Good evening dear Thai citizens.

This week, I would like to mention an example of perseverance and success highlighted in the Story of Mahajanaka by His Majesty the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej, King Rama IX, through the example of “Pro May” or Ariya Jutanugarn, who is now ranked world’s number 1. She shows us that nothing is impossible and that success comes from perseverance.

There were also many supporting factors behind her success, such as the invaluable support from her family. However, the most important element is perseverance and commitment, always pushing oneself to successfully overcome obstacles.

On behalf of the Thai people, I would like to congratulate Pro May and express our appreciation to her for bringing happiness to the Thai people once again. There is another message that can be taken from  Pro May’s example, which can inspire all of us as we try to overcome our challenges in life and in work.

This is the notion that being No.1 is not as important as being happy or satisfied, meaning in doing something that you love or enjoy. This involves having a dream or a goal that you want to achieve, so that you are motivated to work, with a clear plan and steps, to move forward in the direction you set your mind to. With perseverance, you will reach your goals.

My fellow citizens, when speaking of Pro May’s path to success, I would like us to compare our nation to an athlete. Imagine that Thailand is an athlete who is competing against competitors from around the world. How are we going to lead Thailand to success? What are the nation’s problems that need to be solved?

What reforms have to be initiated? What do we have to invest in to strengthen the country’s competitive advantage? Finally, what strategies should we employ to improve ourselves so that we can attain our goals for the country to achieve stability, prosperity, and sustainability.

For me personally, I compare Thailand to an unwell athlete who needs 3 kinds of treatment. This is only my person opinion. The first one is physical treatment, which refers to the administrative structure that may not be able to fully serve all the citizens and address social disparities, not to mention the problem of corruption, which remains a key priority for the government to tackle, unlike what has occurred in in the past.

We have to address the matters of bribers and receivers, ensure the credibility of the justice system, conduct investigations and audits, oversee all bidding processes, and consider the evidence which can come from governmental agencies or the public. These problems have to be addressed; otherwise, our economic structures will not be connected into a value chain, while our infrastructure will not develop to match global developments. We have had many obstacles, conflicts, and many other problems in the past, which have prevented us from achieving many things.

The second type is likened to a “spiritual illness”, which refers to conflicts, divisiveness, and the lack of reconciliation in our society, which has prevented us from being “united in spirit”, as remarked by His Majesty the late King through His saying of “to understand, love and unite”. The lack of mutual support and encouragement among us can also hinder our motivation to move forward and make progress.

The third type is the “illness in reasoning” which refers to the lack of understanding in principles such as democracy, human rights, freedom, and civic duties. We also lack a foundation of analytical thinking, which is systematic and based on reason and analysis. All this has created the symptoms of being “physically and spiritually unwell”, which have not been properly treated in the past. The key issue is that the poor and the low-income earners face the most problems. We must understand their predicament. How can they earn enough? We cannot force solutions but have to address this problem systematically. If we can reduce social disparities, other problems will start to dissipate.

The current administration has spent the past three years trying to address and turn around many situations, so that Thailand can regain focus and direction on many important international developments and issues. Today we have received confidence in the international stage on several issues such as the ivory trade (CITES), illegal fishing (IUU), civil aviation (ICAO), human trafficking, migrant workers, forced labor, and tackling corruption.

This has led to better rankings of Thailand in several surveys by international institutions. For instance, Thailand has been named as the best country in the world to start a business by U.S. News. This is our second consecutive year. I have mentioned about this fact before in the past.

With that said, I believe Thailand has great potential in many areas. We have the potential to become a hub in many areas such as foods, herbal medicines, tourism and sports, aviation, and industry. To do so, we have to treat the aforementioned illnesses and work more strategically. We must work together.

The government and the NCPO are working constantly to fix these problems systematically and through integrated cooperation in spite of lingering conflicts and disagreements. This is why we need to fix the administrative system through collaboration, the 20-year National Strategy, reforms, and national reconciliation, and  with the adoption of the Sufficiency Economy Philosophy as the foundation of sustainable development.

