ID :
12237
Fri, 07/11/2008 - 16:36
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/12237
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Democrats urge PM Samak to speed up cabinet reshuffle
BANGKOK, July 11 (TNA) – Thailand's opposition Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjachiva on Friday urged Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej toreshuffle the cabinet more quickly, saying the premier should take this opportunity to make a major reorganisation and correct what the government had done wrong.
"The premier should reshuffle the cabinet as soon as possible," Mr.
Abhisit said.
"I want to reiterate that if he heeded our suggestion and decided to make the reshuffle after the no-confidence debate ended, various problems would not have escalated. Then the government would be able to focus itsattention to solve the people's hardship," he said.
Mr. Abhisit said he viewed the first mission that the new foreign minister should do upon assumption of the post is to make it clear that Thailand had not accepted the a joint statement backing Cambodia's bid to list the long-disputed Preah Vihear temple as a World Heritage site and otherrelevant documents including map and chart.
In addition, the minister must keep all countries and the World Heritage Committee informed that the surrounding areas where the temple is locatedbelong to Thailand.
So, he said, any assignment of persons to manage the temple areas must be also clearly approved by the Thai side, not be made unilaterally under the framework set by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and CulturalOrganization (UNESCO) or the committee.
Asked to comment on Foreign Minister Noppadon Patama's insistence he hadnot done anything wrong, Mr. Abhisit said it is the minister's own view.
Whether the minister had done or not had been already proven by the court's ruling, he said, adding that an explanation made by the minister before declaring his resignation contradicted what he clarified in thewhite-cover book.
Anyhow, he said, what the government should do urgently now is tobrainstorm for a way to cope with the issue.
"So far, I haven't yet seen clearly what the government plans to do to ensure that Thailand will not lose any more (territory). At the same time, what the government will do must not affect the bilateral relations of both countries," he said. (TNA)-E005
"The premier should reshuffle the cabinet as soon as possible," Mr.
Abhisit said.
"I want to reiterate that if he heeded our suggestion and decided to make the reshuffle after the no-confidence debate ended, various problems would not have escalated. Then the government would be able to focus itsattention to solve the people's hardship," he said.
Mr. Abhisit said he viewed the first mission that the new foreign minister should do upon assumption of the post is to make it clear that Thailand had not accepted the a joint statement backing Cambodia's bid to list the long-disputed Preah Vihear temple as a World Heritage site and otherrelevant documents including map and chart.
In addition, the minister must keep all countries and the World Heritage Committee informed that the surrounding areas where the temple is locatedbelong to Thailand.
So, he said, any assignment of persons to manage the temple areas must be also clearly approved by the Thai side, not be made unilaterally under the framework set by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and CulturalOrganization (UNESCO) or the committee.
Asked to comment on Foreign Minister Noppadon Patama's insistence he hadnot done anything wrong, Mr. Abhisit said it is the minister's own view.
Whether the minister had done or not had been already proven by the court's ruling, he said, adding that an explanation made by the minister before declaring his resignation contradicted what he clarified in thewhite-cover book.
Anyhow, he said, what the government should do urgently now is tobrainstorm for a way to cope with the issue.
"So far, I haven't yet seen clearly what the government plans to do to ensure that Thailand will not lose any more (territory). At the same time, what the government will do must not affect the bilateral relations of both countries," he said. (TNA)-E005
