PM chairs meeting with governors of lower northeastern provinces

BURI RAM, May 8 (TNA) - Before the cabinet retreat on Tuesday morning, Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-ocha presided over the meeting on economic and social development of the Lower Northeastern provincial cluster I ("Nakhon-Chai-Bu-Rin") at Buri Ram Rajabhat University. Wearing locally-made Phu Akkhanee ภูอัคนี fabric, dying with volcanic soil and tree bark from trees, Gen Prayut saw the exhibition, displaying OTOP local products, available aboard Thai Airways flights, Thai silk products, rice tea, bean cake with salted egg yolk. The prime minister suggested that local products and tourist destinations have been developed to be the source of income in local communities. He chaired the meeting on economic and social development of Nakhon-Chai-Bu-Rin, comprising Nakhon Ratchasima, Chaiyaphum, Buri Ram and Surin, attended by provincial governors. He said his field trip to lower northeastern province was not politically motivated. It is the two-way communication that the government maps out the master plan and also listens to people’s opinion, so the development plan will go in the same direction. However, the budget allocation will be considered in the Cabinet meeting and the government cannot give all budgets as requested by each province. The budget must be shared to the whole country to reduce disparity and inequality, he added. (TNA)