Thai govt lauded for its ambitions

[webfact]

1-YEAR NCPO
Govt lauded for its ambitions
Business Reporters
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Business leaders have praised the government's lofty ambitions of solving the country's problems since the National Council for Peace and Order seized power from an elected government one year ago. However, they urged the military regime to tackle future challenges for sustainable economic growth as well as serious challenges faced by particular business sectors.

Sanan Angubolkul, vice chairman of the Board of Trade, said this government's ambition to tackle problems was laudable, but many negative factors continued to hinder economic growth.

"I admire the Cabinet members for their attempts to solve many problems and communicate closely with private enterprise. However, the outcome may not be obvious, as many obstructions affect the country's growth," he said.

Among the urgent measures the Board of Trade would like to see is an attempt to increase the country's competitiveness, particularly through developing the education system, while also increasing the efficiency of government services.

Chookiat Ophaswongse, honorary president of the Thai Rice Exporters Association, said the military regime had been quite successful in solving problems in the rice industry while under a lot of pressure to deal with the huge amount of rice in the government's stockpiles.

"The end of the rice-pledging scheme has reduced losses for the Kingdom, while enterprises expect that the government will focus more on long-term development in the rice and farm industries," Chookiat said.

Uli Kaiser, president of the Thai European Business Association, said the National Council for Peace and Order, as the junta calls itself, had transformed into a functioning government but had also realised that some of the changes it wants are not so easy to implement.

"In the first half of the year, the military government got organised, and in the second half, they actually started to operate, and I think overall, it [the regime's economic performance] is positive. However, [the] reality is, political support for economic change takes a lot of time. It has a lot of stakeholders and it is not an easy process even when you have absolute power," he said.

Kicking off infrastructure projects such as the joint railway project with China, actions to solve the problems in the agriculture sector, the introduction of special economic zones, and the changes in the Board of Investment's target industries are all positive developments, but how they will pan out is something that remains to be seen, Kaiser added.

As for the military government's efforts to promote foreign investment in the country, he said: "Sometimes just a tax incentive is not enough, and you need actual capital incentives.

"There is a need to find a sector that would have large long-term benefits, such as the aeronautical industry, and then actually provide additional incentives to it, both for Thai and international companies," he said.

"There is a general feeling of optimism, more than negative feelings" regarding the economic performance of the NCPO, he concluded.

Darren Buckley, president of the American Chamber of Commerce in Thailand, said the NCPO had to continue with its efforts to solve the country's political differences in order to secure long-term stability, as that is what foreign investors are looking for when they make their decisions.

The military government should also bring its infrastructure-development plans to reality to increase investor confidence and continue to accelerate state spending to stimulate the economy while stepping up efforts to liberalise the service sector, as this is the next step after the liberalisation of the manufacturing sector.

"Thailand's economy is underperforming, where real economic-growth numbers have kept falling short of the NCPO's predictions," he said.

When it seized power in May 2014, the NCPO's target for expansion of gross domestic product was 3 per cent, but real economic growth last year was only 0.7 per cent, according to the National Economic and Social Development Board.

The junta also predicted at the beginning of the year that GDP would expand by 4.5 per cent in 2015, but the growth target has now been revised to 3.5 per cent after weak export performance.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/business/Govt-lauded-for-its-ambitions-30260289.html

-- The Nation 2015-05-18

[soalbundy]

Ambitions, i had a few of those once, can't find them anymore, iv'e looked under the table, everywhere, gone with the wind

[FangFerang]

"There is a need to find a sector that would have large long-term benefits, such as the aeronautical industry," -- really? They've been talking to TAT again for 'truthiness' coaching.

Nonetheless I like the article and have modeled my work ethic by it. Now my employer lets me write my own evaluations, I can give myself raises and awards, and everyone is now thoroughly joyful. I too am bringing happiness back to the people.

[Lupatria]

"I admire the Cabinet members for their attempts to solve many problems and communicate closely with private enterprise.

I wonder if he copied this line from his proposal to become a Cabinet member.

[fred Kubasa]

Whole "lauding" diluted by just a few non laudable words - " but negative factors" !

Like the _ _ _ _ _ _ g boat is leaking !

[Bakseeda]

Guys, Guys, Guys..... Whatever way you want to stick your oar into this military government and their road to unite Thai peoples, so far they have succeeded . I see all the infrastructure working well, buses, cars, rail services... peoples are going to work in relative safety and getting home to their families on time. Business is in pretty good shape apart from tourism... I see Thai peoples going on holidays regularly.. cheap weekend trains and buses to Cha-am, Pattaya, etc etc.. I see Thai peoples happy and smiling... thats important.. What I don't see is corrupt politicians and more corrupt policeman like Tarit running their own programs... Rock on Thailand and keep up the good work Mr Prayuth...

