Anutin’ visited Chakkarat District, Nakhon Ratchasima Province to provide policies, stressing on water flow, lighting, and good roads. Village health volunteers warmly welcomed them and asked for an additional thousand baht in compensation.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Anutin Charnvirakul, along with Labor Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn and Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation Minister Supamas Isarabhakdi, inspected the work at Chakkarat Wittaya School and gave policies in Chakkarat District, Nakhon Ratchasima Province. They were warmly welcomed by officials from government agencies and village health volunteers.
Reporters reported that many village health volunteers lined up to welcome Mr. Anutin. Some of them had prepared white towels to tie around their waists and held signs that said, ‘VHVs have already received 2,000 baht/month in compensation.’ They shouted, ‘Anutin said it and did it.’ There were also village health volunteers who came to talk to Mr. Anutin and ask
ed for a 1,000 baht increase in their compensation. Then, Mr. Anutin joined in singing the village health volunteer march with the village health volunteers who had come to welcome him.
Then, Mr. Anutin gave a policy statement saying that we came to hold an off-site cabinet meeting in Nakhon Ratchasima Province, where ministers were spread out in Nakhon Ratchasima, Chaiyaphum, Buriram, and Surin. Thank you to the parents and siblings for the warm welcome. Every time I come here, I feel that we have a relationship and bond. Personally, I am indebted to the parents and siblings of Chakkraraj. Today, I intend to meet with the parents and siblings here to listen to the problems. I have been informed to some extent of the problems that each district and sub-district has, especially the problem of transportation.
There are 3-4 roads, 3 of which cost less than 10 million baht. The Department of Local Administration will arrange them. As for the other road, it costs 12 million baht, which requires coordination acro
ss groups and ministries. Therefore, we ask the Subdistrict Administrative Organization president and the Provincial Civil Engineer to help design it. Wherever the budget can be reduced, we will do it together to solve the transportation problems of our brothers and sisters. In addition, in Chakkarat District, a 4-lane road has been expanded, which was done during the previous government, and the contractor has already started the work.
All of these are the missions of the Cabinet. When going to an off-site Cabinet meeting, it is necessary to consult on various problems. Whatever can be solved will be solved. As for the tap water being drinkable, ‘running water, bright lights, good roads’ are things that are in their hearts. The villagers must receive convenience and basic safety. They have assigned the Subdistrict Administrative Organization to provide LED light bulbs using solar energy so as not to waste the budget. They also asked the Subdistrict Administrative Organization president to help coordinate an
d take care of it, and they can coordinate through the local MP.
‘The mayor of the sub-district administrative organization asked for only one thing: the lights must be bright, not beeping or shining directly on the road. Don’t do projects that are just for the sake of it. Using LED lights is not bright enough. It is useless and exposes our carelessness.’
Mr. Anutin compared VHVs to old friends in Chinese, ‘Lao Peng You’, who he is very close to. They have done a lot of good for the people during his time as the Minister of Public Health. During the COVID-19 outbreak, VHVs came to help take care of the safety of the people. They helped a lot, alleviating suffering and promoting happiness. They perform the same duties as the Ministry of Interior.
This government therefore sees the importance of increasing the compensation for village health volunteers from 1,000 to 2,000 baht. Please maintain your good deeds. A moment ago, a village health volunteer came to ask for an increase to 3,000 baht. Please be patie
nt because we still have many groups to take care of. Your name is ‘Village Health Volunteer.’ No one forced you to come. You volunteered on your own. Therefore, please be proud of your volunteer spirit. This compensation will reward your good deeds and sacrifices. What we will reward you with is for you to use this compensation to develop your volunteer spirit to be more flexible. We also ask that the village health volunteers coordinate well with the sub-district health promoting hospitals and work together to achieve the greatest benefit.
Source: Thai News Agency