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Published on November 19, 2007

Speaking to more than 200 business people and high-level government officials on the second day of the annual meeting of the Thai Chamber of Commerce (TCC), Surayud said populist policies would not necessarily cause terrible harm to the country as some fear. However, the politicians who employ such policies must be efficient administrators with high morals.

"The new government must know how to administrate [well] rather than spend large sums of money on people in order to gain popularity," he said.

Surayud said his government also used populist policies such as village funds and completely free healthcare compared to the charge of Bt30 per visit levied by the previous government, but advised the new government to consider maximum benefit to people rather than concern about their opinion.

He also raised concerns about the next government closely monitoring the price of oil, the baht's value and rapid changes in the global economy.

Surayud said he was not much concerned about the skyrocketing oil price, but called on the new government to seek long-term measures to solve the problem as the price would surge to about $80 (Bt2,200) per barrel.

He asked the next government to further employ the sufficiency economy philosophy in its administration as it was the best way to promote sustainable growth.

He said the next government would operate under the new constitution and would have the right to amend it if there were any problems.

Surayud promised to consider all of the TCC's proposals to stimulate economic growth and would pass them on to the National Economic and Social Development Board for forwarding to the new government.

In order to promote sustainable development, Surayud said it was crucial to reform the education system.

He suggested that students who normally spend four years at a campus, should in fact spend only three years and then spend one year as interns.

That would help them to acquire both theoretical and practical knowledge. He said this would assist in the response to the demand for higher skilled labour.

Commerce Minister Krirk-krai Jirapaet called on the new government not to disrupt the agricultural system by re-instituting the high set price of pledged products.

He said it should cancel the price guarantee programme which the current government had tried to do as an answer to sustainable development.

Surayud called on business people and all Thais to help solve the conflict in the deep South by promoting education and employment opportunities there.

"It is not only a security problem but also a social problem that needs both the government and the private sector to cooperate in dealing with it," Surayud said.

The best solution was to encourage people to gain more education as it was the key to increasing understanding of people's differences, including background, morals and religion. He called on private companies to give equal employment opportunities to people from the deep South.

"I strongly believe that if everybody paid attention to the development of education, the problem would be resolved and misunderstanding would be eliminated, he said.

Petchanet Pratruangkrai

 The Nation

Phetchaburi