they should be able to enjoy the learning experience at museums, which would help them have deeper understanding of what they are learning and retain the understanding – otherwise they would study from the text, sit the exam and forget about it. Every agency should be able to improve on their museums; the military already has many of its own. This will allow our children to grow up into quality adults who possess knowledge alongside virtue. Learning at the improved museums inside temples would also bring children closer to temples and further aid in instilling knowledge alongside virtue.

Thai society has 3 main institutions that comprise the home, the temple and the school – known colloquially as Bowon. In the past, all 3 institutes were the main contributors to people's education. Today, some of these things have faded away.

I would like to apply the “Bowon” concept by His Majesty the King by adding the role of 'live museum' to temples, so the latter may take the role of promoting our children's learning of morality, virtues, ethics and history. I view this drive as an attempt to strengthen society using the least amount of money, and which can be immediately implemented. I ask that all of us, regardless of faith, use the “Bowon” concept to propagate the 12 values for Thai citizens.

Let us now turn to the aspect of education. The 12 values for Thai citizens will be among the factors that assist in building the nation's future. We needed to emphasize these values because of the need to keep up with current global and societal changes.

I ask that the NCPO, the government, state agencies and private agencies continually help to propagate these values. It will take time to cultivate strong and quality citizens. The Education Ministry has started towards this goal by arranging a 'week of fostering 12 core values' during September 22 and 26, 2014. In total, 928 non-formal education centers in all provinces hosted activities that allowed all members of the public to come together to foster the 12 values. The event helped to foster a strong Thailand, and promoted unity and patriotism for the country within the public. These values are essential for our generation and the ones to come.

Preparations are now being made for 'new generation values' camps to be held at the local level in 354 districts, and at the regional level in 13 sites throughout the country. I hope these 12 values will provide momentum for the reform of Thailand, and for building the nation's future. Parents may have to explain the meaning of each value to younger children to make sure they really understand them, and not only focus on memorizing it.

Let us turn to the matter of agriculture promotion. All sides involved must place importance on synergizing their work to conduct agricultural zoning. Crop types should be appropriate for the location. For example, basin areas such as Ayutthaya and Pathum Thani are suitable for growing quality rice. The Ministry of Industry has been told to conduct a review of areas that are suitable for the cultivation of rice and other valuable crops. No more factories should be set up in such areas; we can no longer forsake these fertile lands for the sole purpose of convenient transportation for industries. No additional plants will be approved for now, and previous approvals will also be reviewed. Again, I remind factories that are still discharging wastewater to make improvements, or they will be shut down.

All ministries and departments need to collaboratively work hand in hand. It used to be that cultivation was handled by one agency, while crop sales were handled by another. All agencies must now share in the responsibility. The Ministry of Agriculture must help provide knowledge to farmers, letting them know of the appropriate crop for a given situation and how to create better value. There are some rice species that are endangered. Each of Thailand's numerous rice strains give different results when used in various recipes, and so they need to be conserved – appropriate growing areas should also be provided for these strains. It is also essential to pursue crop rotation and organic varieties of crops. Meanwhile, energy crops would need separate growing areas. Once zoning is in place, crop prices will improve and the growers' satisfaction will come about. I believe this is the way to yield tangible improvements. Monetary assistance cannot be handed out indefinitely. We must be able to accommodate the produce generated – quantity, quality and marketing. For example, would it be possible to reduce the growing area for rubber and increase that for oil palms?

When I mention oil palm, some might think about low prices. Of course the price will be low if we only use it for consumption. Using it in biodiesel production will help to balance the demand. As far as I am informed, there is significant shortage of oil palm for biodiesel production.

We must seek to manage demand and supply, as well as the production process and marketing. For now, it should suffice to produce oil palm for domestic use only. The Ministry of Interior will, with the assistance of local agencies and residents, compile information related to agriculture for each locality. The Interior Ministry will also be aware of which crops are suitable for each locality and whether there is enough water supply. Therefore switching crops in accordance with the immediate price leads to oversupply, which then becomes an issue that requires state assistance. We must encourage sustainable cultivation practices. Each locality needs to help further this drive by assisting the agriculture and interior ministries create correct records and registrations. This is an urgent matter that requires collaboration from all agencies. The growth of Thailand's agriculture sector shall be made sustainable.

