Huge outlay for reform plan gets nod

[rooster59]

Huge outlay for reform plan gets nod

By THE NATION

 

 

THAILAND NEEDS more than Bt130 billion to implement a five-year reform plan, one of the most expensive reform packages to be carried out by any coup-installed government in recent history, observers said yesterday.

 

The proposal made by the Cabinet sailed through the National Legislative Assembly without any debate on Thursday.

 

Critics said the country had constantly been in different phases of reform, a term popular with coup-installed governments. However, they hardly brought any substantial or tangible improvement to the country, they said. 

 

Decharat Sukkamnoed, an economist from Kasetsart University, said Bt130 billion could be considered a lot of money, especially when compared with the budgets deployed by other governments, he said.

The economist said only the final results could show whether the expenditure would have been worth the money.

 

Reform to clean the country of corruption is always the buzzword for military leaders to topple elected governments. 

 

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, the current junta leader, staged a coup in 2014 to oust the elected government of Yingluck Shinawatra after street protests called for reforms.

 

 

The reform plan was embedded in the junta-sponsored Constitution and fundamentally was part of and shaped by the 20-year national strategy, also drawn up by the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO).

 

Future governments in the next 20 years are obliged to carry out the reforms and maintain the national strategy, supervised by junta-appointed senators. Failing to comply could cost them their incumbency, according to the Constitution.

 

Unrealistic plan

 

Observers said the 20-year strategic plan is not realistic since it is hard for the country to look two decades ahead. Many politicians said they might not be able to implement the plan if they were elected to form the government.

 

Democrat leader and former prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said recently that the strategic plan is a big burden on future governments, which he would seek to amend if his party won the election and formed the government. 

 

The NCPO reform plan covers 11 aspects – from politics and economics to public health and energy.

 

National resources and environmental reform reportedly got the largest budget allocation at Bt34.77 billion.

 

According to the report by the Office of the National Economic and Social Development Board, it aimed to conserve, restore, and improve forest areas and land plots as well as to support organic farming.

 

Coming second was the public administration reform, with an allocation of Bt33.41 billion. 

 

The plan aimed to improve public service and its efficacy and transparency using more technology. This is to boost the convenience of people using the service. 

 

While the entire reform scheme proposed by the junta was largely a result of the political conflict that led to the coup, political reforms received the lowest budget, at Bt221.85 million. The money would be allocated to improve political literacy, create new political culture, increase decentralisation, and other training, according to the proposal.

 

Government Spokesman Sansern Kaewkamnerd explained the proposal was a normal work plan of public administration. The budget would be taken from several sources related to each reform aspect, he said.

 

“Some of that will be from different agencies. Some will get a special budget,” he explained. “It is not the total sum of Bt130 billion all at once.”

 

Unlike the current junta, the previous coup rulers in 2006 were in power for only one year and did not map out any clear long-term plan. The coup itself cost the national budget Bt500 million. However, many reform committees set up by past governments, elected or military-backed ones, have spent billions of baht for their reform agendas. Many of the plans failed to be implemented effectively. 

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/politics/30342124

 

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-03-31

[kannot]

The govt said to a "packed house"

[YetAnother]

8 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

Future governments in the next 20 years are obliged to carry out the reforms and maintain the national strategy, supervised by junta-appointed senators. Failing to comply could cost them their incumbency, according to the Constitution.

 

Unrealistic plan

 

Observers said the 20-year strategic plan is not realistic since it is hard for the country to look two decades ahead. Many politicians said they might not be able to implement the plan if they were elected to form the government.

 

Democrat leader and former prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said recently that the strategic plan is a big burden on future governments, which he would seek to amend if his party won the election and formed the government. 

ok so the whole thing is unworkable; appears an open invitation for, wait for it....., the military to do their every so-often coup thing

[Samui Bodoh]

This story epitomizes the sorry state of Thailand in 2018.

