Monday, December 21, 2009

Opposition slams govt ahead of annual report

21/12/2009
Bangkok Post

The government has failed to solve the country's economic problems during its first year in office, instead plunging it deeply into debt, and allowed corruption to plague its administration, the main opposition party, Puea Thai, said on Monday.

The opposition's assessment of the government's performance came two days ahead of the government's first-year report to the people on Wednesday.

Party deputy leader Panpree Mahithanukorn said it was understandable that the government had limitations in its attempts to solve the economic problems.

"But the government always cites political conflict as an obstruction. We want it to be more efficient in its management and administration," Mr Panpree said.

He said the government had not done what the people expected; the economic ministers had not been reshuffled to better suit their capabilities; and corruption had been allowed to continue unabated.

The government's 99-day policies - particularly the ones to lift subsidies for the Oil Fund, solve the insurgency problem in the three southernmost border provinces, reconcile parties in conflict, and solve the drugs problem - had not been achieved.

Mr Panpree said the government had put the country in debt to the tune of 530.597 billion baht. Of the 400-bilion-baht loan authorised under an executive decree, the government used about 50 billion baht to shore up the budget shortfall and set aside 350 billion baht for economic stimulus projects.

But, as of Dec 11 this year it had disbursed only 21 billion baht to increase the capital of state-run banks and 6.8 billion baht on investment projects.

To conclude, the government had spent only about 5 per cent of the loan funds to stimulate the economy.

Therefore, the government's attempt to stimulate the economy had failed.

Important economic ministries such as Commerce, Industry, Tourism and Sports, Information Technology, and Science and Technology, and had not expedited their spending to spur the economy, Mr Panpree said.

He said the government had never made clear how it would restructure taxation.

The government was also likely to fail in its refinance scheme to help people in debt for lack of proper understanding and expertise.

In the most obvious case of failure, the Fiscal Policy Office estimated the suspension of 65 Map Ta Phut projects would cause the projected 2010 gross domestic product (GDP) to drop by 0.5 per cent, Mr Panpree said.

Bangkok MP Anudit Nakhonthap, as Puea Thai's head of anti-corruption office, said the government's projects had been plagued with corruption.

They included projects for sufficiency economy communities, the 4,000 NGV buses, installation of CCTV cameras in southern insurgency-plagued provinces, and purchases of supplies for the Public Health and Education ministries, he said.

Mr Anudit said all corruption cases would be raised during the no-confidence debate against the government early next year.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said the government is prepared to call a general election if three preconditions are met.

The conditions are: the government must be allowed to solve the country's economic problems; the red-shirts end their rallies, which only widen the divisions in society; and the main opposition party backs the constitutional amendment process, he said.

"Dissolving the House is not a problem once the economy improves. It will not take longer than six to seven months to amend the constitution if the opposition party joins the charter change process. And if Mr Thaksin [Shinawatra] and the red-shirts show that they will not use violence to obstruct this. Then I would be willing to [dissolve the House]," Mr Abhisit told reporters.

Mr Abhisit reaffirmed that the government would not negotiate with ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra unless he re-enters Thailand's justice system.

On Puea Thai Party MP Jatuporn Promphan's threat to reveal confidential documents about the foreign minister, Mr Abhisit said the government is ready to clarify all issues.

Mr Jatuporn said on Monday he would reveal Foreign Ministry's additional documents outlinging a plot to eliminate Thaksin on Wednesday.

The Puea Thai party-list MP had earlier promised to reveal the documents on Sunday.

Mr Jatuporn said it was not correct he had delayed his exposure of the evidence because the documents were unclear.

The new date was intended to counter the government's delivery of its first-year-in-office report on Dec 23.

He said the had none additional pages which clearly outlined Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya's suggested steps to be taken against Thaksin.

Mr Kasit had said earlier the documents do exist but contain only an assessment of the situation.

However, the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship leader said they actually outline a "plot" to eliminate the fugitive former prime minister.

Mr Jatuporn last Friday leaked the first set of documents which contained an analysis of Thai-Cambodian relations and recommendations for future action in dealing with Cambodia. The documents were sent to Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva.

He said on Monday the additional documents he would reveal on Wednesday tell all about Mr Kasit's attitude towards Thaksin.

Thaksin set out four preconditions for peace talks on his Twitter account on Monday: restoration of the 1997 constitution; a general election; a fair trial on all the cases against him, both those already judged and those pending; and the return of his legally acquired assets currently frozen by the government.

No comments: