Mobile Cabinet Meeting in Udon Thani

(18/02/2012)

The second mobile Cabinet meeting under the Yingluck Shinawatra administration is scheduled for 21-22 February 2012, in the northeastern province of Udon Thani. Prime Minister Yingluck will leave Bangkok for Loei province first, on 21 February 2012, before traveling by helicopter to Udon Thani to chair a meeting of the Regional Joint Public/Private Sector Consultative Committee. The Cabinet meeting will take place on February 22 at the auditorium of Udon Thani Rajabhat University in Muaeng district. The Office of the National Economic and Social Development Board will propose a number of projects for the Cabinet to consider during this meeting. The projects will be carried out in 12 northeastern provinces, namely Udon Thani, Nong Bua Lamphu, Nong Khai, Loei, Bueng Kan, Mukdahan, Sakon Nakhon, Nakhon Phanom, Khon Kaen, Maha Sarakham, Roi Et, and Kalasin. Among them are the construction of roads, the expansion of traffic lanes, water management, and tourism development. Another project seeks to develop Khon Kaen province as a center for public health services. Nakhon Phanom will also propose the construction of a regional health center and a convention for the Greater Mekong Subregion. President of the Federation of Thai Industries Payungsak Chartsutipol said that, at the upcoming meeting with the Cabinet in Udon Thani, the Regional Joint Public/Private Sector Consultative Committee would urge the Government to speed up the construction of a dual-rail link between Bangkok and Nong Khai, so that they would be completed by 2019. The private sector has also called for the acceleration of a high-speed train project, linking Bangkok with Nong Khai, as well as the improvement of transportation routes along the Mekong River, and the construction of a railway linking four provinces, namely Maha Sarakham, Roi Et, Mukdahan, and Nakhon Phanom. Other proposals include ways to promote trade and investment and develop the logistics system so that it is able to cope with economic growth in the northeastern region, connecting with neighboring countries. As for tourism promotion, the private sector will ask the Government to consider supporting the construction of a cable car project at the Phu Kradueng National Park in Loei. The mobile Cabinet meeting will provide a chance for ministers to visit local people to listen to their problems and follow up on the implementation of various government projects. Prime Minister Yingluck wanted a mobile Cabinet meeting to be held once a month. The first mobile Cabinet meeting took place in the northern province of Chiang Mai in January this year. After the second one in Udon Thani in February, the third one is scheduled for 19-20 March 2012 in the South, and the fourth one for 23-24 April 2012 in the central region.