Minister of Labor Thienthong Uraiwan of Thailand

However, Uraiwan said that the take-up rate to date had been slow, with only around 10 percent of the 12,000 workers registered in the six affected provinces coming forward with compensation claims.

The upcoming litigation has no impacts on my work and I will leave office only if convicted, Uraiwan said on Monday.

Protest rallyMrs Uraiwan was no particular friend of the prime minister.

Mrs Uraiwan said she hoped new labour minister Paitoon Kaewthong can perform his tasks well, and believed he can solve the rising unemployment problems.

Uraiwan said her intention was not to ?bring temples into malls? as some might think it wrong for monks to frequent department stores; she wanted people to understand that ?goodness can be found everywhere.

factions within Thaksin's Thai Rak Thai party.

Uraiwan is married to Sanoh Thienthong, who leads one of the major factions within Thaksin's Thai Rak Thai party.

Businesses that elect to join the ASO-Thailand project and pass the examination will receive ASO-Thailand certificates, Uraiwan said (Thai News Service, 3/3.

Mrs Uraiwan has told the Religious Affairs Department to seek comments from senior monks on the idea.

Mrs Uraiwan has the support of at least one senior monk, Phra Ratchadhammanithet, better known as Phra Phayom Kallayano, abbot of Wat Suan Kaew in Nonthaburi, who said earlier that having a peaceful corner in a shopping mall was a good idea if it had a Buddhism exhibition, video display or dhamma-theme cartoon that would attract a younger audience.