PM awards winners in painting competition

BANGKOK, September 15 (TNA) -- Thai Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha Tuesday presents awards to the winners in a painting competition on the theme of “Our Home Our Country, Stronger Together,” a slogan calling for unity and integrity he has promoted following the bomb attack on August 17. Before attending a weekly Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, Gen Prayut met with students aged 5-15 years who are among 929 others who participate in the competition aimed at forging inspirational idea for national unity. The winning painting is the work of Anusit Sakethong depicting a large tree. Gen Prayut said after presenting the awards “if the country were a tree everyone must take a good care but now someone have poisoned the tree… We must cooperate to care for our country.” This contest was a good activity to encourage the youth to visualize how to the country forward and build strong democratic system in the future, the premier said. His government would do everything to “return happiness to the society,” Gen Prayut said. The slogan "Our home, our country, together, stronger" has been promoted since the incident. It appears on Thai TV broadcasts along with still photo of the national flag. Wearing T-shirt printed with the slogan, Prayut led his Cabinet ministers in a bicycle ride inside Government House compound for exercise. (TNA)