Abhisit accuses Samak of failing to solve national problems

Abhisit said the government lacked effectiveness and visions in tackling the country's problems in the past four months.

Abhisit, as the first speaker, cited problems relating to energy, food, poverty, economic and inflation.

The Democrat leader also blamed the government for letting the problems of the restive South persist and become worsen.

Not only failed to create unity, Samak himself also lacked maturity and that his statement caused a bigger rift in the country, Abhisit said.

He accused the government of lacking good governance for the south and not doing enough to give hope to the local resident. He dismissed suggestion that situation has been improving.

The declining number of daily attacks but the intensity of the attacks, as well as unprecedented attacks in certain areas, has to be taken into consideration.

Furthermore, Samak lacked historical knowledge, distorted the facts about the Preah Vihear Temple that amounted to compromising of Thai sovereignty, Abhisit said.

As the first speaker giving an overview why Thai people should not trust Samak Government to administrate the country any longer, Abhisit said Samak government should have managed to help oil consumers better. Its measures such as Green Oil and Purple Oil always came too little and too late.

Abhisit said the government should use the state enterprise for the benefits of the country's people, instead of allowing companies like PTT Plc to continue with its profit-driven mode.

While people are suffering the rising oil prices, PTT Plc's profit of Bt1,000 billion per year came from monopoly as it should not have, he said.

He said the government administered over the country as a day-by-day basis with little regards to the well being of the consumers and their energy needs.

 Without clarity in policies, Finance Ministry also blocked the development of policies proposed by Energy Ministry whether to promote E85, NGV, LPG and other kinds of petrol in preparation to handle energy crisis in the future, he said. 

He said lack of clarity on policy has made it difficult for private sectors, including auto makers, to come up with their own policy and planning for energy conservation.