The hard work begins

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva yesterday asked people from all walks of life to join his plan for national reconciliation and reform, aiming to come up with a blueprint as a New Year gift to fellow citizens to carry it forward even though his government's term will end before the implementation.

Abhisit launched his programme to reform the country yesterday with a brief message in a pool televised programme, seeking cooperation from fellow citizens throughout the nation.

"I am confident that people who love the country don't want to see any more violence or losses since it would damage us beyond restoration, notably the mental pain. We have to move the country forward. Hate, anger and grievance cannot create a future for our country and for our children," Abhisit said in his message.

The message seemed too short to win over the sentiments and feelings of his audience. The prime minister later appeared on television together with many government officials standing in the background. He said the people who stood with him were from various walks of life, to help him draw up a blueprint for national reconciliation and reform.

They represent the government, bureaucracy, business sector, local administration, non-governmental organisations, academics and media.

They were expected to help brainstorm and bring opinion from the people for the reform plan.

The five-point national reconciliation plan announced earlier during the red-shirt protest has made some progress, Abhisit said, but did not clarify about such progress.

Many sectors have launched many activities, which will reconcile the differences in the society and lead to the reform that will build a new house of hope for all, the PM said.

The media was willing to use their resources to drive the reform programme while academics would bring in the younger generation to help create the future of the country, he said.

Abhisit spent only 10 minutes all together to announce the reform project without any concrete plan and leaving many questions unanswered.

Prime Minister's Office Minister Satit Wongnongtaey said earlier that the government would set up a working group to drive the plan. The group would work as the secretariat for the project with its office at the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre.

Prime Minister Abhisit would preside over the first public hearing to collect information, views and opinion from people during a meeting of the National Municipal League of Thailand on Sunday in Sonkhla, he said.

Prior to the televised announcement of the plan, Abhisit held a meeting with 40 representatives from many sections of society and some of his Cabinet members.

The prime minister said that although the opposition and red-shirted group did not welcome his initiative, he needed to continue his five-point road map for national reconciliation.

The plan aimed to uphold the monarchy institution, tackle social inequality, reform media, develop a political structure and inquire into the bloody incidents, he said.

The government will set the plan in motion by gathering public opinion.

The National Statistical Office will be commissioned to conduct an opinion poll along with the

national census in the next few months.

Based on the opinion poll and public hearings, the government would later draw up a blueprint for reform with details of all tasks, time frame and budget, Abhisit told the meeting.

Abhisit mentioned the National Economic and Social Development Board, National Health Commission and Thai Health Promotion Foundation as major agencies to drive the reform plan.

The government has already appointed Kanit na Nakorn, a former attorney-general, as the head of a committee to probe the military crackdown. President of the National Institute of Development Administration, Sombat Thamrongthanyawong, has been appointed as head of a committee on Constitution amendment. Dean of Chulalongkorn's Communi-cation Arts Faculty, Yubol Benjarongkij, will be responsible for media reform, Abhisit said.

The prime minister did not

outline any clear plan or name any

person responsible for the task of bridging social inequality but

said he would unveil the plan by June 17.

Dusit Nonthanakorn, chairman of the Thai Chamber of Commerce, said during the meeting that the reform needed to tackle four major problems: social divide, inequality, corruption, and tourism development, he said.

The chamber of commerce would call a meeting of all members throughout the country to map out an action plan by late this month, he said.