On matters that concern factors of production, which were considered by the NCPO – efforts are being maintained. Reduction of production costs will continue to be pursued; whatever promotes sustainability shall be carried out in tandem. The Agriculture Ministry has been ordered to look into setting up seed banks. We have had rice banks before, now I want us to have seed banks and fertilizer banks. When there is excess, we put it into the bank. When we need these commodities, we withdraw or borrow from the bank.

We also need to care for the children of farmers. If we do not produce future farmers now, it will become a problem in the future. The new generation of farmers must be knowledgeable about technology. I have already assigned the task of providing scholarships to farmers' children. We will reach out to all localities with this initiative. Then, in the future, we will have our next-generation farmers who are able to apply technologies and carry out good management practices; they will become the drivers of their own communities. I do not mean for the farmers' children to become just academics. I mean that they should be graduates of the agriculture disciplines, so they will be knowledgeable about the entire system. This would bring about sustainability. I ask each local body to pitch in and support this drive. The private sector can help; the wealthy can also help. Give out scholarships for agriculture or science disciplines in these localities. We will then be rewarded with doctorate holders who are farmers' children; they will have expertise in what they are acquainted with and they will stay in their community. This is in contrast to producing academics that would otherwise become underutilized.

Moreover, we must promote our agricultural products more vigorously. Rice is an important produce which earns large amounts of fame and income for the country and its people. We should conserve the culture of eating rice, not teach people to consume bread instead. Some people eat bread because they are afraid of becoming fat from eating rice. Rice does not make people fat if taken in appropriate portions and if adequate exercise is received. Athletes in many countries have already switched to rice as fuel for competitions, while Thais try to avoid rice.

We must be aware of the effort put in to produce rice for us to eat, and realize the value of rice. I would like to encourage Thais to eat rice, and encourage the whole world to eat rice. If this happens, there will never be an oversupply of rice no matter how much we produce. There is massive interest in Thai food and rice from abroad. We must increase promotional efforts in this affair, and build on the fact that Thai food is already well-known globally.

I would also like to promote ecotourism. Foreign tourists will have the opportunity to learn how to grow and harvest rice.   They can opt for homestay at farmers' homes on rice fields and fruit orchards, free to feast on their own pickings of produce. Or they could opt to stay at nearby hotels. This type of tourism will afford tourists an even better experience. By promoting ecotourism, we will also indirectly promote rice, rubber and whatever else. Foreigners are actually quite interested in the production methodology of produce. The tourism ministry, culture ministry and agriculture ministry are asked to come up with a model for implementing this drive, and to pilot the model in every locality. This initiative will help farmers by earning them incomes in the form of rent. If we do not promote other means of income and only wait for rice to be sold, things will stay the same.

The current assistance package for low-income farmers will only hold for the 2014/2015 production season; it is a temporary assistance scheme. The government will pursue sustainable development of the Thai agriculture system and no longer tackle the problem downstream – no more subsidies, pledging, or price guarantees. We will work for sustainability. We will seek out more markets, improve rice quality, and do whatever else that generates better value for produce.

The current assistance scheme – I want to reiterate that it is temporary assistance – will involve paying rice growers 1,000 baht per rai starting this October. Each household is eligible for assistance not exceeding 15 rai. If you are worried the money will not reach your hands – I have been hearing about this concern from the media – then please help to provide oversight and scrutiny. The Agriculture Ministry, the BAAC and the Interior Ministry have determined from studies that real paddy farmers have less than 15 rai of land. I want this money to reach real paddy farmers, not land lessees. Have some sympathy; let the farmers have the money. It is not easy for them to earn 5,000 or 10,000 baht. The wealthy will not feel it, but for the poor, even 100 or 1,000 baht will sustain them for several days. Some might say this amount is too little. Some question whether the amount can be increased. The government is already burdened with numerous expenditures at the moment.

