Thais urged to be well-prepared for AC

BANGKOK, July 13 (TNA) - Former Secretary-General of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Surin Pitsuwan has urged Thai people to be well-prepared for unforeseeable changes in the future, especially when the ASEAN Community (AC) is established by 2015. Surin, who had served as the ASEAN chief for five years, acknowledged at the ‘Bangkok Renewal and Innovation Workshop’, held in the Thai capital on Saturday morning, that many ASEAN member countries have accelerated on progress in their national preparations for the AC. Surin, who is also a former Democrat Thai foreign minister, told participants, including core leaders of the main opposition Democrat Party, that Thailand is still confronting several developmental problems, especially education, although a huge government budget has been injected. According to the former ASEAN chief, it is, therefore, necessary to induce Thai people to participate in helping solving cruxes prevailing in the country on a long-term basis. The ex-ASEAN chief suggested that Thai people’s concept also needs to be changed in solving the prevailing national problems and in preparing them to cope with changes in the future, covering those in the AC. (TNA)