Govt continuing to prepare for high-level Apec meetings: Anutin
The government will continue preparing for a series of key Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) meetings despite the Constitutional Court suspending Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said on Thursday.
On Wednesday, a majority of Constitutional Court judges voted to accept an opposition petition for deliberation on Prayut’s tenure and suspended him from duty until a ruling is made.
Being the first Deputy Prime Minister, Prawit Wongsuwan automatically took over as caretaker prime minister.
“Anutin is presiding over the Apec High-Level Meeting on Health and the Economy, a discussion involving high-level executives,” government spokeswoman Traisulee Taisaranakul said.
This meeting would show cooperation among Asia-Pacific countries on public health, she said.
Traisulee explained that the meeting on Thursday and Friday (August 25, 26) is focusing on three aspects:
• Creating balance between public health and the economy by focusing on health measures and preparation for tackling Covid-19 and other emerging and recurrent communicable diseases.
• Increasing investment in health stability, especially boosting the potential of disease prevention, universal health coverage and the digital economy.
• Promoting cooperation to tackle issues relating to public health and the economy.
Earlier, Thai Chamber of Commerce vice chairman Visit Limlurcha said preparations for the Apec summit in November would continue as the Constitutional Court could come out with a ruling on Prayut’s tenure before the summit begins.
“Even if a court ruling does not come in time, we still have a caretaker prime minister and other Cabinet ministers,” he pointed out.
