Prayut to merge panels to streamline reform agendas

The new body, which would likely be called the Reform and Steering Committee, would be charged with regrouping and implementing current reform agendas.

Prayut made it clear that the committee would work on what can be done within the next two years, while other more challenging issues such as infrastructure and water management would be addressed by the long-term strategic plan later on. 

“We cannot accomplish everything because there are a lot of things that need to be done here, but we will do what we can and do it as fast as we can, by 2017,” he said. 

Under the revamped plan, eight working groups or subcommittees would keep the reform process on track, with three of them being led by Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister General Prawit Wongsuwan.

Government Spokesman Maj-General Sansern Kaewkamnerd said the new committees would work with the existing subcommittees to identify and remove overlapping areas.

Each of the eight committees would be led by deputy prime ministers, Sansern said, stressing that the government would also seek committee members by considering their potential, not connections.

Sansern said Air Chief Marshal Prajin Juntong would lead the committee for human resources development reform; Wissanu Krea-ngam would handle national administration and justice process reform; Prawit would lead agricultural system and water management reform; Prawit would also head security, life enhancement, social order and reconciliation; Admiral Narong Pipatanasai would lead public health and health insurance reform; General Tanasak Patimapragorn would take charge of culture, tourism and sports reform; Prawit would lead urgent agendas such as aviation, illegal fishery and drugs and narcotics.

The eight new committees will work with the government whip led by Wissanu and PM’s Office Minister Suwaphan Tanyuvardhana. The whip will collaborate with the National Reform Steering Assembly (NRSA), Sansern said.

Meanwhile, the NRSA yesterday set up 13 committees plus a coordinating committee to drive its reform plans, said its spokesman Kamnoon Sidhisamarn.

The committees would cover 11 principal reform agendas. The other two would act as its whip and specially focus on corruption prevention and suppression, while the coordinating committee would help support the whip’s work.

The committee would spend one month developing concrete reform plans before forwarding them to the NRSA for endorsement, which would then forward them to the Cabinet or the National Legislative Assembly for further implementations, Kamnoon said. 

No committee has been established to focus on reconciliation.

The NRSA is today scheduled to meet with diplomats to brief them about the country’s reform plans, he added.