For us to return to being a ‘healthy athlete’, we will need to focus on building resilience in our economic and social structures especially at the grassroots level. We are used to looking at the economy from a macro perspective as opposed to paying attention to the micro level. We must look at it from all angles – large, medium, and small, including the grassroots economy. There are many poor and underprivileged people. 14 million of them have registered with the government.

There are many undertakings to address this today. The first one is the state welfare program. The first round of registration saw 8.3 million applicants and the second round saw 14 million. The number in the second round rose from the first round, which indicates that the program has been well-received by the public. Registration is not a onetime process but has to be done every year so that we have accurate and updated information that reflect the demographics of our people. Related agencies will benefit from this information. They will be able to formulate policies and measures to help the people in a sustainable manner. This way, we can make the best use of our tax revenue to meet the actual needs of the people. For this, we have to categorize groups with different needs. Laws and methods may need to be adapted while plans are developed according to people’s real needs.

Today, 25% or one fourth of the population numbering 70 million have applied for the program. These people have been poor for a long time. We will need to verify their qualifications. 70,000 students are being hired to check the qualifications of all applicants. The intention here is also to help these students earn money for themselves. The students will check people’s living conditions, their monthly incomes, which has to be lower than 8,400 baht. Qualified farmers must not own more than 10 rai of land.

Qualification verification helps to improve the program and prevents imposters from taking advantage of  state funds. This process will be completed within August. Afterwards, the Finance Ministry will issue welfare cards to all qualified applicants in October. The cards will give them access to various public services. There will be more services in the future.

These services will cater to the needs of targeted groups. Many people have distorted this information by saying certain services will be cut. I have never said that we will reduce existing services. Rather, we will try to offer more services under the budget we have, but more studies will be needed beforehand. Governmental agencies will have to sit down and discuss how the money will be spent according to the country’s financial regulations.

Many services are being considered and studied by every Ministry. Many services will be improved or expanded to help with lowering daily expenses, income generation, and creating more opportunities in terms of career and financial sources. There could also be new measures that result from public suggestions.

You can give us your suggestions and I will give you as much help as I can. There will be short-term measures to alleviate hardships and long-term measures for sustainability. I will give you the details of these measures later. Please be patient. You can check on the list of qualified individuals on this website, for additional information.
(www.epayment.go.th. Hotline 1359)

Moreover, the government values every group in society, especially the disabled and the underprivileged. The aim is to change social attitudes and perceptions to acknowledge that every individual is valuable to society, according to their expertise and potential.

We have a singer-musician program for the disabled, particularly the blind. The program is called “From Street to Star” or S2S. Here, people with visual disabilities can be trained and are given a chance to have their own albums and perform at concerts, so they can earn money.

The program was launched under the Pracharat approach, led by the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security. The ministry issues regulations while the private sector such as the Thailand Association of the Blind, GMM Grammy, RS, and True will recruit skilled singers and help them make their dreams come true.

An S2S concert has taken place recently, which also featured many renowned singers in Thailand. The concert proved to be a great success and was broadcast live via the internet with more than 200,000 viewers, 90% of whom wanted it to be an annual event. Many singers under the S2S program were given a contract with producers.

This involved great cooperation from all sectors, as we must not leave anyone behind.  The program is in line with the government’s efforts to empower the disabled in a sustainable way.
While we are on this subject, I would like to thank and offer my moral support to “Nong Tao-Ee” or Thammasamit Nawasetthakul who is battling myasthenia, along with others experiencing the same conditions. He is a good example and a good inspiration for others.

1) He never gives up, despite having such physical conditions. Nong Tao-Ee continues to live his life like a normal kid such as going to school, joining activities, and contributing to the society.

2) Nong Tao-Ee’s kindness and care for others has gave me and the government powerful motivation to serve our nation and the people. I think is very important for today’s society, especially during this transition. We need encouragement, understanding, and cooperation.

If society has more of this, made known to us through the media, I believe it will create a more peaceful and caring society, as once remarked by His Majesty the late King, King Rama IX that, “A society with generosity and good intentions will enjoy good companionships, friendships, happiness, and peace”

My fellow citizens, I recently raised 4 open-ended questions in the hopes of raising public awareness by giving everyone an opportunity to voice their thoughts and opinions on the country’s future and the possible solutions to the country’s problems. Many things are moving forward in line with the Roadmap. Organic laws are being drafted. If we hold different views and our organic laws become problematic, the country’s progress could be hindered. Therefore, they are in accordance with intentions of the 2017 constitution.

