Thai PM introduces national strategies for 2014

BANGKOK, January 22 (TNA) - Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has introduced her policies to heads of government offices and provincial governors and explained new infrastructure development projects aimed at enhancing national competitiveness, insisting that her government has attached great importance to people’s incomes. Yingluck introduced the policies, national strategies, the 2014 fiscal budget and a plan to borrow 2.2 trillion baht to fund the new infrastructure development projects to the high ranking officials at a meeting in Bangkok on Tuesday. Elaborating on four national strategies to prepare Thailand for the ASEAN Community (AC), set to be formed by 2015, Yingluck noted that her government will enhance national competitiveness to make Thailand become a middle-income country in the future, instead of a low-income one. Besides, her government will reduce economic, political and social inequality in the country, raise people's quality of life, conserve the environment and improve national administration. The prime minister said she believes that the four strategies will lead to the sustainable development of Thailand, in accordance with the sufficiency economy guideline of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej. According to the prime minister, Thailand's foreign exchange reserves now stand at 48 per cent of the country's gross domestic product (GDP), which is higher than expected. The prime minister also projected that Thailand's GDP growth this year should be about 5.5 per cent. (TNA)