Acting Thai PM Niwattumrong now in Chiang Rai

[webfact]

Acting PM now in Chiang Rai



BANGKOK: -- Despite the effort of the acting Senate speaker to have government representatives joining its informal meeting to find ways to end the political impasse, acting Prime Minister Niwattumrong Boonsongpaisan flew to Chiang Rai yesterday to inspect earthquake damages and visit troubled people.

Niwattumrong boarded a commercial flight to Chiang Rai’s Mae Fah Luang airport, accompanied by Transport Minister Chadchart Sittipunt, Deputy Education Minister Sermsak Pongpanich, permanent secretary for Interior Viboon Sanguanpong, and director general of the Local Administration Siripong Harntrakul.

Today the acting premier inspected the Chiang Rai- Chiang Mai highway of which a 5-kilometre stretch sank after the major 6.3 quake with epicentre at seven kilometre depth in Phan district on May 5.

In the afternoon he will visit people affected by the quake and also the Wat Rongkhun or the White Temple in Muang district, before returning to Bangkok at 6.30 p.m.

Transport Minister Chadchart said highway officials would build a new section to avoid the sunken section of the highway which could take two months to complete.

Acting Senate speaker has tried in vain to persuade government representatives, as well as the redshirt United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) to take part in its informal meeting but was still ignored. So far almost all government agencies which included the armed forces and permanent secretaries of ministries and the private sector have taken part.

The Army, the Air Force and the Navy have sent their chief-of-staff who is the number 3 in the force to take part.

UDD voiced strong opposition to the move saying the acting speaker overacted with threat to file legal case against him.
Today the acting Speaker is scheduled to meet the full board of the Council of State, the legal consultant of the government.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/acting-pm-now-chiang-rai/


-- Thai PBS 2014-05-16

[marko kok prong]

How convenient, basically he has scuttled off in terror of Suthep and the mad monk,this is a smoke screen and a poor one at that,hardly a Churchill is he>

[Piichai]

Will probably join Yingluck for lunch!

[chainarong]

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Will probably join Yingluck for lunch!

well he did say he was meeting troubled people.

[winstonc]

pathetic man run forrest run...even thaksins personal bib wont even protect you ...speaks volumes ..(thai male+courage)doesnt seem to fit together really..

[MaxLee]

pathetic man run forrest run...even thaksins personal bib wont even protect you ...speaks volumes ..(thai male+courage)doesnt seem to fit together really..

Face fits perfectly regarding this matter...

[Tatsujin]

Election campaigning again, just like Yingluck did . . . when will the EC put a stop to it?

[Piichai]

Acting Senate speaker has tried in vain to persuade government representatives, as well as the redshirt United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) to take part in its informal meeting but was still ignored. So far almost all government agencies which included the armed forces and permanent secretaries of ministries and the private sector have taken part.

Progress marches on without PTP and UDD.

[WhizBang]

Taking a page from the Yingluck playbook, I see.

[rubl]

AS the interim acting caretaker PM has some others from the remaining (play)acting cabinet with him, and as Ms. Yingluck also had a few coming with her on holiday to ChiangMai, I guess a mini interim caretaker cabinet meeting can be held?

[chotthee]

I hiding already? Not even a week.

[Piichai]

I hiding already? Not even a week.

He learns fast!

[cms22]

Yep, he better run.

Those yellowshirt terrorists are out to get him.

[gabruce]

It's one approach. When you don't want to deal with your real problems, make sure you stay busy. Not exactly what you want in the leader of a country (even one that may or may not be an acting caretaker pm), and yet he's human.

[thaipod]

Great time to start travelling the country side. Maybe swing into Chaingmai and call on the Shin clan.

