The cabinet meeting on Tuesday 1, February 2011 has come to the following decision:
The Cabinet has agreed in principle to the two following recommendations made by the Office of the National Economic and Social Development Board (ONESDB) as follows:
1. Approved in principle the draft Regulation of the Office of the Prime Minister on the Promotion and Development of Sustainable Agriculture B.E. … as proposed by the NESDB and forwarded the draft regulation to the Bill and Subordinate Legislation Scrutiny Committee for further action
2. Approved in principle the budget allocation of Baht 180 million for the period B.E. 2555-2556 (2012-2013) to cover expenses for related activities. As for fiscal year B.E. 2554 (2011), the NESDB will make arrangements with the Budget Bureau to allow the office to use its regular budget for expenses incurred in fiscal year B.E. 2554 (2011).
Key points of draft regulation:
1. The term ‘sustainable agriculture system’ is defined as “an agricultural system that encompasses the way of life of the farmer, production processes and all ecology and environment management systems that contribute to self-reliance and the improvement of the quality of life of farmers and consumers both socially and economically in an equitable manner. (Draft Provision No. 3)
2. Establishing a Committee on Promotion and Development of Sustainable Agricultural Systems with the Secretary-General of the ONESDB as its chairman and the Cabinet Secretary-General as a committee member. (Draft Provision No. 4)
3. The power and duties of the Committee on Promotion and Development of Sustainable Agriculture Systems are as follows: the committee shall recommend relevant policies and strategies to the Cabinet and shall be in charge of the preparation of the draft legislation on the promotion and development of sustainable agriculture systems. It shall also support research and educational activities and develop the processes of sustainable agriculture systems with a focus on importance of community participation. (Draft Provision No. 8)
4. Meetings of the Committee on Promotion and Development of Sustainable Agricultural Systems shall be conducted in accordance (with possible adaptation) to the legal regulations for public administration (Draft Provision No. 9)
5. The Agriculture, Natural Resource and Environment Planning Office (ANEO) under the ONESDB shall act as the secretary to the Committee on Promotion and Development of Sustainable Agricultural Systems. The ANEO shall also undertake the study and analysis of the policies and strategies aimed at developing sustainable agricultural systems. (Draft Provision No. 10)
6. Expenses for meeting fees, remunerations and benefits for members of the Committee on Promotion and Development of Sustainable Agricultural Systems as well as for activities related to the performance of duties of the Committee and ONESDB shall be incurred out of ONESDB’s expenditure budget (Draft Provision No. 13)
7. The NESDB shall allocate funds to carry out activities pertaining to the development of sustainable agriculture systems. (Draft Provision No. 14)
8. The Committee on Promotion and Development of Sustainable Agricultural Systems shall be dissolved following the enactment of the Act on Promotion and Development of Sustainable Agricultural Systems. (Draft Provision No. 15)
The Cabinet has assented to the proposed measure aimed at accelerating the implementation of the additional investment projects approved under the Thai Khem Kaeng scheme B.E. 2555 (2012). The proposed measures will enable previously approved projects affected or delayed by the recent floods to continue their implementation and receive their allocated financial support until their completion. The special measure is only applicable to one-year projects whose contracts were signed before 22 May 2010.
Key points of special measure:
The Chairman of the State Budget Disbursement Monitoring Committee Deputy Prime Minister Trairong Suwankhiri reported that:
1. Due to the recent severe floods that had affected various regions in Thailand, numerous Thai Khem Kaeng projects approved by the Cabinet on 8 June 2010 were unexpectedly delayed. Affected projects included those that commenced implementation in B.E. 2553 (2010) but were unable to complete their work on time before 31 December B.E. 2553 (2010) and those that were unable to continue to receive funding as appropriated due to disruption and delays caused by the recent floods.
2. Public investment projects approved under the Thai Khem Khaeng Scheme B.E. 2555 are to be carried out by the central administration and public agencies at the local and regional levels. These investment projects are expected to generate huge benefits for Thai citizens and therefore need to be promptly carried out. The proposed measures to allow projects delayed by the recent floods to continue their implementation and receive their allocated funding will therefore guarantee their swift completion.
3. The proposed measure will allow flood-affected Thai Khaem Khaeng projects that were disrupted delayed or receive or were unable to receive their allocated funding within 31 December 2010 to continue to receive funding until their completion.
