Army unit helps Isaan folk find 'correct political understanding'
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"CORRECT" political understanding has been given to people in 20 provinces in the Northeast - with good feedback received, Lt-General Thawat Sookplang, the commander of the Second Army Area, said yesterday.
The Second Army Area undertook the mission through the Centre for Reconciliation and Reform, sending staff to talk with people of different political opinions.
The feedback had been good, Thawat said, with little or no opposition. He also looked forward to using this approach to explain the upcoming charter draft, he said.
Building “correct understanding” is one of the Army areas’ duties to support the military-led regime, according to Army commander-in-chief General Theerachai Nakawanich’s policies.
Another success is the government-funded “One Tambon One Million Baht” project, aiming to ease the impact of drought through the distribution of Bt1 million per affected district.
Facilitated by the Second Army Area, the project went so well that its budgets eventually received approval from the Agriculture and Cooperatives Ministry.
“People are content with the measure,” Thawat said. “How the budgets were well received can be a good model of transparent budget management.”
The Second Army Area’s other duties include staff support for the Interior Ministry’s Damrongdhama Centres and recent peaceful border-guard duties in the Northeast.
In a related development, Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha, as leader of the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), approved a new list of members of the junta’s Strategy Steering Committee, with the NCPO vice leader, Deputy PM and Defence Minister General Prawit Wongsuwan, as chairman.
Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak, Deputy Defence Minister Udomdej Sitabutr, and Education Minister Dapong Ratanasuwan were appointed as the committee’s vice chairmen.
The rest of committee consists of the permanent secretary of the Defence Ministry, all military commanders-in-chief, secretary-general to the PM General Wilas Aroonsri, adviser to the defence minister Air Chief Marshal Thaworn Maneepruk, secretary to the Cabinet Ampon Kittiampon, and the secretary-general of the National Economic and Social Development Board.
Energy Minister General Anantaporn Kanjanarat was appointed as the committee secretary, with Lt-General Nattapon Nakpanich as his assistant.