They should also motivate society to think about future problems and political deadlocks in the past, which has led to the existence of the current government and the NCPO. It is common that we hold different opinions. There are 70 million people in Thailand and political ideologies had permeated through all facets if life, even into families. I think the situation has improved now.

I think it is time that everyone come together and open their minds to matters that will not end up in conflict. What should we do to have an elected government that will uphold good governance and is void of corrupt politicians, in order to administer the country with a strategy and undergo real reforms?

Many people are missing the point and think that this is a poll to study the government’s popularity, paving the way for the government to retain power. I am a bit saddened by this, that the matter has created some political conflict. It is the last thing I wanted.

If such public responses are not influenced or manipulated, I believe that they will be useful and will benefit the country as a whole. Everyone can take part in finding the solutions to the country’s problems. This is a platform for everyone to express themselves. This is your opportunity to make your voices heard. I am open to all opinions. We have a collective responsibility as the owners of this nation. This was not done to gain popularity or to criticize politicians. I listen to every side and everyone. Many people already understand this. If you wish to voice your suggestions, I am more than willing to listen. Please think of the ways you can help and cooperate with the government.

The government and the NCPO have been in office for 3 years and have been pushing for public-private cooperation, because the government alone cannot achieve its goals without collaboration from the private sector, civil society, academics, the public, and NGOs.

Therefore, the state sector has to step up its role, not just to provide public services and enforce the law, but also to find solutions to people’s problems. “State sector” means the government at the policy level, and the civil servants implementing those policies while working with other sectors to achieve the goals.

This has now been made a national agenda. This year is the year of facilitating the public, to stamp out urgent social problems and serve the public. This is our target for this year. With that said, we have to start by fostering better understanding of the issues we face and the problems we need to address. There are 50 topics that the government wants to bring to light, so that everyone can be on the same page when mobilizing and reforming the nation. What would you do to achieve the following goals? Today, I will present to you 50 topics.

1) How can we ensure sustainable growth for the nation? We must bring development to all regions, provinces, and communities. They have to grow according to their capabilities and today’s circumstances.
2) How can we simultaneously improve the macro and micro level economies?

3) How can we connect the value chain and distribute wealth at all levels? By nature the economics, most of the profits will go to the top because they are investors. They have higher risks, hence higher returns. They could either gain or lose. It is possible that they will make substantial profits. Shareholders can make substantial profits. They have high risks. They could also lose everything. Therefore, linking the value chain can help the country get rid of monopolization or market-cornering and nepotism, while at the same time promoting mutual benefits and gains.

4) How can we distribute wealth to all areas? Some areas are very poor. Some have no roads. However, it is impossible to develop all our areas at once. Everything has to upgraded to a minimum level, before expanding into other areas. For instance roads will have to be enlarged to 3- 4 or 6 lanes. We also have to focus on connecting the infrastructure.

5) How can we ensure transparency and efficacy in the disbursement of funds among government agencies and state enterprises?
6) How can we increase the government’s revenue so that there is enough money for public services, education, public health, transportation, electricity, energy, and everything else? Some public services are even free. We will need more to spend more money in the future, given the increase in the number of the population, not to mention the fact that there will be an aging society. We have to brace ourselves for all these possible scenarios.

7)  How can low-income earners support themselves? They have to be able live in a globalized society centered on modern technologies. How can we adopt to changes and new technologies for the maximum benefit for everyone?

8) How can we take care of every group of people with the limited budget that we have?
9) How will we take care of the low-income earners, starting with promoting social equality, reducing disparities, and distributing wealth? Then we can move on to creating value, building connectivity, empowering the people, and sustainably increasing the country’s competitiveness.

10) How will we give the low-income earners, especially those who earn their livelihoods illegally, alternative vocations to switch to honest living so that they do not have to break the law? They can become traders and freelancers. All grey businesses undermine national security. These businesses can lead to traffic woes, the lack of discipline, filthiness, and the lack of quality, cleanliness, and standards. We have to do it the right way.

