Mass Transit System Priority For New Thai Government

February 5th, 2008 by admin

New Govt to extend mass-transit routes

Incoming Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej Sunday said he would extend mass-transit routes across Bangkok and its suburbs as well as improve the country’s irrigation using Mekong River water within three years.

Samak invited the news media to his home, where he cooked for them. He apologised for releasing the names of his Cabinet to Japanese correspondents and not local reporters.

Samak often makes headlines because of his acerbic tongue. But Sunday he showed a softer side, cracking jokes and sharing cooking tips and the experiences of his youth.

He said his first task would be to extend Skytrain routes, build more mass-transit systems and improve irrigation using water from the Mekong.

Earlier in the day, Samak joined a ceremony for veterans and was overheard telling outgoing defence minister Boonrawd Somtas that as defence minister he would not interfere in the military.

“I have no motivation. I just want to work in the Defence Ministry. The military chiefs can proceed with their work in accordance with procedure. I will not interfere,” he said.

Samak said his life had changed since assuming office. “I had never worn a hat but this morning I had to wear one and stood at attention with soldiers. I used to wake up with freedom, but now I have to check my schedule to see what’s ahead for me in the day,” he said.

He said his love for cooking and shopping for ingredients started when he was seven and his mother asked him to do the shopping.

As his family moved from house to house in Bangkok, he had the chance to explore about 20 different markets.

Samak, a family man who neither smokes nor drinks, said his wife did not share his passion for cooking.

He handed out copies of his biography, which includes comments about Samak from 50 people, including former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

–The Nation 2008-02-03

Samak: Mass transit system priority for new govt

BANGKOK: — Incoming prime minister Samak Sundaravej said on Sunday the most urgent tasks his government would undertake were to improve the mass transit rail system in Bangkok and upcountry and to build a huge reservoir for poverty-stricken Northeasterners.

Speaking to journalists at his residence, the People Power Party (PPP) leader said a dual railway track system was to be constructed nationwide. Likewise, Bangkok’s Sky Train service would be expanded in three more directions, each route spanning about 30 kilometers.

Plans on building the dual railway track system were suspended for almost two years after earlier being approved by the government of ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

The PPP, headed by Mr. Samak, is a close ally of the now defunct Thai Rak Thai Party of Mr. Thaksin.

Another ambitious project, said Mr. Samak, was to construct a reservoir to store water from the Mekong River. Once completed, the reservoir would alleviate water shortage problems faced by all 19 Northeast provinces. But he did not say where the exact location for the reservoir would be.

Touching on the ongoing violence in the deep South, Mr. Samak said he would assign concerned officials to handle the problem.

When asked whether he would continue to employ conciliatory measures in solving the crux, as was the case with the outgoing administration of Gen. Surayud Chulanont, Mr. Samak in typical style replied with a question of his own as to whether the measure had succeeded in solving the violence.

However, Mr. Samak said he would first discuss ways to solve the violence in the region with senior military officers before traveling there himself.