The Cabinet has been notified of the completion of the Agricultural Disaster Preparedness Plan for Fiscal Year B.E. 2554 as proposed by the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives (MOAC)
Key points of the Plan:
The Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives (MOAC) has established an agricultural disaster management and preparedness working plan to improve the operations of relevant public agencies:
1. The Agricultural Disaster Prevention and Assistance Committee will be the lead agency in establishing a comprehensive and integrated agricultural disaster management structure in accordance with the following duties assigned:
i) Devise relevant policies, measures and operational guidelines
ii) Evaluate and approve integrated work plans related to agriculture disaster prevention and relief efforts
iii) Develop agricultural disaster management systems
iv) Administer agricultural disaster management activities as well as relief assistance efforts for affected farmers
The committee has set up an Agricultural Disaster Prevention and Relief Planning and Monitoring Sub-Committee, which is chaired by the MOAC Permanent Secretary. The sub-committee has subsequently set up two working groups, namely 1) the Working Group on Agricultural Disaster Preparedness chaired by an MOAC Deputy Permanent Secretary and 2) the Working Group on Dry Season Crops Planning chaired by Director-General of the Agriculture Promotion Department. In addition, the committee has established Agricultural Disaster Monitoring and Assistance centers at the central and provincial levels so as to improve the organization, timeliness and effectiveness of MOAC’s relief assistance to disaster-affected farmers.
2. MOAC has finalized the Agricultural Disaster Preparedness and Assistance Plan for fiscal year B.E. 2554 (2011), which includes the following details:
2.1 Objectives: To serve as a working guideline for departments and agencies carrying agricultural disaster prevention and mitigation operations; To serve as an operational framework for Agricultural Disaster Monitoring and Assistance centers in devising strategies for agricultural disaster prevention and mitigation and the provision of relief operations for affected farmers in a timely and effective manner.
2.2 Working Guideline for Agricultural Disaster Management
The Agricultural Disaster Preparedness and Assistance Plan will be carried out in two phases:
- Phase 1: October 2010 — March 2011
- Phase 2: April 2011 — September 2011
Additionally, the Agricultural Disaster Preparedness and Assistance Plan shall be implemented in the following three periods:
- Before the disaster: construct/improve water supplies; improve information systems for disaster forecasting and warning; compile relevant data of high-risk areas; ensure the readiness of relevant agencies; carry out public relations activities to disseminate academic recommendations pertaining to agricultural disaster prevention and mitigation
- During the disaster: monitor and issue warnings when disasters occur; evaluate damages; provide immediate relief assistance to victims
- After the disaster: provide financial assistance; carry out rehabilitation activities
The Cabinet has approved the proposal by Lopburi Cancer Center to construct a new 6-storey radiotherapy and nuclear medicine building. The funding for the construction of the new building in the amount of Baht 119,239,500 will be covered by the center’s annual maintenance budget for fiscal years B.E. 2554 — 2556 (2011-2013).
Key points of Issue:
The Ministry of Public Health (MOPH) reported that Lopburi Cancer Center, under the supervision of the Department of Medical Services of the MOPH, currently provides check-up, diagnostic and treatment services for cancer patients in the northern Central region covering 12 provinces. The present building in which radiotherapy and nuclear medicine is administered is deemed too small, inappropriate and unsafe for the increasing number of patients seeking the center’s services. These constraints are preventing the center from following the best practice guidelines laid down by the Department of Medical Services and Office of Atoms for Peace. The Lopburi Cancer Center therefore seeks the permission of the Cabinet to construct a new 6-storey radiotherapy and nuclear medicine building. The estimated cost of the construction project is Baht 140,000,000. Thailand’s Country Report for the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination The Cabinet’s resolution on the two matters proposed by the Ministry of Justice (MOJ) are:
1. Endorsed both the Thai and English versions of Thailand’s Country Report for the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination
2. Assigned the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) to submit the final English version of the report to the United Nation’s Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD)
The Ministry of Justice reports that:
1. The International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination is an international treaty that focuses on upholding human rights. The convention was adopted by United Nations General Assembly resolution 2106 at the 20th United National General Assembly on 21 December B.E. 2508 (1963) and subsequently came into force on 4 January 1967.
2. Thailand became a State Member to the Convention on 28 January B.E. 2546 (2003). The Convention came into force in Thailand on 27 February B.E. 2546 (2003).
3. As a State Party to the Convention, Thailand is obligated to:
3.1 Ensure that the rights stipulated in the Convention are observed
3.2 Take effective measures to guarantee the implementation of its obligations as stipulated in the Convention
3.3 Disseminate the principles of human rights as enshrined in the Convention to the widest audience possible
3.4 regularly submit country reports to notify and update the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination of Thailand’s progress and efforts to eliminate racial discrimination.
--Cabinet Meeting (Abhisit Vejjajiva) February 1, 2011--