Pm Visits Chiang Mai To Follow Up Flood Problem

[Lite Beer]

PM visits Chiang Mai to follow up flood problem

CHIANG MAI, Aug 14 - Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra visited the northern province of Chiang Mai to follow up assistance to flood victims, while reiterating she has no policy to return the diplomatic passport to ex premier Thaksin, her self-exiled brother.

After her trip to flood-hit provinces of Sukhothai, Nan, and Phrae on Saturday, Ms Yingluck on Sunday travelled to her hometown of Chiang Mai. Greeted by her Red Shirt supporters, she went pay respect to ancestors at a temple.

She said she had ordered ministers to tackle the flooding problems and for governors to monitor the situation and to report to her. The prime minister also assigned the transport minister to follow up on fixing roads cut off by floods in Mae Hong Son.

She ordered all agencies concerned to find measures to prevent floods as it is still several months before the rainy season ends.

Meanwhile, she also reiterated that she has no policy to return the diplomatic passport, or "red passport," to ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra, but it is at the discretion of the minister of foreign affairs.

Her comment came after Thai Foreign Minister Surapong Towijakchaikul on Saturday reaffirmed the foreign ministry has not considered reissuing a diplomatic passport to fugitive ex- premier Thaksin Shinawatra, as reported.

The new foreign minister added he has not investigated the feasibility of returning the red diplomatic passport to the former prime minister as he has not yet even started officially working at the ministry.

"I'm not prepared to return the red passport to Mr Thaksin but I will consider the case based on principles and fairness," stated Mr Surapong.

Meanwhile, the Agence France-Presse reported that US President Barack Obama congratulated Thailand's first female premier Saturday on her historic election, hailing it as a sign of the "success of the democratic process," the White House said.

In a telephone conversation, Obama and Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra "underscored the enduring nature of the US-Thailand friendship and alliance, and pledged to strengthen the bilateral relationship and work together to ensure peace and stability in the Asia Pacific," according to the White House. (MCOT online news, Agencies)

-- TNA 2011-08-14