[Scamper]

" Acting Senate speaker has tried in vain to persuade government representatives, as well as the redshirt United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) to take part in its informal meeting but was still ignored. "

This should be emblazoned in every newspaper in the country. They should make banners out of it. They should have billboards highlighting it. It all comes down to one man -Thaksin - and his desire never to see reform a mandated part of any consensual process. He has never been interested in reform - at least in reform that does not actively seek to solidify his hold on power - and every selfish decision he has made and continues to make on a knee-jerk basis is meant to underscore not only his distaste - but his utter loathing - of reform. That has been the speed bump that Thaksin has erected on the road to the future - no reform that threatens his bottom line. And that's why we can confidently predict that whatever happens in this crisis - will not be due to any involvement from Pheu Thai and the UDD whatsoever, apart from their wish to prevent any consensus, discussions, or forums from ever taking place. Niwatthumrong therefore follows the proud tradition of the Three Principles of Yingluck : Avoid. Avoid. Avoid.

[soalbundy]

I hiding already? Not even a week.

Not in hiding,he is looking for an earthquake,they have been banned

[Lupatria]

Will probably join Yingluck for lunch!

...and ask her for advice regarding field trips and luxury shopping

[zydeco]

He's all but invisible right now. Why hide? He could put a cart outside Government House and sell noodles and nobody would know who he is.

[zydeco]

Duplicate post.

Edited May 16, 2014 by zydeco

[Prbkk]

He seems like a decent chap but it's too much to expect that he will be given a fair go

[pmugghc]

Niwatthamrong was chosen by Thaksin due to control and trust, not merit & competence, according to Professor Thitinan Pongsudhirak, who isn't exactly a yellow cheerleader. From what I've heard his nickname was "Mr. Bottleneck" in a previous occupation. So we shouldn't expect any bold peace initiatives from him.

Edited May 16, 2014 by pmugghc

[Piichai]

He seems like a decent chap but it's too much to expect that he will be given a fair go

All he has to do is participate, but he chooses to run.

[Siripon]

He should be careful, he might get an aftershock or 2 over the next few days

[mikemac]

How convenient, basically he has scuttled off in terror of Suthep and the mad monk,this is a smoke screen and a poor one at that,hardly a Churchill is he>

Run away to the north to distance himself from Chalerm, more likely (and more dangerous)

[seajae]

no this cannot be correct, the ptp appologists were in here this morning telling us all that the was not going there or could it be that the appologists in here dont know what they are talking about, actually that is probably more of the case, they are suffering foot in mouth like their hero chalerm and taking up his confused ravings

[bigbamboo]

Niwatthamrong was chosen by Thaksin due to control and trust, not merit & competence, according to Professor Thitinan Pongsudhirak, who isn't exactly a yellow cheerleader. From what I heard his nickname was "Mr. Bottleneck" in a previous occupation. So we shouldn't expect any bold peace initiatives from him.

Given his long time close connections to the real PM at Shin Corp and as a former manager of KT's rice pledging scheme it would seem you are on the right track. A bit like Chalerm before his brain was removed and replaced with a widget.

Edited May 16, 2014 by bigbamboo

[Civil War]

He has learned well from the Poo Puppet.

As soon as you come up against the slightest bit of pressure, find any excuse to disappear north to the red shirt colonies and do a bit of PTP campaigning on public funds.

Hopefully you will go down in history as Thailand's shortest PM job.

[SOTIRIOS]

....more earthquake inspection.....how pathetic....

[Robby nz]

In the afternoon he will visit people affected by the quake and also the Wat Rongkhun or the White Temple in Muang district, before returning to Bangkok at 6.30 p.m.

It would seem that his plans have changed now and he will no longer return to BKK at 6.30

The urgent business of inspecting earthquake damage is more important than meeting with the Senate to discuss a way to prevent national strife.

Niwattumrong says he has no time for discussing political solution with Senate

BANGKOK: -- Acting Prime Minister Niwattumrong Boonsongpaisan said Friday that he has no time for meeting the Senate to discuss political solutions.

The Senate invited the government to hold a discussion with the Senate on Saturday.

Niwattumrong said he had to work in Chiang Rai, Chiang Mai and other northern provinces over the weekend and would have no time for a meeting with the Senate.

-- The Nation 2014-05-16

Blatant electioneering would probably be the correct description of his work in the northern provinces.

Which of course is against the law, he must want to be the next one to be kicked out.