A red-shirt leader in this northeastern province yesterday welcomed and joined the government's proposal to make Loei a pilot project for building reconciliation among the people.
Assachan Buahongsaeng, a spokesman for Loei's red-shirt movement, said the government was on the right track in developing the provinces as part of attempts to reconcile people with different political stands.
Assachan had a lunch meeting with Deputy Commerce Minister Alongkorn Ponlaboot at the Ban Nakraseng border pass in Thali district.
Alongkorn was visiting Loei for a third day yesterday. He arrived at the border pass at 10am and was briefed on economic development along the Thai-Lao border in Loei.
Alongkorn said the government planned to make Loei a pilot project for development with input from the red shirts and Loei MPs from all parties, so that people with political differences could live in harmony. The project was called the "Loei Model of National Reconciliation".
Speaking to reporters after lunch with local red-shirt leaders, Alongkorn said he had consulted the red shirts and MPs from other parties on how to make Loei a pilot project for national reconciliation.
Alongkorn said his party, the Democrats, had no MPs in Loei, but the government was ready to carry out the development project in an effort to create unity.
The deputy minister said he had informed Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva that Loei was ready to begin the "Loei mode" plan right away.
But as the government's term was running out, it would have to rush to carry out the project.
He said the government would turn Loei into one of 10 constructive provinces and make it a gateway to Laos and the world.
The deputy commerce minister said Loei would become a special economic zone. He forecast the number of tourists visiting the province - 920,000 a year - would double to 2 million within three years.
Assachan said he was reprimanded by the leader of the Loei red-shirt movement for joining the government's plan, but he decided to meet Alongkorn in hope of bringing about unity in the province.
He said the government would keep its promise to develop Loei as part of the reconciliation plan.
When the local people had better living conditions, reconciliation would definitely come about, he said.