Investors Convinced That Surayud Can Solve Southern Issues

[Jai Dee]

Investors in the South are convinced that PM Surayud can solve southern issues

The President of the Yala Provincial Chamber of Commerce, Mr. Poj Paiboonkasemsut, said investors in the southern border provinces have become more confident after the royal command has appointed Gen. Surayud Chulanont as the 24th Prime Minister of Thailand. Mr. Poj would also like the new premier to speedily solve the southern unrest.

Mr. Poj said that many business operators in the South are satisfied with the appointment of Gen. Surayud because he has a deep understanding of the problems in this region. In addition, the new Prime Minister has continually visited the South and acknowledged the current problems in the areas. Thus, Mr. Poj is convinced that the social and economic issues in the South will improve.

The President of the Yala Provincial Chamber of Commerce would like Gen. Surayud to regard the southern unrest as the main priority. He also would like the new premier to continue assist the business operators in the southern region.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 02 October 2006

[Jai Dee]

Southern businessmen are confident of the new PM

Business operators are confident that the new Prime Minister, Gen. Surayud Chulanont, will be able to quickly bring about unity and restore peace in Thailand.

PTT President Prasert Bunsumpun said the appointment of Gen. Surayud is deemed appropriate in all areas, adding that members of the public and all sides, including the army and business operators, have all accepted the new Prime Minister. Mr. Prasert said this is a proper time for Gen. Surayud to administer the country during the current situation. He also believes that the situation in Thailand will return to normal and social unity would be developed after next year because the national legal reformation would be improved.

The new Prime Minister will set up a new team to mobilize and improve the country’s economy.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 02 October 2006

[Jai Dee]

Business operators in Narathiwat are confident and feel more secured, following the appointment of new PM

Business operators in the southern province of Narathiwat are confident that Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont will be able to end the ongoing southern turbulence. They believe that the new Prime Minister is sincere, ethical, and has a clear direction to unite people and restore the regional economy.

Mr. Somboon Boonthamrongkit, the President of the Chamber of Commerce in Narathiwat Province, said Gen. Surayud gives importance to the policy to solve the unrest in the three southernmost provinces. Mr. Somboon believes that the Prime Minister will be able to alleviate various situations. He would like the general public to give some time for the government officials to operate in the South.

He said once the southern region is peaceful, businessmen would be more confident and feel more secured, and there would be more trading activities along the border areas between Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore. The industrial sector would also be revived, and unemployment problem in Narathiwat will be solved.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 03 October 2006

[Jai Dee]

New PM has ways to solve unrest problems

Unity and Justification Consulting Director Paiboon Wattanasiritham (ไพบูลย์ วัฒนศิริธรรม) indicated that the new Prime Minister, Gen. Surayud Chulanont, has a compelling personality to unite people, and believes that he has a clear way in solving the social disorder, especially in the three southern border provinces of Thailand.

Mr.Paiboon said he will have a meeting with his panel on the work direction and the coordination with the National Security Council, but he does not want to voice his opinion on this issue at the moment because many people may perceive it as a directive statement. He said he personally thinks the new Prime Minister and National Security Council chief have some adequate ways of solving various problems. Thus, his consulting committee is just a supplementary tool to reflect the issues and ideas for further consideration.

The Unity and Justification Consulting Director also said the National Reconciliation Commission has many methods to solve different situations in the deep South.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 03 October 2006

[Jai Dee]

Muslim leader urges new PM to end southern violence

A Muslim leader in Pattani, Mr. Yakoh Raiemanee (ยะโก๊บ หร่ายมณี), has urged new Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont to solve the unrest situation in the three southernmost provinces of Thailand.

Mr. Yakoh said Prime Minister Surayud is well accepted among the general public, and believes that he can develop social reconciliation. However, Mr. Yakoh would like Gen. Surayud to quickly end the southern unrest, improve the education system in the South, and put an end to the daily killings in this region.

Besides, he has requested the new government to promote the human resources in the South and provide them with trainings and job opportunities so the local villagers would earn more revenues.

He said that if the government can provide education to the local people, the number of violent incidents will decrease.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 03 October 2006

[Jai Dee]

Betong entrepreneur asks new PM solve problems in the south sincerely

Business operators in Betong District of Yala Province would like Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont to make use of his sincerity to solve the problems in the southern region of Thailand.

Mrs. Maneejira Shunuan (มนีจิรา ชูนวล), a business operator in Betong, spoke about the economic outlook in Betong following the coup of the Council for Democratic Reform (CDR). She said business operators there have expressed their confidence that the local economy will improve because the officials in the past lacked consistency in tackling the southern unrest. As a result, some business operators were not confident enough to invest in the region. However, Mrs. Maneejira believes that the economic situation in Betong will improve once the operational framework has been adjusted and the Prime Minister is straightforward in dealing with the regional issues.

She also begged Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont to be honest in solving the enduring problems in the southern border provinces. People in the area are also more willing to help the government officers to bring peace back to the far South of Thailand.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 03 October 2006

[Jai Dee]

The policy to tackle southern unrest will be clearer after Cabinet has been set up

Army Capt. Yongyuth Maiyalarp (ยงยุทธ มัยลาภ), the newly appointed Spokesman of the Prime Minister’s Office, indicated that the policy to solve the southern unrest will be clearer after the new Cabinet has been set up.

Army Capt. Yongyuth said policy to work on the turbulence in the deep South will be more apparent, once the Cabinet has been established. He said the Cabinet is expected to be formed within this week, as mentioned earlier by Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont.

The policy will be reconsidered again, and the work direction would concentrate on social ethics, justice and transparency from all sides. Referring to the southern problems, he said people have not united, and they have noticeably divided themselves from each other.

However, the spokesman stated that the government is ready to listen to all constructive ideas from different sides.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 04 October 2006