On January 23, 1999, Dr. Savit Bhotivihok, Minister of the Prime Minister's Office took an inspection visit to 3 projects under the Prosperity Decentralization Policy in Chanthaburi and Trad provinces. These comprised the Agricultural Marketplace Improvement Project at Tha Mai district, Chanthaburi province; the National Maritime Trade Museum Improvement Project at The Chalap district, Chanthaburi province; and the Project of Farm Products Storing Centre at Kao Saming district, Trad province.
Minister Savit gave an interview that the Agricultural Marketplace Improvement Project concerned the government because the project was regarded as an economic basic service to be supported with the Prosperity Decentralization Policy Budget. The Project would serve in providing a meeting venue between producers and buyers in farm pruducts, which could directly raise farmers' income. However, relevant issues, which needed to be properly managed, were as follows.
1) Road improvement, particularly at the entrance area, should be speeded up to ensure adequate tidiness and safety. In this regard, NESDB was assigned to coordinate with the consultant to take care of such facilitation.
2) The Project was expected to benefit baht farmers (or suppliers) and buyers since farmers (or suppliers) could minimize their costs while receiving increased conveniences. Meanwhile, buyers could purchase commodities at fair prices. This was made possible by provision of public utilities; such as, drainage systems, water works and public telephones.
3) In the long run, a local organization was supposed to manage the marketplace to protect the benefit for local people, and to deal with any future problems.
With regard to the National Maritime Trade Museum Improvement Project, Dr. Savit said that the Fine Arts Department was encouraged and supported to carry out the project. After reconstructed and decorated with allocated budget, the Museum would serve in collecting antiques found beneath the sea, as a historic study centre and as a tourism attraction.
As for the Project of Farm Products Storing Centre at Kao Saming, Trad province, Minister Savit gave two important points.
1) The border trade and economy was another topic of the government's interest. Although the Trad province's border checkpoint, which was connected with Cambodia, had not yet been supported with any in case there was an actual need to stimulate the economy of that area.
2) The Project of Farm Products Storing Centre was aimed to be an agricultural marketplace with direct contact between producers and buyers. The budget amounting 10 million Baht was already approval so that the project implementation could be made timely with the upcoming cropping season. Most importantly, coordination was earnestly required among all the relevant agencies involving Tambon Administration Organization (TAO), Sanitary District, Changwat and Amphoe for bring about an efficient management of the Centre.
Minister Savit also gave an opinion towards TAOs that the rising roles of TAOs were apparently acknowledged in several Articles of the new Constitution. Accordingly, TAOs were empowered to be able to represent local people and to make decision in local development projects. This would certainly broaden its tax-base and raise its revenue. Such a new challenge required TAOs to build its knowledge and managerial capacity, making use of technical support provided by provincial and central agencies.
--Development News Bulletin, National Economic and Social Development Board, Volume 14, No. 2 : February 1999--
Minister Savit gave an interview that the Agricultural Marketplace Improvement Project concerned the government because the project was regarded as an economic basic service to be supported with the Prosperity Decentralization Policy Budget. The Project would serve in providing a meeting venue between producers and buyers in farm pruducts, which could directly raise farmers' income. However, relevant issues, which needed to be properly managed, were as follows.
1) Road improvement, particularly at the entrance area, should be speeded up to ensure adequate tidiness and safety. In this regard, NESDB was assigned to coordinate with the consultant to take care of such facilitation.
2) The Project was expected to benefit baht farmers (or suppliers) and buyers since farmers (or suppliers) could minimize their costs while receiving increased conveniences. Meanwhile, buyers could purchase commodities at fair prices. This was made possible by provision of public utilities; such as, drainage systems, water works and public telephones.
3) In the long run, a local organization was supposed to manage the marketplace to protect the benefit for local people, and to deal with any future problems.
With regard to the National Maritime Trade Museum Improvement Project, Dr. Savit said that the Fine Arts Department was encouraged and supported to carry out the project. After reconstructed and decorated with allocated budget, the Museum would serve in collecting antiques found beneath the sea, as a historic study centre and as a tourism attraction.
As for the Project of Farm Products Storing Centre at Kao Saming, Trad province, Minister Savit gave two important points.
1) The border trade and economy was another topic of the government's interest. Although the Trad province's border checkpoint, which was connected with Cambodia, had not yet been supported with any in case there was an actual need to stimulate the economy of that area.
2) The Project of Farm Products Storing Centre was aimed to be an agricultural marketplace with direct contact between producers and buyers. The budget amounting 10 million Baht was already approval so that the project implementation could be made timely with the upcoming cropping season. Most importantly, coordination was earnestly required among all the relevant agencies involving Tambon Administration Organization (TAO), Sanitary District, Changwat and Amphoe for bring about an efficient management of the Centre.
Minister Savit also gave an opinion towards TAOs that the rising roles of TAOs were apparently acknowledged in several Articles of the new Constitution. Accordingly, TAOs were empowered to be able to represent local people and to make decision in local development projects. This would certainly broaden its tax-base and raise its revenue. Such a new challenge required TAOs to build its knowledge and managerial capacity, making use of technical support provided by provincial and central agencies.
--Development News Bulletin, National Economic and Social Development Board, Volume 14, No. 2 : February 1999--