The Ministry of Justice has already established a working committee for the purpose of preventing and suppressing corruption, staffed by representatives from 11 anti-graft agencies. The working committee is working with the NACC and the Auditor General's Office to scrutinize all transactions to ensure that the money reach the hands of rice growers. I would like to tell rice growers they can trust that the government is sincere about addressing their plights.

Let us all help care for our farmers by participating in the aforementioned drives. In order for the agriculture database to be realized, the information must be current and true. Do not provide false information. The farmers themselves must uphold their rights. The creditors and land owners must make some sacrifice. Please do not squeeze this money out of them. Do not force them into sharing the assistance money with the threat of not allowing them to continue renting the paddies for next season. I will consider such instances failure to cooperate with the government, which entails legal action. I ask every unit within the state sector to find methods to prevent this potential problem.

As for the growers of other produce – be it rubber or oil palm – please remain calm. The government cannot address the issues of all crops simultaneously. We have a limited budget. We cannot use 10 baht to spend on something that requires 100 baht. The limited budget has to be spent in a step-by-step manner. Short-term measures are implemented, but the aim is to progress toward the long-term measures.

For the issue of land possession, there exists the problem of unlawful holding of land. There is a need to re-organize this. Six agencies have been tasked as the primary units responsible for oversight of affairs concerning the overlapping of territory between land belonging to the Forestry Department, Treasury Department and other state agencies. From now on they will use the same map, and enlist the aid of aerial photographs. All agencies concerned with land – the Treasury Department, Cooperative Promotion Department, Social Development and Welfare Department, Agricultural Land Reform Office, Department of Lands, the Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Natural Resources, Ministry of Agriculture – will need to enforce the law while taking into account the principles of political science when taking care of people who would become displaced. All of these persons must be registered when relocated. We will find out where they are from, whether they have land to make a living on, and whether they have jobs. Then we will consider how to assist these people.

We also need to act in accordance with political science principles when re-organizing street vendors, hawkers, passenger vans and motorcycle taxis. The law cannot be violated; bans on the setting up of shops on footpaths will be upheld. Do we find other areas for these people to make a living from? Do we find other roads for them to sell at? In case we allow exceptions to be made on alternate days, the vendors must pack up and leave when the time expires, not leave their items there to obstruct the path. Also in cases of exceptions being granted, those who are exempt must not 'resell' their allocated space. The exceptions must be revoked if this practice is found, otherwise the person granted the exception will do nothing but resell for 1,000 baht per plot. The purpose is to help persons of low income who would otherwise have no means to make a living.

The law is the law, but state officials must also prepare to foster understanding with the parties that would be afflicted by enforcement of the law. We need to provide channels for these people to make their living. In the case of land, we may need to utilize the cooperative system and split up the benefit. People might come together to grow crops, and then share the output. Part of the output is reserved as funds for the next round of cultivation, the remaining goes to feeding members' families. It may have to be this way; if we give you some land, you will likely sell it again. We will again have go and seize back these lands. This cycle must end here.

Let us turn to the topic of investments in long-term infrastructure projects.

There is a need for us to have a strategic plan about how we are to steer the country's economy. The domestic economy, special economic areas, foreign trade, and ASEAN must all be taken into account when making such plan. How do we link the infrastructures in the country with those of the ASEAN region?

Today, we are pushing ahead with dual-track railways that provide essential linkages to border points. At the domestic front, there is a need to increase routes for cargo transportation and a future need to split up freight and passenger traffic. The latter requires more speed – specific types of rail tracks and train cars come to mind. All this must be planned; the specific year of implementation should be known.

This topic should become clearer before the end of the year; the deputy prime minister for economic affairs is already conducting numerous discussions on this matter. We will know precisely then, the details and locations of these infrastructure projects.

The high-speed trains will have to wait. We need to first secure the funds to invest in such expensive projects through expansion of our economy. At the same time, we are very limited in the amount of money we can allocate to these projects, because we must also take care of the poor. This is known as the 'trap' that low-to-medium income nations keep failing to overcome. We can only hope to do away with this trap by strengthening internal security, the economy, society, and harmony and doing away with conflicts. If there are still rampant conflicts, no government will be able to address the pressing demands of the public.

