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Speedy Thaksin gets things moving Thailand`s new premier, barely a month in office, has been moving at breakneck speed to keep election promises he made to his countrymen By Edward Tang The Straits Times 14.3.01 BANGKOK - He has pushed through a banking bail-out plan and has declared an all-out war on drug traffickers. Next, he is putting together a financing scheme for small companies and a programme to boost farmers` earnings. Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra is moving at breakneck speed to keep his election promises. Barely a month in office, he has already initiated several policies that could have a major impact on the country. His pace has left even his Cabinet ministers breathless. The telecom tycoon-turned premier is going all out to differentiate himself from his predecessor, Mr Chuan Leekpai, who was criticised as being indecisive. If there is any complaint about the new premier, it is that he is moving a tad too fast for the liking of some officials. But Mr Thaksin`s no-nonsense, get-it-done-now attitude may prove to be just what his country needs. In his short time as prime minister, he has reinforced the perception others have had of him being an impatient but effective taskmaster. He is fond of attaching a two-week deadline to any piece of work, and has set such a deadline for investigations into the explosion which took place on an aircraft earlier this month in which he was due to fly. He also chaired a meeting with bankers and businessmen in his first weekend as premier and after the meeting gave his officials a two-week ultimatum to reach an agreement with local banks on how to tackle the 1.2 trillion baht (S$47.7 billion) of bad debt in the Thai financial system. The deal was struck last Friday, 24 hours before the deadline. The agreement paves the way for the setting up of a state-managed asset company to buy non-performing loans from the banks at book value so that banks can resume lending. Said a foreign banker: `We don`t know if it`ll work, but something is better than nothing.` Mr Thaksin has also given the Finance Ministry two weeks to put up a proposal on forming a development bank to help thousands of small companies secure loans. Last weekend, at a meeting he chaired on fighting drug trafficking, he impressed his audience with his grasp of technology by showing satellite pictures of factories which were allegedly producing the drugs at the Thai-Myanmar border. So focused on the job is he that it seems he has got over the explosion of the airplane last week which nearly killed him. The incident has won him a lot of public sympathy. His management style, which is similar to that of a corporate chief, is gradually endearing him to the public. He has also cut down time wasted on meetings. Ministers now spend more time at their offices than in Cabinet meetings. Decisions are made faster and there seems to be greater urgency among officials, noted an analyst. Said the Bangkok Post: `Mr Thaksin`s style is sending a clear signal to government officials that they must change their ways. This is something which is surely welcome.` Wenn er nicht von "aeusseren Kraeften" daran gehindert wird, kann er durchaus einen Strukturwandel herbeifuehren. Und Thailand wird davon mit Sicherheit profitieren. Ich habe ausnahmsweise schon mal bei der Wahl die Prognose gestellt, dass wir an ihm wohl viel Freude haben werden. MfG BodyG |
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| aus der Diskussion: | Waste or make money in Thailand |
| Autor (Datum des Eintrages): | BodyG (14.03.01 19:28:50) |
| Beitrag: | 528 von 611 (ID:3101481) |
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