11) Social and economic developments have to be friendly to the environment. We are promoting the protection of human rights in the business sector. We have to respect, protect, and rehabilitate people whose rights have been violated when it comes to doing business.

We also need to focus on the management of natural resources in the production, agriculture, and the industrial sectors. All management must be balanced and sustainable. Business and environmental protection have to be done at the same time.

12) We have to use natural resources more efficiently such as soil and water, which are very limited. We have to use fewer resources and increase productivity as well as increase the value of the products. If you have a lot of land, but little water, you will not grow much.

13) We have to protect the forests from encroachers. We have been successful so far, but a few remain. Therefore, we must introduce severe and appropriate punishments. Authorities must do the right thing.

We have to have the right approach to managing land, water sources, the production sector, agriculture, and the industrial sector. We must have to manage our forests appropriately. It is difficult to rehabilitate a destroyed forest. It would be much easier to live and co-exist with the nature. There will be more forests and people will be happier.

14) We have to secure our country, promote peacefulness, and ensure the safety of the people and their properties.
15) We have to teach Thai people about sufficiency and how to apply it to daily life. Sufficiency is the most important thing in today’s society.

16) How we encourage Thai people to put the nation’s interests before their own?  If the whole nation benefits, then everyone will be better off. If there is no infrastructure development, no investment, how will people benefit in the end?

17) How can we have Thai people respect the law, have social conscience, uphold justice and fairness without using personal excuses such as poverty, the lack of knowledge, and convenience?

18)  How can Thai people behave more selflessly? Everyone should uphold the common good, be more patient, and help to reduce social disparities, promote justice, and respect the law. We must not use unreasonable excuses such as limitless freedom, poverty, or wealth to justify impunity.

19) We have to instill a social conscience in people. People must make sacrifices, be honest and truthful, be generous, and most importantly never forget the uniqueness of being Thai.
20) We have to reduce social problems such as crime, domestic violence, and the violation of the laws, all of which will negatively affect the society and the country as a whole.

21) How can we build a mechanism to prevent corrupt people from exploiting legal loopholes for person gains? We must have a justice system that reduces inequalities by giving everyone equal access to the judicial system. We have the Justice Fund as a good example.

22) How can Thai people be proud of their nation? This is most important. We take pride in our history and unique culture. This is the beauty of Thailand. At the same time, we have to adapt ourselves to globalization.

23) How can Thai children and youngsters become upstanding citizens with the knowledge and the will to help develop the nation?
24) We have to build a learning process that focuses on improving analytical skills for Thai people.

25) We have to build trust among the people, civil servants, the police, military officers, and other sectors of society. We have to trust each other more, take care of each other more, sympathize more, and live under the same rules which everyone respects, so that there will be no conflicts. Law enforcers and the public have to find common ground.

26) How can Thai people have more trust in the justice system and the duties of government officials? The administrative branch, the judicial branch, and the legislative branch have to build this trust, so that people can have more confidence in governmental agencies.

27. How can we boost trust and confidence in government officials?
28. How can we make our country more organized, clean, and beautiful, where people from all groups and occupations can make an honest living while being free from causing negative impacts towards one another?

29. How do we promote proper use of social media by creating awareness and enabling people to make appropriate decisions and process information based on sound reasoning?

30. How can we encourage Thai people to see the importance of a healthy lifestyle? I would like people to take on preventative measures instead of focusing on treatment when the problem has already begun. We must address this issue within the household and our public health policy.

31.  How do we create the understanding that sometimes we cannot make demands on things that are not appropriate as they detrimentally can affect others?

32. How can we solve long-standing problems in a sustainable manner such as crowded communities and traffic congestion in Bangkok?

33.  How can we make people happy and satisfied in their own contexts and get them comfortable with social norms, as well as regulations that must be in place to ensure peaceful coexistence?

34.  How do we promote gender equality in Thailand and respect for women, children, the elderly, the disabled, and the underprivileged?

35.  How can we encourage people to contribute towards waste separation and reduction and knowing how they can contribute towards reversing global warming by reducing their use of electricity and plastic bags?

36.  How can Thai people understand the principles of democracy and peaceful coexistence as they relate to working together, holding to the principles of the majority while also caring for minority groups, reducing conflicts, and the use of rights and freedoms within reasonable parameters?

