BANGKOK, 20 March 2013 The Cabinet has resolved to allocate additional budget for the special committee in charge of national reconciliation to push ahead with its efforts to solve years of social and political conflicts in the country.
Permanent Secretary to the PM’s Office Tongthong Chandransu, on Tuesday, announced that the weekly Cabinet meeting has resolved to allocate another 77.9 million baht for the Truth for Reconciliation Commission of Thailand (TRCT), which has earlier been granted 90.3 million baht in budget for the organization of public deliberations on national reconciliation.
With 168.2 million baht allocated, the TRCT is set to hold as many as 108 sessions of public deliberations across the country.
Mr. Tongthong said that, after the Songkran holiday, the commission plans to invite some 440 noted guest speakers and academics as well as professors from various universities to discuss how the deliberation session should be organized.
He added that public deliberations should be held across the country throughout May and June before the TRCT can present a summary on public opinions to the Cabinet and share everything with the people of Thailand.
The Permanent Secretary to the PM’s Office stated that the Cabinet will have the final say on which suggestions will be implemented in promoting reconciliation in Thailand.
Mr. Tongthong stated that the public deliberation plan was not conceived for any political purpose, but was implemented after several organizations called for academic approach to help TRCT carry out its duty. It is hoped that there will be more than 75,000 people to offer their creative ideas on how Thailand can rid itself of divisiveness and achieve reconciliation