Onto the issue of pollution, housing and overcrowding. State agencies have been told to reach an understanding with the various factories and plants. The businesses – factories, mines, etc. – must consider the well-being of locals in the area when undertaking something. These businesses may need to provide insurance coverage or pitch in for the education of locals in order to satisfy them. Without locals' approval, the projects cannot be realized

Let’s say we are trying to erect power lines, but locals won’t let us, then how can electricity reach the area. If you are asking for assistance, we are there to give it. Please don’t turn down our offer, because what we’re trying to do is help you out.

As for the matter of the National Reform Council (NRC), I would like all sectors to understand that the NCPO had deliberately considered each potential candidate and had chosen 250 individuals out of 7,370 candidates to sit as NRC members. There were 4,585 candidates applying for members of 11 reform committees, and were later narrowed down to 173, while the other 77 NRC members were selected from each province. Those who were not named NRC members will be given opportunities to help in the reform process. However, I will have to consult with related agencies on how these outstanding individuals will fit into such a process.

I will set up approximately 5 stages to discuss how these individuals can play a part in the reform process. I treat all of the NRC candidates with respect.

Our country today needs participation and experience from all sectors. This is why I ask all members of the NRC to perform their duties to the best of their abilities. The most important thing for the country right now is for everyone to accept this process and work together to achieve national reform. The NRC has already come up with its working plan to achieve its goal which is to bring reform to all 11 areas as announced earlier. Although each process may differ, the target is always the same. If you want to make suggestions, we will consider them no matter what. I ask you to not criticize the NRC as it has yet to begin its duties. I promise that the government would heed all suggestions and ideas and we will include them in the meeting agenda. You can always send your suggestions to the Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC), the Office of the Permanent Secretary, the Election Commission, the Secretariat of the House of Representatives, and other state agencies.

The cabinet will try its best to ensure transparency and good governance while trying to eradicate all conflicts of interest. Civil servants and holders of political positions should never receive benefits in order to prevent corruptions.

Today, all cabinet ministers are ready to declare their financial assets. Every minister will come clean as they are open to inspection. I ask for you to be open minded and to not judge people based on your own perceptions. Some might question why a civil servant is so wealthy. It may be because he was born in a wealthy family, not because he became rich through acts of corruption. I think it would be unfair if we judge the book by its cover.

I am urging all relevant agencies to launch investigations into the procurement processes of various projects that are being implemented. Currently, there are 28 projects that are under investigation. There are some terms of references needed to be reviewed or renegotiated. However, that doesn’t mean that fraud has been committed along the process. Should there be any corruption, we will definitely bring the wrong doers to justice. And if there is no corruption, we will push ahead with these projects for the benefit of the nation. As for investigation, we will leave it to the working committee. We all need to respect the judicial process.

I ask you to not believe everything you hear on the news or social media. The government has never thought about shutting down the Provincial Administration Organization (PAO) or the Subdistrict Administrative Organization (SAO). Please don’t spread the rumors that sabotage or denounces the government’s reputation among the public. I can assure you that we are trying to bring reform to this area as well.

The main objective of my overseas trip to foreign nations is to improve and strengthen diplomatic relations with other countries, which will help Thailand gain trust and understanding from international community. The government is also keen to build confidence among foreign investors, encouraging them to invest more in Thailand, and in a way that will complement domestic production. I ask that ill-intended people stop defaming Thailand as it could affect the country’s reputation and tourism. We are attempting to move the country forward, not hold it back as some may have claimed. We are also trying to push forward with new and updated laws to facilitate work processes and end conflicts.

During my overseas visit, I will inform our friends that Thailand is moving in the right direction and that revision of outdated laws are being made as Thailand will focus on transparency and the efficiency of business transactions - all of which are for the benefit of the nation and its citizens.

