ID :
285732
Thu, 05/16/2013 - 14:10
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Thai PM launches 3rd phase of village fund project

BANGKOK, May 16 (TNA) - Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has launched the third phase of her government's village fund project, aimed to empower both rural and urban communities. Yingluck presided over a ceremony to transfer 8,089 village funds, worth 8,089 million baht, to rural villages and urban communities in 20 northeastern Thai provinces at the Ahong Silawas Temple in Mueang District of the northeastern Bueng Kan province on Thursday. The money transfer marked the third phase of her administration's village fund project and Yingluck said she hopes villagers will make good use of the funding. Yingluck acknowledged that the village fund project is aimed at empowering rural and urban communities, as it has proved to be successful over the past 12 years of its implementation, during which villagers have had access to finance and have, therefore, cut their reliance on loan sharks. According to the prime minister, the village fund project is intended to improve the quality of life of local villagers, as it truly provides them with access to finance and the locals have the right to decide how they spend the money for the interest of themselves and their communities. The prime minister noted that the village fund project also teaches local people about saving, stressing her hope that the fund recipients will make good use of the government's financial support for the sake of development. At Thursday morning's event, there were also robe-giving and fish-releasing ceremonies at the temple. (TNA)

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