On August 30st, 1998, Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai was the Chairman of the National Social Policy Committee Meeting at Government House and considered granting approval to several important issues, as follows:
1. Macro Social Policy : the National Social Policy approved the implementation strategies to increase efficiency of the macro social policy administration, consisting of 5 short and long-term plans, as follows:
1. As for changes of value and awareness among the Thai People. The meeting agreed to create public awareness towards the current economic and social crisis in every region. Through public promotion process, people should be able to learn how to conceptualize their problems under a holistic approach. In this regard, the National Public Relations Committee and the National Culture Commission were assigned to promote the Thai conventional life-styles, focusing on self-sufficiency, thriftiness, perseverance and compassion. Coordination with the local NGOs, business organization, educational institutions and the press should be promoted.
2. Administrative efficiency for alleviation of social problems should be improved.
2.1 The meeting agreed to submit this plan to the Cabinet in order to assign provincial authorities to coordinate with all involved parties in providing the so-called one-step service for those being affected from the crisis. Through this means, duplication of works will be avoided. Top priority should be given to unskilled workers, especially old female workers, as well as some white-collar workers, having been unemployed for no less than a year.
Besides, each provincial authorities should include in a single package the development projects of 8 main ministries, especially those concerned with health, nutrition, education, occupation and quality of life. These development projects should be harmonized with traditions, wisdom. technology, natural resources and capital of each area.
Development under this plan should be closely monitored by the PDPC.
2.2 In addition, the Office of the NESDB was assigned to coordinate with the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of University Affairs, the Ministry of Public Health, the National Statistical Office, and all involved agencies in conducting the Social Development Data Bank. To be included would be the data on unemployment, poverty, underprivileged group of people, crimes and drug problems in each province.
2.3 To designate measures and projects to rehabilitate SMEs at a provincial level, the Ministry of Commerce has been assigned to coordinate with the Ministry of Industry, the Thai Chamber of Commerce, the Federation of Thai Industries, and the Thai Bankers' Association.
3. Self-reliance should be promoted among those being affected from the crisis and the underprivileged. In this regard, the Secretariat to the National Social Policy Committee wil seek sooperation from the NGOs Coordination Committee, the National Women Council and the private sector in dispatching volunteers to work with those being affected from the crisis and the underprivileged in the local areas. They will work with these local people to overcome the problems by themselves, under support from the local educational insitutions and religious organizations.
4. The local communities will be empowered to alleviate social problems. The meeting agreed to urge the PDPC secretariate to improve the PM Office regulations governing prosperity decentralization in order to enhance popular participation in this respect. Government budget should be provided for community organizations to deliver development projects and activities in the local areas. In addition, a mechanism for capital mobilization at the grass-roots level should be developed in order to finance the local development projects.
Besides, most budget should be allocated from the Tambon Development Projects for the Tambon Administrative Council to initiate and conduct development projects at the local level. Focus should be on self-reliance promotion among local people and families being affected from the crisis. The government should also eliminate regulatory impediments for empowering local organizations such as agricultural cooperatives, farmers' groups and savings groups.
5. there would be the social restructuring programs. The Ministry of Finance was assigned to use tax policies to promote income distribution and an inefficient use of resources. Lavish consumption, such as luxury goods, tobacco, etc. should be discouraged, while tax reduction, especially VAT, should be provided to assist the poor.
2. Approval was also granted to the Acceleration Plan for Self-Sufficient Economy and Civic Society Promotion. The target areas will cover 200 districts nationwide, through 3 major action plans and 11 projects as proposed by the Thai Development Foundation. The government budget of about bt 40.2 billion will be allocated for further implementation.
--Development News Bulletin, National Economic and Social Development Board, Volume 13, No.9 : September 1998--
1. Macro Social Policy : the National Social Policy approved the implementation strategies to increase efficiency of the macro social policy administration, consisting of 5 short and long-term plans, as follows:
1. As for changes of value and awareness among the Thai People. The meeting agreed to create public awareness towards the current economic and social crisis in every region. Through public promotion process, people should be able to learn how to conceptualize their problems under a holistic approach. In this regard, the National Public Relations Committee and the National Culture Commission were assigned to promote the Thai conventional life-styles, focusing on self-sufficiency, thriftiness, perseverance and compassion. Coordination with the local NGOs, business organization, educational institutions and the press should be promoted.
2. Administrative efficiency for alleviation of social problems should be improved.
2.1 The meeting agreed to submit this plan to the Cabinet in order to assign provincial authorities to coordinate with all involved parties in providing the so-called one-step service for those being affected from the crisis. Through this means, duplication of works will be avoided. Top priority should be given to unskilled workers, especially old female workers, as well as some white-collar workers, having been unemployed for no less than a year.
Besides, each provincial authorities should include in a single package the development projects of 8 main ministries, especially those concerned with health, nutrition, education, occupation and quality of life. These development projects should be harmonized with traditions, wisdom. technology, natural resources and capital of each area.
Development under this plan should be closely monitored by the PDPC.
2.2 In addition, the Office of the NESDB was assigned to coordinate with the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of University Affairs, the Ministry of Public Health, the National Statistical Office, and all involved agencies in conducting the Social Development Data Bank. To be included would be the data on unemployment, poverty, underprivileged group of people, crimes and drug problems in each province.
2.3 To designate measures and projects to rehabilitate SMEs at a provincial level, the Ministry of Commerce has been assigned to coordinate with the Ministry of Industry, the Thai Chamber of Commerce, the Federation of Thai Industries, and the Thai Bankers' Association.
3. Self-reliance should be promoted among those being affected from the crisis and the underprivileged. In this regard, the Secretariat to the National Social Policy Committee wil seek sooperation from the NGOs Coordination Committee, the National Women Council and the private sector in dispatching volunteers to work with those being affected from the crisis and the underprivileged in the local areas. They will work with these local people to overcome the problems by themselves, under support from the local educational insitutions and religious organizations.
4. The local communities will be empowered to alleviate social problems. The meeting agreed to urge the PDPC secretariate to improve the PM Office regulations governing prosperity decentralization in order to enhance popular participation in this respect. Government budget should be provided for community organizations to deliver development projects and activities in the local areas. In addition, a mechanism for capital mobilization at the grass-roots level should be developed in order to finance the local development projects.
Besides, most budget should be allocated from the Tambon Development Projects for the Tambon Administrative Council to initiate and conduct development projects at the local level. Focus should be on self-reliance promotion among local people and families being affected from the crisis. The government should also eliminate regulatory impediments for empowering local organizations such as agricultural cooperatives, farmers' groups and savings groups.
5. there would be the social restructuring programs. The Ministry of Finance was assigned to use tax policies to promote income distribution and an inefficient use of resources. Lavish consumption, such as luxury goods, tobacco, etc. should be discouraged, while tax reduction, especially VAT, should be provided to assist the poor.
2. Approval was also granted to the Acceleration Plan for Self-Sufficient Economy and Civic Society Promotion. The target areas will cover 200 districts nationwide, through 3 major action plans and 11 projects as proposed by the Thai Development Foundation. The government budget of about bt 40.2 billion will be allocated for further implementation.
--Development News Bulletin, National Economic and Social Development Board, Volume 13, No.9 : September 1998--