January 14, 2009
BANGKOK –Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva assured foreign governments that the country, which saw massive street protests and political crises last year, has achieved a measure of internal political stability since his appointment last December.
He said the results of by-elections for 29 parliament seats and the race for the Bangkok Governor's post on Sunday had sustained this momentum, and pledged that his government would do its utmost to ensure that this stability became ever more secure in the days and months ahead.
"I am sure that many of you have been following recent developments on the political scene in Thailand very closely and with great interest. The past year, indeed, has not been an easy one for my country as we have lived through some 'ups and downs' and, at times, complicated situations," he told Bangkok-based Diplomatic Corps and International Organisations on Wednesday.
Speaking at the Government House, which was seized by anti-government protesters and held for three months during the premiership of Samak Sundaravek and his successor Somchai Wongsawat, Abhisit said the country was now moving into a promising period of democratic transition.
"The transition will ensure harmony in our society, contentment for our people, and confidence amongst our friends," said Abhisit, the Democrat leader who became the country's 27th prime minister after Somchai was banned from politics for five years and his People's Power Party (PPP) dissolved by the court for election fraud.
Abhisit said his coalition government assumed office through the democratic parliamentary process and was committed to fostering reconciliation and harmony in Thai society.
On the economy, he said Thailand's economic fundamentals remained strong and the government considered the revitalisation of the economy and the restoration of confidence in the business sector to be tasks of the highest and imminent priority.
He said the government recently launched a 116 billion baht stimulus package of short-and long-term measures that included cost subsidies for basic services, job training and community development projects, tax incentives, and financial aid for employees and companies.
On the international front, Abhisit, who plans to attend the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland at the end of this month, said Thailand would host the 14th Asean Summit in Hua Hin from Feb 27 to March 1, after being postponed from last December and venue changed from Bangkok originally and then Chiang Mai.
"We are ready to host this Summit and to carry out our duties as Asean Chair throughout the year as the forum moves to implement the Asean Charter," he said. The Summit was delayed after protesters closed down Bangkok's two major airports in November.
But despite Abhisit's assurance of political stability, he remains haunted by supporters of the former PPP and ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, as the group known as Red Shirts wanted to continue egg-pelting against government leaders and plans to target the premier when he speaks at a dinner talk to the foreign media.