This is because there are many mechanisms in place, whether it be domestic or international commitments.

37. How can people understand the purpose of public hearings, referendums, and a democracy? A good citizen should know their duties in accordance with the law. We must not allow anyone to distort facts for their own personal gain at the expense of the general public.

38. How can we ensure that all sectors and the political landscape are ethical and that an election produces a government that practices good governance, takes into account the interests of the nation and the majority while not forgetting to care for minority groups? The duty of politicians and political parties is to take care of the whole country, not just their constituency. This is what this administration is doing now.

39. How can we get the private sector, civil society, and NGOs to collaborate with the government for the interests of the nation instead of only their own interests? Try taking into account the rights of the country as a whole. We have cared for individual rights and community rights. We need to look at how our country ensures human rights at a national level.

40. How can we build energy security and national development both economically and socially in a sustainable manner?

41. How can Thais understand the problems of the nation and society and know where the true causes are from? Once we know this, how can we move forward to solving these issues? If we continue to think and act separately according to separate agendas and principles, we will not be able to bring about change and development.

For example, we must develop ourselves, create a connecting chain to reform our economy, develop the agricultural sector in hand with elevating the industrial sector, promoting mutual benficial ties between stakeholders that may require sacrifices and concessions in exchange of additional benefits throughout time. For example, we must consider how we can provide payments and various rewards

to compensate for land expropriation such as shared benefits from projects. The Thai people should think of how they can best utilize the land they own and not leave it vacant, underutilized, and unbeneficial.

42. How can we ensure that laws are revised so that they are updated, fair, implementable, devoid of conflict, and are a result of discussions between many parties? If lawmakers, law enforcers, and the public stand on different sides without a shared basis of agreement, there will be no real benefit to the greater good. Instead of benefits, problems will spread instead because of conflicting positions.

43. How do we resolve the country’s problems while fulfilling our obligations to the world community, including bilateral and multilateral agreements?

44 How can we take advantage of our geopolitical position as the geographic center of ASEAN by fully empowering and enhancing our competitiveness within the ASEAN and other cooperative frameworks?

45. How can we make Thailand and CLMV countries stronger in the form of strategic partners? Thailand will be affected by whatever problems and threats faced by these member nations and we must therefore provide support and cooperate in finding peaceful solutions.

46. How do we elevate the country’s stature on the world stage and find the opportunity to lead in solving problems, especially in areas where we have the potential and expertise?

47. How do we ensure that Thailand does not get involved with global conflicts, while continuing to support UN resolutions? We must consider how we define our role and relations with other countries so that we are not at risk. We must, however, contribute towards solving global problems.

48. How can we elevate the country towards constructive and leadership roles?  People say we should also have a “Thailand first” policy. I think we should aim to be a key player in food, tourism, and culture, and areas where we already have potential. We will be able to maintain our interests in other areas through cooperation on a number of issues.

49.  How can we get the media and Thai people to realize the consequences of spreading news, whether with good or bad intentions, as it relates to how it affects society and international credibility? News and information will affect the country in various ways such as trade, investments, and exports, which then affects the well-being and revenue of the people.

50.  How can the Thai people be grounded in the national pillars of nation, religion, and the monarchy? What I have listed here are things that the government has been working on throughout this time. I am addressing these matters in order to give people an opportunity to contribute towards solving the country’s problems. Please take into consideration these issues with a critical lens and think about how we can help reduce conflicts and come up with real solutions together.

The success of these agendas can only be the result of concerted efforts by civil servants and the public through the Pracharat model.

There are still many problems that this nation faces and many areas that we must reform. I hope that people will come together to find solutions. Through cooperation, law enforcement or forcing things through is less necessary and thereby reduces tensions and conflict in society. Laws have become more strict and severe. If we do not first reform ourselves, these laws can cause further conflict. It starts at the basic issues, such as traffic laws or generic laws that we must follow in order to have a peaceful and orderly society. If we follow these laws, other things will eventually improve.

My fellow Thai citizens, there are many other things that I would like to discuss with you, such as
1) I want everyone to be physically and mentally healthy. I want people to have regular exercise habits. I myself have an exercise pattern. It shows that some exercise is better than doing nothing, as it would prevent many illnesses in the future.