This week, as part of ASEAN, I am scheduled to pay an official visit to our neighboring country, Myanmar, which will be my very first overseas trip. Not only will this trip strengthen diplomatic ties between both nations, there will also be a number of important discussions that will be beneficial to both nations and our peoples. The discussions will include Dawei special economic zone development, transportation and logistics development, cross-border area development, reorganizing of foreign workers, drug eradication, and visa exemption for regular passport holders. Further details and information will be explained to our fellow Thais on the next occasion.

Let us turn to the topic of Thai athletes. I would like to express my appreciation to all the Thai athletes who took part in international events, creating happiness and smiles to the Thai people. I give my thanks to female footballers who will compete at the Women's World Cup next year and also those youth Olympics athletes who won 3 gold, 2 silver and 3 bronze medals. Last but not least, I thank all the athletes competing at the 17th Asian Games in Incheon, South Korea. These heroes claimed 12 gold, 7 silver, and 28 bronzes medals. It is a true honor that I will, later this month, have an opportunity to host a thank-you dinner for our heroes. I also wish our athletes, who will take part in the 2014 Asian Para Games scheduled for October 18-24 in South Korea, all the best of luck. I ask our heroes to do their best and compete at a high level and that all the Thai people will support and cheer for them. I hope that we will win gold medals at this sporting event.

I want to reiterate that the government’s work is categorized into three groups. The first group involves urgent matters which the government and the NCPO will swiftly address.

Secondly, government will do its best to administer the country and seek solutions to existing problems. I ask all ministries to tackle all the problems in their respective fields. However, certain issues may need some time before they can be rectified. Therefore, it is necessary for all related personnel to carefully draw up plans and solutions to tackle such issues.

Thirdly, it is necessary that the government build a safe atmosphere and environment as well as create better understanding among our fellow tourists, so that they are more confident in the kingdom. If we want to reform this nation, we must do it in a peaceful manner.

As for work management, this segment includes urgent issues that need immediate attention, urgent work that needs to be completed in a short period of time, and long-term strategic plan for national development. However, each process will need to go step by step as we cannot rush things and risk losing everything. What the government is trying to do is build a strong economic foundation conducive to growth and prosperity.

I ask fellow members of the public not to listen to ill-intended people who are trying to stir conflict in society. Everyone needs to be conscious and rational so that all of us don’t fall victim to this group of people. We need to put the nation’s interest before our own. I am urging everyone to not bring any members of the Royal Family into any conversation that could defame the highest institution. Please don’t use the Royal Family as a tool to seek victory over rivals. At present, there are still some groups of people attempting to spread out distorted information and create misunderstanding in the society. I however don’t fear this group, but I fear that innocent people will be the victims of a crime they never committed.

Let’s move on to the next topic which is drug problem. Today, we might be satisfied with the efforts we have put in to cracking down on drug smuggling. To me, this is not a way to solve such a problem. I want us to be able to reduce the demand for illicit drugs and eventually drugs will be entirely removed from Thai communities. I say to those who are victims of drug abuse - I want to help these people out. The rich as well as well-educated persons can be addicted to drugs. Not only can drug taking be harmful, it can also bring diseases. Therefore, I ask all responsible personnel to figure out a way to reduce demand for drugs. Most of the perpetrators nowadays are put in jail for drug smuggling and drug possession. These prisoners need to be given a chance to redeem themselves, so that they will not go back to getting involved with drugs again.

Let’s move onto the energy sector, I ask that the Ministry of Energy and other related agencies draw up a long term energy plan that helps bring power to every corner of Thailand. I don’t want to see all power plants situated in one particular area and then distribute power to other areas. I want to see a more effective power plan and strategy. We need more security in the energy sector. If we had power plants in every region, we would not have to purchase fuel and gas from neighboring countries. How can we build a small-scale electricity generating plant or how can we build a plant that does not cause harmful effect to the environment. This is what I would like the Energy Ministry to think of. Those who hold a contract to build power plants and unable to deliver, please cancel them and award the contracts to somebody who can. I do not want to see any corruption or bribery taking place in the contract-awarding process. The plan must be concrete and yield results within a year. I want to see an integrated and sustainable power system in rural areas. Otherwise, we will have to invest a lot more money in construction of power lines. The ministry should also study the use of charcoal; conduct some research on whether or not it would be suitable for the country to produce electricity from coal. So I urge local people not to oppose this power plan for their own benefit. The plan would certainly bring growth and better quality of life to the people in the areas.

