Thailand’s new cabinet ministers performed Hindu rituals

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra pays respects and ask for blessings from a sacred shrine

Some newly appointed Thailand cabinet ministers paid homage to Hindu deities before stepping into new jobs, according to reports.

Reports suggest that Justice Minister Pracha Promnok went to the statue of Hindu deity Brahma; lit candle and incense sticks; offered food, flora and a pair of brass swan statues to the deity; on his first day at the job. Minister of Public Health Witthaya Buranasiri and his deputy Torpong Chaiyasarn reportedly arrived at the ministry accompanied by a Brahmin monk and statue of Garuda was brought to Buranasiri’s office.

Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada (USA) , Rajan Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, suggested Thai ministers to strive constantly to serve the welfare of the world, act selflessly without any thought of personal profit, keep welfare of others always in mind; and added that action was better than inaction.

In the past, Thailand brought out postage stamps of Hindu deities Ganesa, Brahma, Narayana, and Siva.

In Hinduism, Lord Brahma is God of creation.  Half human and half bird, Garuda is Lord Visnu’s vahana (vehicle) and is also known as king of birds. Hinduism is oldest and third largest religion of the world with about one billion adherents and moksh (liberation) is its ultimate goal.

Thailand is popularly called “golden land” and is known for its warmth and hospitality, white sandy beaches, and fertile rice fields. About 95% of Thailand’s population follows Theravada Buddhism. King Bhumibol Adulyadej is head of the state while Yingluck Shinawatra is the prime minister.

Harmony tops govt’s priorities

Rehabilitating people affected from past political unrest and supporting the Truth for Reconciliation Commission’s investigation are listed as “urgent issues” in the Pheu Thai government’s draft policy statement.

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra yesterday chaired a five-hour meeting with cabinet ministers from the Pheu Thai Party to discuss the statement, which will be submitted for cabinet consideration today.

The government is scheduled to declare the policy platform to the Parliament on Aug 24.

According to the 34-page draft obtained by the Bangkok Post, the first three of 16 items listed as the government’s urgent policies are reconciliation and the promotion of unity among Thais; rehabilitation of the people, state authorities, and private sector affected by political violence; and supporting the TRC’s investigation into political unrest which led to the loss of lives and property.

Other urgent policies, which must be completed in the first year of the government, include cracking down on drugs, prevention and suppression of corruption, resuming cooperation with neighbouring countries, and solving the southern unrest.

A source said the 300-baht minimum wage was the most controversial topic debated by the Pheu Thai ministers during the meeting.

Deputy Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Pornsak Charoenprasert yesterday insisted all Pheu Thai policies declared during the election campaign, such as the 300-baht minimum wage, the 15,000-baht salary for new graduates and the rice mortgage scheme, have been included in the government’s draft policy platform.

“We will do them all,” he said. “However, there is no deadline for when these policies will be accomplished.”

However, some of Pheu Thai’s election promises have not been mentioned in the draft policy. For example, the 20-baht flat rate electric train ticket, the construction of a high-speed train from Bangkok to Chiang Mai, Nakhon Ratchasima and Prachuap Khiri Khan and the extension of the Airport Rail Link train.

Meanwhile, Pheu Thai MPs attended a separate forum to be briefed on the party’s policies platform. Deputy Prime Minister and Commerce Minister Kittiratt Na-Ranong presided over the meeting.

Having listened to the policies, some MPs expressed their dissatisfaction over some policies and expressed doubts over their effectiveness.

Among them were Samut Prakan MP Prasert Denkitnapalai and Maha Sarakham MP Kusumavadee Sirikomut.

“The policies were drafted in secret [by a certain group of politicians in the party],” Mr. Prasert said. He said he and some MPs who were invited to attend briefings on the policies had not taken part in drafting them. He said these MPs were duty-bound to introduce and clarify the policies to their voters in their responsible areas.

Mr. Prasert said it was harder for him to describe some policies to his voters to make them have a better understanding because they were drafted too broadly, such as the land reclamation policy.

“[If the policies remain like this], they will not only be attacked by the Democrats in Parliament, but also the general people and NGOs workers,” he said.

Ms Kusumavadee raised the question about the policy to allocate 100 million baht to support women’s affairs in each province, saying it did not contain information on which ministry should be assigned to oversee it and how the money would be distributed.

Mr. Kittiratt said the first chapter of the policies will contain Her Majesty the Queen’s advice to Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, her cabinet ministers and dignitaries last Thursday. The Queen instructed them to help solve the spread of drugs in the country and to quell violence in the deep South.

The second chapter, he said, will include the government’s 16 immediate policies which must be implemented and completed within the first year of the government.

Mr. Kittiratt said the last chapter will include the government’s long-term policies that must be carried out and completed within its four- year administration.