I have ordered all departments of all ministries, civilian groups, police, and military to organize exercise activities on the holidays.  It does not have to be a huge event and it does not have to be mandatory. For example, agencies can hold exercising events on the first three Sundays of the month.

Then, on the last Sunday, they can do other activities such as street cleaning, gardening, painting, or waste disposal.  These types of activities promote unity instead of being conflict with the law all the time. It is also a way to promote exercising and fitness.

The private sector such as malls should also look at how they are promoting exercise. Please make sure that this is optional. I have encouraged activities at parks such as live music events, activities for children, and ways that families can spend more time together during the holidays. This could help create a friendlier society and reduce problems in families. Contributions to the public and generosity will strengthen our resolve and motivate us to work harder for our families, communities, and the nation.

2. I would like to thank media outlets and columnists that have raised awareness of what the government has been doing and being a force for change for the better. Please continue to promote cooperation, highlight success stories, and point out areas that need improvement. Please also refer to information from the government as well, instead of listening to only one side. Please also connect information from both the local level and the central government to ensure congruence. I ask that the media listen to the views of the government instead of only the views of certain groups, as there are many distortions of information at this time.

3 Reforming the public health system – we have many needs, but the government has confirmed many times that no one will get anything less than what they already have. However, we have to find a way to ensure that everyone has access to these privileges, while remaining consistent with the limited budget we have.

The government is constantly thinking of how to do more, who will integrate functions, who will oversee and spearhead policies or reduce duplication of responsibilities, and how to ensure that the budget is used appropriately according to the objectives and the government’s policies of providing healthcare for the public. It is the duty of the government, the bureaucracy, civil groups, NGOs, and human rights organizations to serve the people,

instead of building influence or popularity by spending money only on certain groups. We must set clear targets of who, when, and where to allocate our budget for transparency. Today, our public health budget is created by the National Health Security Office, the Thai Health Promotion Foundation, and the Ministry of Public Health.

We must figure out how we can disperse our budget fairly throughout the regions in order to solve bureaucratic issues and conflicts, to ensure that the budget goes towards caring for civil servants and the people. We must integrate our efforts to ensure that everyone involved fully reaps the benefits of our public healthcare budget.

Agencies must be on the same page with policies and personnel allocation. The Ministry of Public Health must carefully study the details, improve upon past mistakes, and take into consideration suggestions by the public. We must measure our success based on how more effective we are able to provide healthcare coverage for the public.

We must identify issues and consider how we can revise issues through the legislative process. This way, our solutions will be accepted by the public. That is why I have called for amendments to be Public Health Act by the Ministry of Public Health.

We do not aim to reduce any programs as people have accused us of doing, but wish to elevate these programs and address budgetary and managerial issues to ensure efficiency and more coverage.

4.  Regional leaders all have the opportunity to encourage people to participate in constructive activities that would allow for more contact and discussions that are beneficial, whether they be at the sub-district, district, provincial, municipal, or community levels. Please refrain from creating conflict though.

This also goes for agricultural groups. Many groups at this time are facing problems. Please partake more in cooperative activities instead of opposing, pressuring, and protesting. I do not think these efforts are useful because we are already in the process of addressing issues. They just may not be as timely as you want them to be. Please act in accordance to the laws and the common good.

I ask that farmers stop protesting as it will not be beneficial at all. Solutions to your problems require a multifaceted approach. Progress may be slow because we must ensure that our solutions relate to other sectors as well.

5. Politics, democracy, human rights, equality, and the reduction of disparities are linked in various ways. We must find a unified approach where addressing one part does not adversely affect another. Addressing these matters must be done concurrently and there are things that we can do right now and things that we cannot.

We must consider how the bureaucracy and the public can participate and cooperate. If people only hold to their own interests, moving forward will not be possible.

6. There are many significant changes that are affecting the agricultural sector, the economy, laws, trade and investments. Some areas may already be seeing improvements, while other areas may still be slow and inconclusive. We must consider how we can move forward with new projects and how we can make new welfare programs happen. There are many agendas that past governments have been unable to achieve. We must consider how we can tackle these matters in the future.

