Yingluck delivers first policy statement

A two-day government policy debate by a joint sitting of Parliament started Tuesday and is considered the first test of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra's knowledge and leadership.

The session began at 9am with Prime Minister Yingluck delivering her government's policy statement, the first step to legalising her government's administrative power.

The government's policy statement comprises 35 pages, stressing major topics including His Majesty the King's philosophy of a sufficiency economy, building a sustainable balanced economy and society and fostering national reconciliation.

The Pheu Thai Party's pledge during their political campaign to raise the national minimum wage to Bt300 per day and to ensure college graduates have a minimum starting salary of Bt15,000 per month were also included in the policy statement as ready to implement within its first year in office as the government.

After Yingluck, Democrat leader, ex-PM Abhisit Vejjajiva took the stand. He criticised the government's policy concerning drug suppression, saying the problems could not be wiped out within one year as Yingluck mentioned in her policy.

Abhisit also warned that Yingluck government should not do anything considered as a double standard. He was apparently referring to Yingluck's brother, Thaksin Shinawatra, who is behind the victory of Pheu Thai in the July election and the appointment of Yingluck to the premiership.

The Yingluck government has been criticised for pushing hard for Thaksin, a convicted fugitive, to return home.

Pheu Thai spokesman Prompong Nopparit said Monday that the party had readied 50 MPs to defend its policy statement and was confident the premier and ministers could clarify the government policy.

He believed the opposition would debate according to standard parliamentary procedure as the Democrat Party has been in opposition in the past and knew how to maintain the good tradition of debate and high standard of the party.

Meanwhile, Democrat Party spokesman Chavanond Intarakomalyasut said 36 MPs would be responsible for debating and scrutinising the government's policy.

He said the Democrat debate would divided into three groups - economic, social, and political and security policies. Sixteen MPs led by former finance minister Korn Chatikavanij will dedicate 200 minutes to economic policy; 10 MPs led by former education minister Chinnaworn Boonyakiat will take 80 minutes on social policy and 10 MPs led by former prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and former deputy premier Suthep Thaugsuban will use 120 minutes to debate political and security-related policy.

Former PM's office minister Ongart Klampaiboon challenged Yingluck to clarify her party's position and answer the questions on government policies herself to prove her leadership.

Ongart added that the premier had said her party has working groups on policy and that she had selected her cabinet by herself, so she should answer the questions herself to show that she was really involved in policy drafting.

He also urged Yingluck not to avoid responding to questions from the media as it was considered undignified.