 

First, look at the photo; it is a photo of a half-empty room of appointed people who do not represent anyone except the military Junta that appointed them. Missing are numerous appointees who have been given permission to continue on their real jobs while being paid for not doing this one (BTW, I seem to remember a Sopranos episode where the mafia guys discuss "no-show" jobs. I wonder if that is where the idea came from).

 

The "legislators" approved the Cabinet plan without debate.

 

130 BILLION Baht allocated for future programs, but with little specificity or rules governing the outlay.

 

A 20 year plan. Really, a twenty year plan.

 

This is reform.

 

"...Critics said the country had constantly been in different phases of reform, a term popular with coup-installed governments. However, they hardly brought any substantial or tangible improvement to the country, they said..."

 

It is a truly sad thing to see such nice people like the Thais being treated so shabbily.

 

Jesus and Buddha wept...

 

 

Edited March 31, 2018 by Samui Bodoh
Lack of coffee

[NCC1701A]

"Observers said the 20-year strategic plan is not realistic since it is hard for the country to look two decades ahead."

 

"You want massage? Where you go?"

 

[Oziex1]

34 minutes ago, kannot said:

The govt said to a "packed house"

With that budget in mind.

There all down at the local real estate agent and Mercedes dealer.

[Anak Nakal]

130 Billion?

I think they were leaving!

[Black arab]

Now Let me get this right, the amounts are what each department can stick in the back pocket.Or am i missing something.

[leeneeds]

True cost of corruption must be a good size amount,

if they have allocated 8.97billion to a war  chest,

[Lungstib]

3 hours ago, rooster59 said:

The proposal made by the Cabinet sailed through the National Legislative Assembly without any debate on Thursday.

130 BILLION baht and nobody feels the need to discuss the situation. I wonder just how the citizens would feel about this if given a voice?

[JOC]

3 hours ago, rooster59 said:

The proposal made by the Cabinet sailed through the National Legislative Assembly without any debate on Thursday

Now that was a surprise......

 

At least this spending was publicized...

The 150 billion wasted on the populist (no, I don't want to become a politician)....village campaign, was clearly decided behind closed doors.

Thai people...Please wake up.....They are screwing you big time....!!

[Ossy]

3 hours ago, rooster59 said:

Reform to clean the country of corruption is always the buzzword for military leaders to topple elected governments. 

The irony is, of course, that the corruption has worsened beyond measure during the junta's 4-years of influence. It's they who most need reforming and, should they wish, they could do that overnight by making merit and promising to set perfect examples from now on. Are you listening, you two 'men' at the top? No, I thought not.

 

And the other, even sadder irony is that the junta emplaced NLA is now seen to be in greatest need of reform. Talk about the blind leading the blind . . . this country is rapidly getting the the point, best described as 'BEYOND REPAIR'.

[worgeordie]

The economist said only the final results could show whether the expenditure would have been worth the money.

As with most things here,just do it,then at the end try and figure out where the money went !

regards worgeordie

[PatOngo]

I do hope Richard Mille, Rolex and Mercedes Benz are well stocked, I can see significant business coming their way!

[jonstarjon]

Now there's a nice big trough for the big boys to get their noses in!! That's more like it!!

[Cadbury]

7 hours ago, rooster59 said:

Bt130 billion to implement a five-year reform plan

130 billion for a five year plan. That should keep a limitless number of committees going for at least seven + years. Committees made up of immediate family, friends and other relatives all of whom can provide a financial return for those who appoint them.

[Ossy]

8 hours ago, rooster59 said:

Reform to clean the country of corruption is always the buzzword for military leaders to topple elected governments. 

You'd have thought that, for this 'Reform the Whole Bloody Shooting-Match' assembly, Prayut would have persuaded more than, I estimate, a mere quarter of NLA members to be in place . . . the ladies could have knitted and the boys played Paper - Stone - Scissors whilst the billions were being boringly apportioned among the government departments. But Prayut didn't bother, so perhaps the Thai people may be looking for more initiative from the powers-that-be, with all that dosh at their disposal.

