The cabinet meeting on Tuesday 21, September 2010 has come to the following decision :
The Cabinet approved the suggestions of the Office of the National Economic and Social Development Board as follows:
1. Approved Regulations of the Prime Minister’s Office regarding creative economy budget A.D. ... as suggested by the Office of the National Economic and Social Development Board. The inspection committee is to draft the law and auxiliary regulation in order to present to the Cabinet for consideration. After the opinion of the Bureau of the Budget is taken into consideration the issue can then be further processed.
2. Approved the creative economy capital management committee to accelerate the operation of conducting capital spending regulations after the creative economy capital is approved by the House of Representatives. The issue is to be processed by the opinion of the Bureau of the Budget. Regulations about spending and capital preservation was created by the creative economy capital management committee so that the Ministry of Finance can consider the issue after the declaration of the Annual Budget Act 2011
The Cabinet acknowledged and approved the 2 suggestions of the Ministry of Finance as follows:
1. Acknowledged the initial excess money of 84 agencies with the total amount of 2,331.66 million baht.
2. Approved agencies to inspect the excess money from the scheme and report about the excess money by 30 September 2010.
2.1 The total of 84 agencies who already reported about the money excess can check the information of each project from www.gfmis.go.th or http//:gfmisreport.mygfmis.com or http//:mygfmis. The confirmation of the excess money information is divided into each of the project which the money must also be divided in order to compensate construction work according to adjustable price contract (k) (if any).
2.2 Agencies that have not already reported about the excess money from the contract must report about the excess money of the project that already initiated contract signing, which the money received from the contract is less than the money allocated by the Bureau of the Budget. The information is to be separated according to each of the project and the money must be divided in order to compensate construction work according to adjustable price contract (k) (if any).
2.3 The excess money in other cases must be reported as well including agencies whose project has been complete as well as agencies whose funds have already been allocated but the project’s operation discontinued, asked to be ended or was terminated.
The Cabinet approved the suggestions of the Office of the National Economic and Social Development Board by assigning the committee to inspect and evaluate the public sector’s detail consideration with OPDC and related agencies in order to create a value assessment indicator of state’s mission execution and guarantee of individual public agencies. The unnecessary indicator is to be canceled and the process must be complete within 60 days. The Bureau of the Budget will be informed of the result in order to carry out the issue to agencies for execution and consideration of the annual budget allocation of 2012 by using the indicator. In addition, the opinions of related agencies are to be taken into account in the process as well.
The Cabinet approved the 3 suggestions of the Ministry of Finance as follows:
1. Approved ways to support higher education and make Thailand a nice place to live and assigned the Ministry of Education and higher education institutions to adopt the idea.
2. Assigned the Bureau of the Budget to allocate budget to support activities according to the ways supporting higher education and making Thailand a nice place to live as it sees fit.
3. Assigned the ministries, government departments, divisions, and related independent organizations to acknowledge, cooperate, and support the management of higher education institutions.
Summary
The Ministry of Education (MOE) reported that the Office of the Higher Education Commission (MUA) has analyzed the result of the brainstorming meeting regarding making Thailand a nice place to live on 2 August 2010. The Office of the National Economic and Social Development Board together with committee supporting national strength, Thai Health Promotion Foundation, MUA , executives from public universities, universities supervised by the state, Rajabhat University, Rajamangala University of Technology, and private universities shared ideas and proposals regarding solutions for the national crisis. MUA supported the implementation of national reconciliation plan as approved by the Cabinet on 13 July 2010 and the second document of 15-year of higher education framework. The Cabinet already approved the principle on 15 January 2008 and conducted ways to support higher education and make Thailand a nicer place to live.
The Cabinet approved the temporary employment of Mr. Adisak Panupong, Ambassador to Ottawa, as a special case after reaching the retirement age in order to supervise the attendance of Her Royal Highness Princess Bajrakitiyabha on the occasion of 20th Creating Choices meeting of Canadian Government on 28 September to 30 September 2010. The Princess will also visit Quebec and Alberta on 25 September to 5 October 2010 before leaving for New York to join the 65th United Nations General Assembly on 5 October to 9 October 2010, total of one month between 1 October to 31 October 2010. The wage will be equal to the extra compensation of officials who are positioned in foreign countries. Other privileges will also be given in accordance with the ambassador’s title. The cost of relocation and transportation to Thailand is in line with the privilege like those who have completed international postings, as suggested by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The Cabinet acknowledged the 17th ministerial and senior officials’ meeting and the 7th government advisors and provincial governors’ meeting regarding Indonesia-Malaysia-Thailand Growth Triangle: IMT-GT and assigned related officials to process the issue according to the meeting. The Office of the National Economic and Social Development Board (NESDB) will further coordinate with related officials as suggested by the Minister to the Prime Minister's Office Satit Wongnongteay.
The result of the 17th Ministerial Meeting is as follows:
1. Attending as the chairman of the meeting and the chief of Thai representatives was the Minister to the Prime Minister's Office (Mr. Satit Wongnongteay) and the chief of Indonesian representatives was Dr. Raldi Koestoer (on behalf of IMT-GT Indonesian minister). Attendees in the status of IMT-GT partnership development included representatives of the ASEAN Secretariat (ASEC) and Asia Development Bank (ADB).
2. Approved the result of the 17th ministerial and senior officials’ meeting which the follow up of important operations are as follows:
2.1 The midterm revision of road map of 2007-2012 which the strategy modification about cooperation among individual branches was purposed, selected, and prioritized for the initiation of 6 branches of cooperation (basic structure, investment, tourism, Halal products and services, human resources development, agro-industry, agriculture, and environment) during 2010-2011 totaling 12 flagship programmes. In addition, basic structural project is to accelerate the economic connection of IMT-GT totaling 10 projects. There are 2 projects relating to Thailand including the development of Thai habour in the Andaman Sea project and Sadao-Hat Yai special route development project. In addition, the improvement of process and organization within the framework of IMT-GT, which the issue was drafted by ADB and IMT-GT Eminent Persons, will also be included.
2.2 The preparation with ADB in order to create a blueprint during 2012-2016.
2.3 The preparation to consider implementing improvement details regarding procedure and organization within the framework of IMT-GT during IMT-GT Post Summit Meeting
2.4 The follow up of procedural progress according to IMT-GT Action Plan Matrix
2.5 The 2nd meeting of IMT-GT senior officials’ and Japan as an alliance development. It was agreed to draft the economic cooperation and the list of projects that have the potential to create cooperation.
2.6 The IMT-GT senior officials’ meeting and the 1st Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia : ERIA which the latter supported the organization of seminars concerning the use of biodiesel as an alternative energy on 1-2 September 2010 at Prince of Songkla University, Hatyai Campus.
The Cabinet approved the declaration on the ASEAN-United States Strategic Partnership as suggested by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. If it is necessary to modify the declaration while the important information and the benefits of Thailand is not contradicted then the Ministry of Foreign Affairs can proceed without presenting to the Cabinet for consideration.
Summary
The declaration on the ASEAN-United States Strategic Partnership will be an important document of the 2nd ASEAN-US Summit. It is to regulate the cooperation and commitment between ASEAN and the United States in terms of strategic alliance in order to create a wide range of cooperation by focusing on the center of ASEAN.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs has considered that the document is an expression of political intent to enhance the relationship and cooperation between ASEAN and the United States. The document was not obligated to Article 190 of the 2007 Constitution of Thailand.
--Cabinet Meeting (Abhisit Vejjajiva) September 21, 2010--