Bangkok: The Ministry of Interior has launched 18 strategic projects aimed at alleviating public suffering and promoting happiness throughout the nation. These initiatives, which span various aspects of daily life, are designed to boost income, reduce expenses, and streamline access to government services, as announced by Ms. Traisuree Traisaranakul, Secretary to the Minister of Interior and Spokesperson for the Ministry.
According to Thai News Agency, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Mr. Anutin Charnvirakul has called on government agencies and state enterprises, including Bangkok, to create sustainable projects that serve as gifts to the public. These projects have been in development since the New Year festival and are intended to provide continuous relief to citizens. The Office of Policy and Planning (OPP), under the Office of the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Interior, has reported significant progress on these initiatives as of March 2025.
The projects are divided into two main categories: six projects focused on alleviating suffering and twelve aimed at promoting happiness. These encompass a wide range of services, including electricity and water meter installations, economic stimulation, income augmentation, expense reduction, and enhanced safety measures for tourists.
Ms. Traisulee detailed the progress of the six projects aiming to alleviate public suffering. Key initiatives include measures to reduce interest rates at local government pawnshops, a community fund project to manage household debts, drought alleviation efforts through water storage and well drilling, a safety campaign distributing helmets to motorcyclists, an extension on electricity bill payments benefiting over 1.7 million people, and a project to improve safety in schools by enhancing drinking water dispensers.
The 12 projects designed to promote public happiness have also shown substantial advancement. These include initiatives like promoting equal marriage across the nation, offering easy access to appraisal certificates via smartphones, boosting marketing channels for local products through digital platforms, offering discounts on OTOP products, extending the Land and Building Tax Act, and publishing an energy-conscious home manual.
Additionally, the Ministry is working on the Clean Energy For All project in Mae Hong Son Province, reducing costs for new water meter installations, generating income opportunities for communities and farmers, and transforming wastewater into reusable clear water. Moreover, efforts to promote identity and stimulate the tourism economy in creative districts in Bangkok have been initiated through workshops and the creation of development networks.
This comprehensive approach by the Ministry of Interior aims to foster a more prosperous and harmonious society by addressing critical areas of public welfare and laying the groundwork for sustainable development.