So I ask where you would get the electricity from if you don’t let us build a power plant in your community. The government, private organizations, and members of the public need to support one another and work together to reform and bring growth to this very nation. This is called sustainability.

I’m also concerned about those street vendors as authorities are now working hard to reorganize public areas. Authorities need to help out these vendors and find them a place where they can carry on their businesses.

Another positive story is that a group of researchers from Mahidol University have found that a strain of Thai rice is good for those suffering from diabetes. Some particular rice species can even keep our skin young and healthy. We need to help preserve this species and find potential markets for this product. I call on the Agriculture Ministry and the Commerce Ministry to look into this matter. Thailand has a lot of different species of rice and each species is unique.

I want Thailand to be called and promoted as a place of health. Thailand has different kinds of herbs and plants that are good for our health and well being. If we truly support our agricultural products, we will be able to sell more in the world market. I want Thailand to emphasize more on quality than quantity, because quality creates added-value to the product, whereas quantity can only decline over a certain period of time.

As for rubber, Thailand needs to balance out the demand and supply for this produce. Though the task might be difficult, it is not impossible to achieve. Rubber is used in many industries and is used to produce car tires and mattresses as well as to build a sports stadium. The government needs to find concrete measures to enhance rubber industry and assist the farmers.

As for cassava, sugarcane, and palm, these crops can be turned into fuel like ethanol, diesel, B5 bio-diesel, and B20 bio-diesel. 200,000 rai of palm trees are still needed to supply the nation’s demand for fuel. Moreover, growing palm trees would help solve the problem of oversupply of rice and rubber in the market. We cannot expect to sell all the crops that are grown; we need them for domestic consumption as well. If what is said proved to be a success, Thailand would see sustainable development in every sector. In addition to this issue, more gas stations are needed throughout the kingdom in order to facilitate commuters.

As for flood and water management, it is an ongoing issue that the government is faced with. I have personally ordered   the ministries of Interior, Environment, and Agriculture to put all efforts into preventing floods, and at the same time ease the effects of the annual drought by drilling underground water and launching rain-making operations in dry areas. We need to reserve water as much as we can now and better manage the water system. I believe local administrative offices have the ability to solve such problem. Therefore, there is no need to hire private companies to do what we are already capable of doing. I rather have our government spend money on equipment and hiring state workers than paying outsiders to do the job.

Next year’s drought situation could be severe as this year’s rainy season ended sooner than expected. The amount of water in the reservoirs is low as only 20% of the total amount can be used, while the other 30% kept in the reservoirs is needed to ease effects from salt water.

I urge farmers living along Chao Phraya River to grow crops that require small amount of water. I believe the water we have is not enough for off-season farming. As I mentioned earlier that the farmers would be hired to do work, I did not mean that the government would want to see elderly hired as laborers, but instead, younger members of the family could get a job offered by the government, so that they can feed their family.

Agriculturists need to be educated so that they are able to help themselves as the government cannot provide handouts to every individual.

I have to thank all the people spending time with me today. Don’t think that this is a waste of time. I only want everyone to understand our intentions. I promise that the government and the NCPO will be committed to steering this country in a prosperous direction and that we will be united and work closely with one another.

Lastly, I beseech all sides to put aside their differences, so that HM the King is less worried about his beloved people. We are all Thais and we need to have compassion for each other. I do not need compliment or praise. I am proud that I am able to serve this country and its people. I hope that all conflicts will never rise again in the future. I don’t want to see this country at war and call on all sectors to participate in this reform process.

It is an honor to see a high number of candidates applying for the NRC seats. As for those who were not selected, we will find a way that you can be a part of national reform. That’s all the time I have for you today. Thank you again.