To improve the performance of the national rice committee, the prime minister has appointed Deputy Prime Minister, Suthep Thaugsuban, to serve on the committee. Suthep is expected to serve as mediator between the 2 ministers, who have different views about the best way to solve the ongoing rice problems.

In the cabinet meeting yesterday, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, appointed Deputy Prime Minister in charge of the national security, Suthep Thaugsuban, as an additional member of the rice operating committee in the hopes that he will be able to promote harmony between the committee members.

Deputy Prime Minister, Korbsak Sabavasu and Commerce Minister, Porntiwa Nakasai and Deputy Finance Minister Pradit Phataraprasit make up the current rice committee.

However, disagreements emerged on the committee when Korbsak and Porntiwa expressed divergent ideas about how to solve the ongoing rice problems.
Deputy Prime Minister Suthep is expected to serve as a mediator and help the 2 ministers find a suitable comprimise.

As the rice policy committee chairman, the prime minister said that he is not able to be involved in operations of the rice committee and that it would be inappropriate for the rice policy panel chairman to reveal secret information to the operating committee, a panel on which people from the private sector are members.

Source: TANN