 

Just how do you rid 'Law' - forecast to be the costliest department to reform - of corruption? There is evidently inbred and endemic dishonesty, greed, cheating and abuse of power (corruption's key ingredients in my book) but where do you start to spend that initial 991 million bahts? . . . new uniforms, bigger brooms, dinner plates instead of a trough or a money-devouring think tank that can name its own fees?

 

There is only one way to get things clean, as most of us are reminded, as the dirty plates slide onto the sink-top after dinner . . . the dirt has to be shifted. Viewing each department as a typically-structured pyramid of authority, I see only one way to banish corruption from the top and that is to replace the man at the top, (under whose watch all this filth has piled up) by a younger, stronger and totally untainted outsider . . . a successful businessman, like this auto-parts guy, for example, who will then, depending on the proven performance of the next layer of authority down, i.e. dirty or squeaky-clean, perform the same clinical removal of all those but the squeaky-clean. Yes, it will cost a bit in recruiting new blood, but there needs to be that new blood . . . especially since the old blood can't even be bothered to turn up to discuss the disaster.

 

This entire facade of the Junta throwing money, at a corrupt circus of which they are the ring-leaders, simply beggars belief. OK . . . back to talkSport, now!

Edited March 31, 2018 by Ossy
clarity

[ramrod711]

The only real criticism I have is their lack of imagination. Surely they could have come up with something creative like a rice scheme, free Chinese tablets or a first car scam. Oh well at least they have the various railroad plans which will probably rival some of the MRT extension projects from past governments when it comes to cost overruns.

[yellowboat]

If you are an elected and unaccountable government what would you do ?  Spend B130 billion and call it reform. 

[JAG]

9 hours ago, rooster59 said:

Decharat Sukkamnoed, an economist from Kasetsart University, said Bt130 billion could be considered a lot of money,

You can see why the university employed him as an economist can't you!

[Oziex1]

With the possibility of an election and although the playing field is tilted in their favour, they may as well grab the loot now as the future may not be a bright as they think.

They may have to do a runner to neighbouring countries where a little extra may help.

[Thian]

7 hours ago, Lungstib said:

130 BILLION baht and nobody feels the need to discuss the situation. I wonder just how the citizens would feel about this if given a voice?

2000 baht a head, if that really stops corruption they indeed should sign without a debate.

Thailand will easy get that money back by being more competitive on the worldmarkets in coming years. 

[Lungstib]

2 hours ago, Ossy said:

This entire facade of the Junta throwing money, at a corrupt circus of which they are the ring-leaders, simply beggars belief.

Nicely put. Like the analogy.

 

7 minutes ago, Thian said:

2000 baht a head, if that really stops corruption

Great optimism which I fear is misplaced. I'll go with Ossy. 

[ratcatcher]

10 hours ago, kannot said:

The govt said to a "packed house"

                          

             House of Commons.                                                                    House of Uncommons.

[cookieqw]

education ????????

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

On 3/31/2018 at 8:16 AM, Samui Bodoh said:

This story epitomizes the sorry state of Thailand in 2018.

 

First, look at the photo; it is a photo of a half-empty room of appointed people who do not represent anyone except the military Junta that appointed them. Missing are numerous appointees who have been given permission to continue on their real jobs while being paid for not doing this one (BTW, I seem to remember a Sopranos episode where the mafia guys discuss "no-show" jobs. I wonder if that is where the idea came from).

 

The "legislators" approved the Cabinet plan without debate.

 

 

Well, you can't necessarily assume the photo accompanying the OP story was shot at the time they were having their NON-debate on the reform plan/budget. Could just as well been a file photo they dug out of the archives.

 

But either way, I always kind of assumed that big room in recent years has been populated with a lot of cardboard cutout figures that just stood or sat there... giving the false impression that there were actual live human beings doing work on behalf of the public. And then every few nights, after the building closed for the night, someone in the maintenance staff could come along and dust them.

 

 

Edited April 1, 2018 by TallGuyJohninBKK