The Cabinet Retreat was held on Tuesday, June 30, 2015, in Chiang Mai. Some of the resolutions are as follows;
Title: Twenty-Year National Strategy
The Cabinet approved the proposal made by the Secretariat of the Cabinet as follows:
1. The Cabinet approved drafting of the 20-year National Strategy. The National Strategy Committee will be set up and chaired by the Secretary-General to the Cabinet;
2. The Cabinet ordered all agencies to provide information relevant to the drafting of the 20-year National Strategy to the National Strategy Committee;
3. The Cabinet assigned Deputy Prime Minister Wisanu Krue-ngam to discuss the 20-year National Strategy framework with National Reform Council to make sure reforms are along the same direction; and
4. The Cabinet assigned the Secretariat of the Cabinet and the Secretariat of the Prime Minister to discuss the setup of a monitoring committee for improvement of the Government’s policy implementations.
The 20-year National Strategy Committee has the following components and duties:
Components: The committee comprises Advisors to the Prime Minister (Gen Sakol Chuantrakool, Gen Jirasak Chomprasop, and Gen Anantaporn Kanjanarat) as Advisors, the Secretary-General to the Prime Minister as Chairman, the Secretary-General to the Cabinet and the Secretary-General of National Economic and Social Development Board as Vice Chairmen. The Committee members are the Permanent Secretary for Ministry of Finance, the Director-General of Bureau of the Budget, the Secretary General of the National Security Council, the Secretary-General to the Council of State, Col Nattavut Pasuvanichayapong, Col Nimit Suwannarat, and 6 PM-appointed experts (3 from private sector, 3 from other sectors). The Deputy Secretary-General to the Cabinet and the Deputy Secretary-General of National Economic and Social Development Board are appointed joint Secretary-Generals.
Duties:
1. To draw up the 20-year National Strategy with an aim to drive the country development towards security, wealth and sustainability under a framework based on the Government’s 11 policies, 11 reform issues set by the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), and 36 reform activities established by the National Reform Council. The Draft 20-year National Strategy will be proposed for the Cabinet for its approval, and will be used as a framework for the Government’s second phase of implementation and third phase of national reform.
2. To call upon government officials or other related committees to clarify information and share opinions as necessary or as deemed appropriate.
3. To appoint subcommittees or working groups to support the Committee’s operation as necessary.
4. To manage any of the Prime Minister’s or the Cabinet’s assignments.
All agencies must provide information relevant with the making of the 20-year National Strategy to the National Strategy Committee. Deputy PM Wisanu Krue-ngam will bring the 20-year National Strategy framework to discussion with the National Reform Council to ensure reforms are in the same direction.
Title: Draft Tokyo Strategy 2015 for Mekong-Japan Cooperation
The Cabinet agreed to the proposals made by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Tanasak Patimapragorn as follows:
1. The Cabinet agreed to the Draft Tokyo Strategy 2015 for Mekong-Japan Cooperation;
2. The Prime Minister or his representative is appointed to adopt the Strategy;
3. Any amendments of the Strategy in places not affecting gist of the Strategy or the benefit of Thailand can be made by Ministry of Foreign Affairs without proposing to the Cabinet.
Gist of the matter
Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported the following:
1. Mekong-Japan Cooperation was initiated in 2008 and joined by 6 countries – Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, and Japan. Thailand is Japan’s partner for the development of Mekong in pushing forward Mekong to become a sustainable sub-region. Through this partnership, the livelihood of people in the member countries is upgraded and the prosperity gap narrowed between member countries and within ASEAN.
2. The Draft Tokyo Strategy 2015 for Mekong-Japan Cooperation will include Mekong Industrial Development Vision for 2016-2019 which emphasizes on quality growth, which is sustainable, stable and environmentally-friendly development. The manufacturing sector development is supported in order to make the sector a secured source of incomes. There are 4 main development areas under the Strategy as follows:
2.1 Physical effort: industrial infrastructure development in the Mekong sub-region and physical infrastructure enhancement
2.2 Regulation effort: human resource development, industrial development, and regulation connectivity promotion
2.3 Sustainable development towards Green Mekong Sub-region
2.4 Coordination with stakeholders
To bring about efficient and effective assistance towards security and quality growth in the Mekong sub-region, both parties reaffirmed the importance of coordination between all stakeholders.
3. Japan will host the 7th Mekong-Japan Summit on July 4, 2015 in Tokyo, Japan. Adoption of the Tokyo Strategy 2015 for Mekong-Japan Cooperation will be considered; The Strategy will be the outcome document of the meeting.
4. Gist of the Draft Strategy is the expression of cooperation vision and effort to push for further cooperation in multiple areas between the Mekong sub-region countries and Japan (as in 2), which is neither a legal obligation nor a contract under Article 23 of the Constitution of the Kingdom of Thailand (Interim) B.E. 2557. The Draft Strategy also expresses Thailand’s intention to act as development partner of the Mekong sub-region countries.
Title: Approval on the making of Inter-state Road Transport Agreement
As proposed by Ministry of Transport, the Cabinet agreed to the draw-up of the followinf 4 Inter-state Transport Agreements:
1. Bilateral Thailand-Cambodia Road Transport Agreement
2. Improvement of the Thailand-Lao PDR Road Transport Agreement
3. Drafting of Thailand-Vietnam Bus Agreement
4. Drafting of Vehicle Agreement between India, Myanmar, and Thailand for regulation of passenger and goods transport between India, Myanmar, and Thailand.
Title: Approval on Memorandum of Intent between Thailand, Myanmar, and Japan on Dawei Special Economic Zone Development Cooperation
The Cabinet granted the following agreement and approvals as proposed by Office of the National Economic and Social Development Board (NESDB):
1. Agreement to the Memorandum of Intent (MOI) between Thailand, Myanmar, and Japan on Dawei Special Economic Zone Development Cooperation;
2. Approval for the Secretary-General of NESDB to act as signatory of the MOI
3. Any amendments of the MOI in places not affecting the gist of the MOI can be made by the NESDB and Ministry of Foreign Affairs without seeking another Cabinet consideration.
The MOI comprises the following areas:
1. Investment in SPVs; 2. Technical cooperation for project development in completion phase; 3. Highway construction in completion phase; 4. Environmental and social consideration; and 5. Others.
The MOI will remain effective for 5 years from the signatory date and will be renewed each time for a 5-year period unless one of the 3 countries demands termination in written document with 6-month notice.
--Cabinet Meeting (Prayut Chan-o-cha) June 30, 2015--