Book to explain why coup was 'necessary'
PRADIT RUANGDIT & ACHARA ASHAYAGACHAT
The government will soon publish a ''white book'' to explain to the world why the Sept 19 military coup was necessary. Prime Minister's Office Minister Thirapat Serirangsan said Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont is to announce when the book will be published.
''The broad principles of the book will explain the reasons for the coup. I am not sure whether the planned publication of the book is prompted by His Majesty the King's advice or not,'' said Mr Thirapat.
The King, while addressing the 26 new ministers sworn in on Monday, called on the cabinet to give priority to correcting the international community's perception of Thailand following the Sept 19 coup.
Government spokesman Yongyuth Maiyalarp said the Council for National Security will publish the book.
Gen Surayud is scheduled to make his first foreign visit to Cambodia on Sunday. That will be followed over the next two months by the China and Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit in Nanning, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit and the Asean summit in the Philippines.
Meanwhile, a key task for new Foreign Minister Nitya Pibulsonggram and his deputy, Sawanit Kongsiri, will be to shore up international confidence in Thailand's commitment to democratic values and its economic stability.
Mr Nitya has not clearly said which initiatives of the previous government he will give priority, said Foreign Ministry officials.
The minister also needs to restore the credibility of both Thailand and Asean, tainted by the ill-conceived campaign to have former deputy prime minister Surakiart Sathirathai replace Kofi Annan as UN secretary general, they said.
Mr Nitya, who served under then foreign minister Surakiart from 2000-2001 as permanent secretary before retiring, said the government would steer foreign policy without concern for political parties or special interests.
''I will uphold the national interest, not the interests of parties or any particular group, in implementing foreign policy,'' Mr Nitya said.
http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/11Oct2006_news07.php
Surayud: Martial law to stay for now
Gen Sonthi denies law helps in assets probes
PRADIT RUANGDIT & ACHARA ASHAYAGACHAT
The interim government will consider lifting martial law when the time is right, but not now, according to Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont. Gen Surayud, emerging from the first cabinet meeting since the government was formed on Sunday, said cabinet ministers discussed the validity of the martial law currently in effect.
''I'd like to say that we recognise people's rights and freedom and never ignore them.
[We] need to wait a while longer for the situation to calm. We will consider lifting martial law as soon as possible,'' the prime minister told reporters at Government House.
The cabinet decided to discuss the possibility of ending martial law with the Council for National Security (CNS), he said.
CNS chairman Sonthi Boonyaratkalin said officials had to analyse the chances of any political undercurrents. He said it was better to be safe than sorry.
Martial law will be lifted when authorities are confident of security.
http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/11Oct2006_news05.php
Rights advocates seek end to death penalty
BHANRAVEE TANSUBHAPOL
The Justice Ministry believes more than half of all Thais back the death penalty, while human rights advocates are demanding that it be abolished. Amnesty International members yesterday rallied in front of Bang Kwang prison in Nonthaburi province and submitted a letter to the Corrections Department chief, calling on the agency to end capital punishment.
However, Thongthong Chandarangsu, justice deputy permanent secretary, said the public should have the final say on whether there should be an end to the death penalty.
''I believe more than half of the Thai population want to maintain this kind of punishment. Many people disagree with repealing the death penalty. We have to listen to the public consensus,'' said Mr Thongthong, also the ministry's spokesman.
He said each country had different contexts and attitudes on protecting human rights, and therefore, the types of penalty suitable for them were varied.
For example, caning was still practised in a modern country like Singapore. Foreign people might not agree with such a punishment, but Singaporeans prefer to maintain the practice.
http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/11Oct2006_news10.php
Wijit vows to get education reform rolling
SIRIKUL BUNNAG
Education Minister Wijit Srisa-arn has pledged to get the hamstrung education reform moving while deciding which policies of the past government to keep or review as the ministry drafts its one-year work plan. Warranting serious consideration are the controversial plan to put state-run schools under the care of grassroots administrative agencies, and the 12-year free education policy.
Mr Wijit said policy priorities will be tabled before the prime minister today.
He maintained that the transfer of state-run schools to the care of provincial, municipal or tambon administration organisations would not be scrapped but fine-tuned instead.
While the issue is controversial, the ministry will consult with the Interior Ministry's power decentralisation committee on how to shift state-run schools to the local bodies with the least fuss and trouble, he said.
Mr Wijit vowed to rethink the policy to provide 12 years of free education amid critics' fears the rush into free schooling could strain the country's resources.
The minister said free education appeared to work better on paper than in practice. It must be reviewed to see if the government can afford the policy viewed at times as going ''too far, too fast''.
Many parents have complained about the implementation of the free education scheme, saying only tuition is subsidised while other expenses for textbooks, school uniforms and extra-curricular activities, have to be paid for.
http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/11Oct2006_news06.php
Paiboon to review Ua Arthorn housing scheme
ANJIRA ASSAVANONDA & PENCHAN CHAROENSUTHIPAN
Housing for the poor will be high on the agenda of the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security which is set to look into the Ua Arthorn low-cost housing scheme initiated during the Thaksin Shinawatra administration, said Minister Paiboon Wattanasiritham on his first day at work yesterday. ''Baan Ua Aarthorn was initiated with good intentions, but we may have to consider whether the method of achieving the goal is the best one. We need to talk more on this,'' he said.
The ministers at the Labour and Culture ministries, meanwhile, pledged to pursue a code of morality, ethics and integrity, which has been given overriding priority by the new government.
Mr Paiboon was welcomed at the ministry yesterday by ministry officials and civic groups which have been working with him closely.
Representatives of the National Federation for Urban Poor Community Organisations Development gave him a bunch of flowers, telling him they were glad about his appointment and hoped he would help solve their problems.
As former president of the Community Organisations Development Institute (Codi) which oversees the state-run Baan Man Kong project, Mr Paiboon said he would ensure the progress of Baan Man Kong, the completion of the community development plan, and welfare promotion for civic sector.
However, he said more discussion is needed on the National Housing Authority's Baan Ua Arthorn project.
http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/11Oct2006_news08.php
Experts fear Thira might move too fast
PIYAPORN WONGRUANG
Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Thira Sutabutra hopes to see the development of value-added farm produce to help farmers before he completes his one-year term. ''Increasing the value of farm produce is not all about food preservation. It's about how to pick up the best produce and turn it into the best products, which in turn would create more value and income for farmers,'' said the former rector of Kasetsart University.
However, the newly appointed minister did not clarify how value-added farm produce would help correct farm problems from the past. Nor did he say how he would integrate sufficiency-economy principles into the ministry's work.Academics and ministry officials have welcomed Mr Thira's appointment to head the ministry but said his strong background in agricultural technology might be a problem.
Senior academics who had worked with him at the university said Mr Thira was known to be a master of compromise, and that would help him settle any conflicts that may arise as he carries out his administrative work.
However, his specialisation in agricultural technology and value-added production could prompt him to push too hard for adoption of modern farm technologies, including the genetic modification of farm crops, said one academic.
Biologist Rapee Sakrik, a former rector of Kasetsart University, described Mr Thira as ''somewhat technologically progressive''.
The ministry needed someone down to earth, so the new minister should try his best to meet that need, he said.
Officials praised Deputy Agriculture Minister Rungruang Isarangkul Na Ayutthaya, saying he had much experience in developing agricultural strategies as he had served as the ministry's deputy permanent secretary for years.
Mr Rungruang specialised in developing water-related infrastructure and would be valuable in efforts to solve water-related problems, they said.
http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/11Oct2006_news09.php
