PM urges all Thai agencies to prepare for AC

BANGKOK, September 16 (TNA) - Thai Prime Minister and Defence Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has told all government agencies to prepare for the ASEAN Community (AC), set to be formed by 2015, and to apply technologies to ensure transparency. Yingluck made the call in Bangkok on Monday when she delivered her speech on the Thai government's preparation for the AC at the annual meeting of the Office of the National Economic and Social Development Board (NESDB). Yingluck also pointed out that there have been many economic changes, including the fluctuation of the world economy, the appreciation of the Thai baht in the first half of this year, which has affected Thai exports, and the economic slowdown in Thailand's major export markets, namely the United States, Europe and Japan. Yingluck acknowledged that Thailand, therefore, needs to find new export markets and to more focus on traditional markets with potential. According to the prime minister, Thailand also needs to process and develop local farm products to increase their market values, as tourism alone has not made up for a drop in national income from exports. The prime minister said that her administration plans to apply more technologies in all government agencies to, especially, prevent corruption, control all official investment projects and guarantee transparency. Meanwhile, NESDB Secretary-General Arkhom Termpittayapaisith noted, as there is an ultimate goal to develop the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) into a single production base, member countries, including Thailand, thus needs to quickly cut their tariffs, end trade barriers, strengthen financial institutes, issue laws to protect investors and consumers, improve workers’ skills to meet industrial expansion, develop professions to embrace liberalization and support business operators in improving their production technologies in order to cut costs and to increase product values. (TNA)