BANGKOK, Dec 24 — Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra on Saturday expressed confidence that two “strategic committees” could help rebuild the country and restore foreign investor confidence.
Ms Yingluck on Saturday hosted her weekly television programme “Yingluck Government Meets the People” with the Strategic Formulation Committee for Reconstruction and Future Development chairman Veerapong Ramangura, two members of the Strategic Formulation Committee for Water Resource Management – Pitipong Puengboon Na Ayutthaya who chaired a subcommittee on short term measures/urgent projects and Kijja Pholphasi who chaired a subcommittee on long-term project development and sustainable water management.
Mr Suranand Vejjajiva, a former minister to the prime minister’s office, served as the moderator.
The premier said that she was confident that the two strategic panels could successfully restore public and foreign investor confidence and that the flood crisis would definitely not occur again because of better water management.
She also believed in short and long term measures that could effectively handle water in 2012. The measures included water sluice gates, canal dredging and floodways.
The government would speed up measures to rebuild confidence in the economy, she said.
The effective plan and rehearsal of response to the water situation were necessary for preparedness while water pumps should be in good condition that could be promptly used.
Meanwhile, Dr Veerapong, a renowned economist and former finance minister, said that his committee has initially proposed a budget of Bt350 billion to restructure the water management plan.
