PM pledges to improve people’s quality of life in Mae Hon Son

MAE HONG SON, Jan 17 (TNA) – Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o- cha vowed to improve quality of life of local people in poverty-stricken Mae Hon Song, based on tourism development during his one-day visit to this northern province. Gen Prayut led Cabinet members on a field trip to visit people in Mae Hong Son. He went to Hongson Suksa School and was briefed by provincial governor, Suebsak Iamvijarn that most of lands in the province are national parks and locals, consisting of seven ethnic groups earn a living on agriculture. One in four of the population registered with the authorities as low income earners to receive the government’s welfare. Moreover, most of the households in the province have earned incomes at the lowest of the poverty line of the country. Gen Prayut said that he acknowledged obstacles and difficulties there and wanted to tackle poverty. The government would bring development to the province, which is abundance in nature. Three months of tourism season in winter must be used as opportunities to create income for local people. He would order relevant officials to start working within two months. Transportation routes will be upgraded. He expected the changes would be seen in five years. Land allocation will allow farmers to own land legally to earn a living without forest encroachment. Mae Hong Son will be the model of the province, showing good management for co-existence of human and forest. The prime minister also visited the Pai Watershed Royal Project and Development Center, where he used to follow HM late King Bhumibol Adulyadej, taking field trips to initiate many project to create occupation for hill tribe people. (TNA)