The cabinet meeting on Tuesday 3, August 2010 has come to the following decision:
The Cabinet approved the Draft Act of Establishing Bungkarn Province B.E...., proposed by the Ministry of Interior, and passed to the Council of State for further review. After that the draft act would be passed to the committee for coordinating on parliamentary affairs to consider before referring to the Parliament for further review.
Facts
The Ministry of Interior reported that the Draft Act of Establishing Bungkarn Province B.E... was reviewed according to the direction of the Prime Minister as follows.
1. The request for establishing Bungkarn province was from the local people, as Nongkhai province encountered the problem of state administration and solving problems in border areas, which did not cover the whole distance of 350 kilometers. If Bungkarn province was established, the state could solve problems for the public in the area conveniently, as well as the problems of drug trafficking, smuggling and labour migration, all which would be tackled efficiently. The referendum was conducted to listen to opinions from the public, local administrative officers, chief officers of districts and provinces in Nongkhai province and the result was that all agreed for the creation of Bungkarn province.
2. The state administration, especially under the Ministry of Interior, required an organization and officers that were close to the public. Applying new technologies could not solve public needs sustainably and thoroughly.
3. The government agencies and infrastructure were ready for the Bungkarn Province establishment, for example, the Court of Bungkarn Province, provincial public prosecutor’s office, electricity, waterworks, telephone, postal service, etc. An area of 870 rais in the public area of Kudting, Tambon Nonsomboon, Amphur Bungkarn, was reserved for setting up of State Provincial Office of Bungkarn, so the budget would not be depleted much.
The Cabinet approved measures on extending the period of taxation reduction and approved principles of the draft decree to be issued in accordance with the Revenue Code governing Reduction of Revenue Taxes (Issue ...) B.E...., as proposed by the Ministry of Finance, and passed on to the Office of the Council of State for urgent review and further operation.
The Cabinet acknowledged situation and operation on preventing and suppressing human trafficking B.E. 2552, as the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security had proposed.
Contents
The Ministry of Social Development and Human Security reported that
1. Measure 40 of the Prevention and Suppression of Human Trafficking Act B.E. 2551 directed the Ministry of Social Development and Human Trafficking to issue an annual report concerning the number of cases situation, operations of concerned organizations, and methods for future operation concerning preventing and suppressing human trafficking and propose to the Cabinet.
2. The subcommittee for policy development, strategies, and measures on preventing and suppressing human trafficking, consisting of representatives from concerned organizations, on behalf of The Ministry of Social Development and Human Security, drafted the report of situation and operation on preventing and suppressing human trafficking B.E. 2552, consisting of 3 main points as follows.
2.1 Human Trafficking Situation — 1) Thailand status 2) Human Trafficking format and 3) Human Trafficking Route.
2.2 Operation results of 7 areas — 1) Prevention 2) Assistance and protection 3) Law enforcement and suppression 4) Paying back and returning to society 5) Providing information, monitoring, and evaluating 6) Developing mechanism, administration, management, and 7) International coordination
The Cabinet reported progress and suggestions from the independent Truth Committee for examining facts in view of national unity, as the chairman of the committee (Kanit Na Nakorn) had proposed. The Ministry of Justice clarified the actions and methods the Department of Corrections use in treating detainees to the committee. The progress of operation and suggestions are as follows.
The philosophy of operation of the independent committee focused on enhancing unity in Thailand in the future. At this level, the independent committee proposed suggestions to create awareness and give importance to “creating an atmosphere conducive to unity“. Some points were suggested as follows.
1. Directing and monitoring concerned organizations on law enforcement by “applying normal legal mechanisms and the judicial process” to create the most efficiency and protect fundamental rights of the public. Announcement of the State of Emergency according to the Act of B.E.2548 must be applied only in certain necessary areas, and be in accordance with principles as determined by the law. This was to express sincerity of the government and guarantee that actions of state organizations would not affect the public excessively.
2. The treating culprits must consider their fundamental rights by reducing actions which affect rights, and implement those that respect people as fellow human beings. This include detainees from the case concerning political conflicts and from general cases, for example, in terms of shackling.
3. Creating fairness and reliability to the judicial process, as follows.
3.1 Reducing press statements and give news only when necessary.
3.2 Investigation had to be started by consolidating all evidence with objectivity, not starting with seeking warrants of arrest from the court and then finding additional evidences.
3.3 Accusations had to be reasonable, and not too harsh.
4. Information of the casualties from all sides during the political demonstration had to be revealed. The government should summarise damages and rehabilitation measures that had been or would be implemented, to report to the public as soon as possible.
5. Details of the demonstrators who was accused and arrested in accordance with the State of Emergency Decree B.E. 2548 had to be revealed to the public, as well as the current number of accusations; and what their status were, according to the law.
The Cabinet approved draft documents for the 50thThailand-Malaysia border committee meetingas proposed by the Ministry of Interior.
--Cabinet Meeting (Abhisit Vejjajiva) August 3, 2010--