[Godders]

Guys, Guys, Guys..... Whatever way you want to stick your oar into this military government and their road to unite Thai peoples, so far they have succeeded . I see all the infrastructure working well, buses, cars, rail services... peoples are going to work in relative safety and getting home to their families on time. Business is in pretty good shape apart from tourism... I see Thai peoples going on holidays regularly.. cheap weekend trains and buses to Cha-am, Pattaya, etc etc.. I see Thai peoples happy and smiling... thats important.. What I don't see is corrupt politicians and more corrupt policeman like Tarit running their own programs... Rock on Thailand and keep up the good work Mr Prayuth...

Are these government-issue rose tinted glasses you are wearing or can one buy them anywhere?

[HooHaa]

Guys, Guys, Guys..... Whatever way you want to stick your oar into this military government and their road to unite Thai peoples, so far they have succeeded . I see all the infrastructure working well, buses, cars, rail services... peoples are going to work in relative safety and getting home to their families on time. Business is in pretty good shape apart from tourism... I see Thai peoples going on holidays regularly.. cheap weekend trains and buses to Cha-am, Pattaya, etc etc.. I see Thai peoples happy and smiling... thats important.. What I don't see is corrupt politicians and more corrupt policeman like Tarit running their own programs... Rock on Thailand and keep up the good work Mr Prayuth...

i saw all of that pre junta, with the exception of partisan showmanship and the replacement of non-regime officials with cronies.

[phoenixdoglover]

This article is a good example of "damning them with faint praise".

[elgordo38]

Guys, Guys, Guys..... Whatever way you want to stick your oar into this military government and their road to unite Thai peoples, so far they have succeeded . I see all the infrastructure working well, buses, cars, rail services... peoples are going to work in relative safety and getting home to their families on time. Business is in pretty good shape apart from tourism... I see Thai peoples going on holidays regularly.. cheap weekend trains and buses to Cha-am, Pattaya, etc etc.. I see Thai peoples happy and smiling... thats important.. What I don't see is corrupt politicians and more corrupt policeman like Tarit running their own programs... Rock on Thailand and keep up the good work Mr Prayuth...

Hmm really? Name their successes? I think on another thread someone ticked them off and there were no check marks.

[h90]

Guys, Guys, Guys..... Whatever way you want to stick your oar into this military government and their road to unite Thai peoples, so far they have succeeded . I see all the infrastructure working well, buses, cars, rail services... peoples are going to work in relative safety and getting home to their families on time. Business is in pretty good shape apart from tourism... I see Thai peoples going on holidays regularly.. cheap weekend trains and buses to Cha-am, Pattaya, etc etc.. I see Thai peoples happy and smiling... thats important.. What I don't see is corrupt politicians and more corrupt policeman like Tarit running their own programs... Rock on Thailand and keep up the good work Mr Prayuth...

Hmm really? Name their successes? I think on another thread someone ticked them off and there were no check marks.

have you been sleeping?

There were a 1000 cases from corrupt officials that got removed, a lot lands in nationalparks taken back. A lot great things....of course not enough because it is never enough but better than any government in the last 15 years.

[wowfactor10]

And at 6 PM we will all go back to the gogo bars..

[MZurf]

Guys, Guys, Guys..... Whatever way you want to stick your oar into this military government and their road to unite Thai peoples, so far they have succeeded . I see all the infrastructure working well, buses, cars, rail services... peoples are going to work in relative safety and getting home to their families on time. Business is in pretty good shape apart from tourism... I see Thai peoples going on holidays regularly.. cheap weekend trains and buses to Cha-am, Pattaya, etc etc.. I see Thai peoples happy and smiling... thats important.. What I don't see is corrupt politicians and more corrupt policeman like Tarit running their own programs... Rock on Thailand and keep up the good work Mr Prayuth...

I suggest you take a look at the ad that appeared below your post.....

[rametindallas]

Guys, Guys, Guys..... Whatever way you want to stick your oar into this military government and their road to unite Thai peoples, so far they have succeeded . I see all the infrastructure working well, buses, cars, rail services... peoples are going to work in relative safety and getting home to their families on time. Business is in pretty good shape apart from tourism... I see Thai peoples going on holidays regularly.. cheap weekend trains and buses to Cha-am, Pattaya, etc etc.. I see Thai peoples happy and smiling... thats important.. What I don't see is corrupt politicians and more corrupt policeman like Tarit running their own programs... Rock on Thailand and keep up the good work Mr Prayuth...

Are these government-issue rose tinted glasses you are wearing or can one buy them anywhere?

You don't need rose tinted glasses; you just need to open your eyes.

[Anon999]

Guys, Guys, Guys..... Whatever way you want to stick your oar into this military government and their road to unite Thai peoples, so far they have succeeded . I see all the infrastructure working well, buses, cars, rail services... peoples are going to work in relative safety and getting home to their families on time. Business is in pretty good shape apart from tourism... I see Thai peoples going on holidays regularly.. cheap weekend trains and buses to Cha-am, Pattaya, etc etc.. I see Thai peoples happy and smiling... thats important.. What I don't see is corrupt politicians and more corrupt policeman like Tarit running their own programs... Rock on Thailand and keep up the good work Mr Prayuth...

Hmm really? Name their successes? I think on another thread someone ticked them off and there were no check marks.

Not sure if you need a white stick or could get away with a visit to Specsavers?