If we are still mired in debt, faced with inequalities, fail to distribute wealth, and do not have a true understanding of democracy, will elected governments be able to solve these issues? I hope that they will be able to. Even during an administration like this with full powers, there is still plenty of resistance, flaunting of laws, and distortions of the facts.

7. There are many developments happening in this world that are concerning everyone, whether it be climate change, conflict, terrorism, drugs, international crime, cyber threats, or natural disasters and famine. Although Thailand has not been significantly affected by any of these threats in particular, they occur every day.

Officials have succeeded in making arrests and are following up on pending cases. There are mechanisms to bring people into the justice system and reach a conclusion according to legal procedures. Cases that have an effect on our society have been amplified to the point that it has come to affect Thailand’s standing, even though we have been able to apprehend the perpetrators.

In the past, there have been many unsuccessful arrests and delays in prosecutions. I would like to think that there is progress today, but there are still many problems that need our attention. We must look at how things have improved in a qualitative and quantitative way.

There are some issues that we have addressed, whether it is regarding poverty, inequality, justice, corruption, or any other issue for that matter. It takes time to address these matters comprehensively. There are many cases and issues that are important to society.  Officials are working hard as they can.

We must ensure that we are able to protect the lives and property of people. We must deal with unscrupulous people with information on what is appropriate.

Otherwise, excessive information will spread and can cause contention with officials. There are already organizations that oversee the credibility of these agencies. Cases of misconduct will be handled and addressed according to the ruling of the courts. However, many are still unsatisfied with the results of these court cases and keep following up on them, which takes interest away from other matters that deserve attention.

The appointments and promotions of civil servants, police, and military officials – there are not that many positions to be filled. We must look at those who have been treated unfairly. However, people may be afraid to come forward and provide information.

Because of this, we cannot make progress, even if we guarantee protection to these people. There are many who get involved and do not know how to find a solution. Meanwhile, there are corrupt people to claim that the justice system is broken.

I do not deny that it is imperfect. We must continue to improve the justice system incrementally and systematically. Reform does not come about easily or swiftly, as it requires solutions that address all components. Solutions to problems, whether big or small, take time, especially when it requires legal solutions as well as cooperation from the people.

The majority of people and officials are virtuous and therefore will be protected under the law. We must figure out ways to elicit further cooperation from the public in a way that does not create conflict. It would not be beneficial to enact new laws that create conflicting positions.

8. Rainfall, flooding, and inundation requires the acceleration of short-term solutions to swiftly provide assistance to those who are affected. Policies such as creating new water sources or irrigation systems require a considerable amount from our budget as well as integration between agencies in order to create sustainable solutions.

We have made lots of progress, while some areas that have not been addressed may be due to resistance from the locals. This is an important problem. Construction of roads or railway tracks is often met with resistance from locals who are living in government property illegally.

Please do not obstruct the construction of railways or other projects as these are programs are meant to benefit the country as a whole. I see on the news someone saying that there is a high-speed railway from Bangkok to Nakhon Ratchasima underway because I am from Nakhon Ratchasima. How can you think like this? Where I am from has nothing to do with these projects.

This project benefit the whole nation. This line travels to Nakhon Ratchasima and connects to Nong Khai which then connects with Laos, China, and Eastern Europe. We must also build a line that connects with Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia. We must also connect with Miramar, Laos, and Cambodia. Please do not see everything as political and personal.

Finally, I would like to invite everyone to consider donating to the Chakri Naruebodindra Medical Institute, which is a new institute in Ramathibodi Hospital that will be a center for excellence in education and research to produce quality medical personnel. The Institute will also serve as a center of sharing the latest medical expertise and technology for doctors and medical staff both domestic and abroad.

The project will expand medical service to the eastern region and the EEC. Information on how to donate is available at the bottom of the screen. There are many issues I intended to talk about today so I apologize if I have spoken too quickly.

You can find this information in newspapers or watch the rerun again on Saturdays at 8:00am. When you read it on the newspaper, please be sure to read all of the information instead of singling out certain sections. I’m doing my job for the benefit of the country.

Thank you, and I wish everyone happiness during the weekend. Sawasdee Krub.