Nakhon Ratchasima: Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, who serves as chief strategist for the United Thai Nation (UTN) Party, on Saturday launched the party's election campaign slogan while saying the government's infrastructure investment programme is the largest in three decades.
Speaking during a campaign meeting in his hometown Nakhon Ratchasima, Gen Prayut introduced the party's motto "Done, doing and will continue". The motto is a phrase he uttered while delivering a speech during his visit to Chanthaburi's Laem Sing district last Wednesday. The speech dealt mainly with the government's record in infrastructure and public welfare development, as well as an economic development goal Gen Prayut said the government aims to achieve.
Gen Prayut said on Saturday infrastructure development requires substantial investments of money and time. It also involves land expropriation which often leads to conflict with residents and communities, he said. "No one is willing to undertake such projects. Upon becoming prime minister, I made up my mind to push for infrastructure investment projects nationwide.
"I know it is tough. It takes a long time and requires substantial amounts of money. But I have to carry on with it. Little has been done to improve infrastructure over the past 30-40 years. Infrastructure development is an investment for future generations,'' Gen Prayut said.
He said the 250-kilometre high-speed train project between Bangkok and Nakhon Ratchasima is the country's first high-speed train which is expected to be finished in 2027, with a plan to build an extension to Nong Khai linking with Laos.
He also pledged to create a fund to shore up crop prices in the Northeast if he returns as prime minister after the next poll.
