THE NATION
BANGKOK: -- Interior Minister and Deputy Premier Yongyuth Wichaidit defended his record in running the Interior Ministry yesterday, saying the public may not be aware of much of the work because it was low profile. He also had to spend a lot of time accompanying Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra.
Yongyuth acknowledged some ministry work had been delayed, like disbursement of compensation to those affected by last year's flood, but asked for the opportunity to continue at the ministry.
His comments came as the government reported to the public on the achievements of all ministries.
Yongyuth said he had adhered to moral ethics and senior officials at the ministry were obliged to apply themselves to their work.
He vowed to better promote the one-tambon-one-product (OTOP) scheme both at home and abroad. This, Yongyuth said, was one of five major policies of the ministry.
The four other policies were: promotion of reverence towards the monarchy, as well as promoting unity and national reconciliation; preventing natural disasters via activities such as planting saplings, unclogging canals and helping those affected by such calamities; anti-corruption activities; cracking down on drugs, and monitoring night-time establishments.
Other ministry policies include providing a stipend for elderly and disabled people; providing identity cards and services to Thais who live abroad; and developing a hotline to facilitate better services to the public through the hotline 1567.
The Interior minister added that a new type of city- and rural- planning would be introduced to designate areas prone to drought and to recognise areas more susceptible to natural disaster.
The ministry was working with the King Prajadhipok's Institute, he said, to hold forums throughout the Kingdom and local colleges to discuss ways to achieve national reconciliation and on how to approach constitutional amendment.
-- The Nation 2012-09-04
