The cainet meeting on Tuesday 13, July 2010 has come to the following decision:
The cabinet approved the extension of Emergency Decree in the 3 Southern provinces for 3 months from 20 July 2010 to 19 October 2010 as suggested by the National Security Council.
The cabinet approved agriculturalists’ increased income compensation as approved by the Rice Policy Committee (RPC) on 10 June 2010. The Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Co-Operatives (BAAC) will pay the increased compensation for rice agriculturalists’ income insurance project 2009/2010 on 8-28 February 2010 totaling 44,735 tons and 12.336 million baht as suggested by the Ministry of Commerce. The Bureau of the Budget approved that the money withdrawal will be under Strong Thailand Project.
The cabinet approved measures assisting tourism entrepreneurs affected by the political unrest as follows:
1. Measure assisting liquidity for small and medium sized tourism entrepreneurs. The loan qualification is lessened to include small entrepreneurs who did not register as juristic entity.
- The loan per one case must not exceed 1 million baht.
- The loan period must not exceed 8 years. The Grace Period is 2 years.
- The SME Bank’s interest rate collects from borrower’s interest for MLR -3 per year for 2 years and from the 3rd year the interest rate is MLR per year. The government will give subsidy for the difference of the interest rate to the SME Bank for 2% per year for 2 years.
- The cancellation of fees (Front End Fee, Prepayment Fee, legal act)
- Approved the SME Bank to proceed with the separation of project account operation, which is the Public Service Account : PSA), from regular bank operation in order to request for damage compensation that could occur in the future from the government.
- The SME Bank must regulate a convenient process in order to fasten the loan approval and soften liquidity problem for tourism entrepreneurs.
- Budget for subsidizing the difference of interest given to the SME Bank for the rate of 2% per year of the actual released credit, but does not exceed 5,000 million baht, for 2 years and the total amount must not exceed 200 million baht is given to CSC.
2. The Ministry of Tourism and Sports is given the task to consider and review measures assisting major entrepreneurs clearly to propose to the cabinet.
3. As for the credit request of small and medium sized tourism entrepreneurs, the Ministry of Tourism and Sports is to coordinate with the Ministry of Finance and the Government Savings Bank in order to assist affected entrepreneurs.
The cabinet acknowledged the report of the World Bank loan contract signing for the construction of the 4 main traffic routes (phase 2) as suggested by the Ministry of Finance. The Ministry of Finance will declare the loan in the government gazette within 60 days of the loan contract signing (within 10 August 2010). The ministry reported that:
1. During the loan negotiation the Global Bank exempted the charge of commitment fee for Thailand.
2. The Deputy Finance Minister Mr. Pradit Phataraprasit was assigned to sign the loan contract in the name of the Thai government and Ms. Annette Dixon, Country Director, Thailand, East Asia and Pacific Region signed in the name of the World Bank on 11 June 2010 as in accordance with the loan contract no. 7775-TH. Every important content and condition of the construction of the 4 main traffic routes (phase 2) of the Department of Highways, totaling 79.30 million dollars, have been approved by the cabinet.
The NSC’s operation had a direct connection with the context of security threats and mechanism of national security, and its operation was delegated to various government agencies such as in terms of defense, solutions, and restoration. Thus, when the situation and the context of the security threat and the structure of security operation mechanism were changed and adjusted, while the NSC did not improve and develop the organizational structure to correlate with the change, the work operation was limited and impacted the overall efficiency of national security, resulting in the NSC’s operation as follows:
With regards to the changing security situation, the present international situation has changed a lot due to the internationalization of political organizations and globalization. Thailand has to constantly face security situation challenges with more complication and aggressiveness than before, such as international crime and terrorism, the spread of weapons of mass destruction, the change in climate resulting in natural disasters, and the spread of diseases. Meanwhile, there are still also security problems with neighboring countries. The most important issues are problems concerning with national security and the use of violence due to motivation from political benefits, the division in ideas among people in the present society which could pose a risk to destroy national unity, and the southern unrest.
The development of the security mechanism after the structural reform in 2002 has improved the mechanism of security in a piecemeal manner. There have been more roles in the Internal Security Operations Command, increased security role in the agencies of the Ministry of Justice (MOJ) especially with the Department of Special Investigation responsible for law enforcement to individuals affecting the security, the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security (MOSDHS) to the public’s security, and the structure of the southern provinces operations, including already ones organized and those awaiting consideration and improvement.
In addition, there are still legislations and areas for several security law improvements, such as 2005 Emergency Decree, 2006 Internal Security Act etc.
The changing security situation indicates that Thailand is facing high uncertainty and risk in society, requiring the work of the National Security Council, as it was the agency suggesting policies and security strategies, to adapt, especially with the organizational structure to handle the changed security context and coordinate with agencies that are in the structure. The adjustment of NSC’s mission and structure will guarantee the preservation of benefits and national security. The security operation can then be up-to-date and cover problems affecting the nation’s security. The organizational improvement will lead to:
1. The possession of security knowledge base in every dimension.
2. The acquiring of practical security policies and strategies that is responsive to national need.
3. The coordination of policies and strategies that can be tracked and assessed clearly.
4. The national preparation for facing every type of security crisis.
5. The connection of database in terms of principles of security and intelligence in order to support policy implementation.
6. The improvement of the 1959 National Security Council Act and the amendment in 1964 in order to serve as the law that can truly support efficiency in the operation of NSC and preserve national security.
The cabinet approved the Ministry of Defense’s 2 suggestions as follows:
1. Approved the bomb suit transfer and equipments contract between Thailand and Australia.
2. If details of the transfer agreement are changed and do not interfere with Thai territory and its boundary, which Thailand has sovereign rights and jurisdiction over, as in accordance with the contract or the international law, or an act has to be promulgated to be in line with the contract, or if it impacts the stability of the economy and the nation, or if it significantly connects with trade, investment, or the country’s budget, the Ministry of Defense, and the Thai army, is allowed to consider and implement action as it sees fit.
3. The Supreme Commander is to sign, in the name of Thailand, the bomb suit transfer and equipments contract between Thailand and Australia in accordance with number 1.
--Cabinet Meeting (Abhisit Vejjajiva) July 13, 2010--