FROM THE OFFICE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS

I welcome the August 5 announcement by Thai Finance MinisterThanong Bidaya of a framework for economic recovery. I havespoken with the Minister and Treasury is working closely with theIMF. A strong set of economic reforms is the best way to resolveThailand’s current economic difficulties. I look forward toan early conclusion of technical discussions between the IMF andthe Thai authorities regarding a program that the internationalcommunity can fully support.