An iron hand on the scales of wealth [Editorial]

[webfact]

An iron hand on the scales of wealth

By The Nation

 

 

Shocking inequality has been fuelled by elitist junta rule; rival parties must offer alternative visions ahead of election 

 

Rather than dismissing a report of shocking inequality in Thai society, the junta and its supporters have a duty to show voters how they will tackle the problem as they prepare for the election. 

 

The Credit Suisse Global Wealth Report 2018 indicates that Thailand is the world’s most unequal country, with the richest 1 per cent holding 66.9 per cent of the wealth.

 

In second place is Russia (57.1 per cent), followed by Turkey (54.4 per cent) and India (51.5 per cent). Thailand ranked third in the 2016 Wealth Report, behind Russia and India. 

 

Government Spokesman Puttipong Punnakanta promptly rejected the report, saying it was based on obsolete data from 2006. The gap between the rich and the poor in the country had declined since then, he added. 

 

A few days later, the spokesman piped up again to say Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha was worried the report was being used to discredit his government. It’s good to know the junta chief has taken note that inequality is a major problem in Thailand, but sad to see the method he has chosen to address the issue. 

 

Concerned at the plight of the 11 million Thais on low incomes, the government has employed measures to help, he said, including allocating them 317,000 rai of land in 61 provinces.

 

Land ownership is a good reflection of inequality in Thai society. While the junta government claimed it managed to allocate more than 300,000 rai to the poorest citizens, Prayut failed to mention that one family alone holds more than 600,000 rai of Thai land.

 

It is also important to note that, despite enjoying absolute power for the past four years, the junta has failed tackle the vast wealth imbalance.

 

In fact, a covert objective of the military when it took power in 2014 was to centralise power and wealth. Control of both by a narrow elite was duly achieved, consolidating a structure of inequality that locked the poor in poverty and dependence. Politically speaking, this structure enables the elite to rule the country effectively.

 

One tool to achieve this is the government’s so-called “People’s State” (Pracharat) welfare project, which uses national budget to strengthen a few big conglomerates and state enterprises.

 

Through it, the government simply offers money to the poor to buy from the rich owners of corporations. The state welfare card, for example, cannot be used to purchase goods from street vendors. Those who hold the card can use it only at state-designated shops – mostly convenience stores run by big conglomerates.

 

The SIM card for the poor does the same job, transferring national budget through low-income users to pay telephone bills to one of the few operators in the country. 

 

This circulation of money in the system back to the wealthy does nothing to change the structure of inequality. Under the Pracharat project, the rich stay rich while the poor are left to fend for themselves with little opportunity to access national wealth, which remains under the control of the elite. 

 

Solving the problem of inequality requires not only clear vision but also a strong political will to change the socio-economic structure.

 

The junta has demonstrated it has no such vision or will. The military elite simply staged a coup to topple an elected civilian government, then sat in power overseeing a structure that maintains huge wealth imbalance. A strikingly small elite has thus managed to control political power and sustain what amounts to an economic monopoly. 

 

With an election on the horizon, however, it is now the turn of political parties to put forward rival visions, determination and concrete plans to tackle the gross inequality. In so doing they can offer a brighter future and greater social justice for us all.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/opinion/30360226

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-12-12

[Samui Bodoh]

"...In fact, a covert objective of the military when it took power in 2014 was to centralise power and wealth. Control of both by a narrow elite was duly achieved, consolidating a structure of inequality that locked the poor in poverty and dependence. Politically speaking, this structure enables the elite to rule the country effectively...."

 

Er... Ahem... Nation, many of us have been very aware of this fact for a very long time; are you just learning it? And, by the way, it wasn't so 'covert', it seemed quite blatant to all other observers...

 

"...The military elite simply staged a coup to topple an elected civilian government, then sat in power overseeing a structure that maintains huge wealth imbalance. A strikingly small elite has thus managed to control political power and sustain what amounts to an economic monopoly..." 

 

Again, I am pleased to see that you are stating this, Nation. However, I have to ask again; are just realizing this now? Where have you been for the last 100 years?

 

The solution to this problem is quite easy to lay out (we all know what it is), but quite difficult to implement.

 

Perhaps, Nation, you might start promoting a vision to change the above on your front page, rather than printing pro-Prayut propaganda stories with the usual three, colour photos of Prayut and his "Mobile Cabinet Meetings"? You are Thai, we are not. It is you who needs to be making the case.

 

What's it going to be, Nation? Sustained, serious action or the occasional fine (but futile) word?

 

 

[zzaa09]

Terribly revealing.????

I never knew such things existed before this breaking editorial. ????

 

Nice to know they're abreast of everything.????

Edited December 11, 2018 by zzaa09

[ChrisY1]

"The junta has demonstrated it has no such vision or will. The military elite simply staged a coup to topple an elected civilian government, then sat in power overseeing a structure that maintains huge wealth imbalance. A strikingly small elite has thus managed to control political power and sustain what amounts to an economic monopoly."

And no-one in the media could have imagined this to be the case 4 1/2 years ago?

[Fex Bluse]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

Shocking inequality has been fuelled by elitist junta rule

The only shocked people are regular Thais who have been trained from birth not to think or question there "betters". 

[Lungstib]

Just read the announcement of the Khana Ratsadon in 1932 and you will find a perfect description of exactly what is and has been going on for all the passing years. Broken only by a few mega-wealthy entrepreneurs who wanted to tip the balance in their favour, but otherwise still robbing the poor. 85 years and counting, nothing has changed. 

[JCauto]

1 hour ago, Samui Bodoh said:

"...In fact, a covert objective of the military when it took power in 2014 was to centralise power and wealth. Control of both by a narrow elite was duly achieved, consolidating a structure of inequality that locked the poor in poverty and dependence. Politically speaking, this structure enables the elite to rule the country effectively...."

 

Er... Ahem... Nation, many of us have been very aware of this fact for a very long time; are you just learning it? And, by the way, it wasn't so 'covert', it seemed quite blatant to all other observers...

 

"...The military elite simply staged a coup to topple an elected civilian government, then sat in power overseeing a structure that maintains huge wealth imbalance. A strikingly small elite has thus managed to control political power and sustain what amounts to an economic monopoly..." 

 

Again, I am pleased to see that you are stating this, Nation. However, I have to ask again; are just realizing this now? Where have you been for the last 100 years?

 

The solution to this problem is quite easy to lay out (we all know what it is), but quite difficult to implement.

 

Perhaps, Nation, you might start promoting a vision to change the above on your front page, rather than printing pro-Prayut propaganda stories with the usual three, colour photos of Prayut and his "Mobile Cabinet Meetings"? You are Thai, we are not. It is you who needs to be making the case.

 

What's it going to be, Nation? Sustained, serious action or the occasional fine (but futile) word?

 

 

Good post, but you forgot to mention the part about the Nation and Post being the English-language cheerleaders for that very coup that they're railing against. They should consolidate and republish a single newspaper (no difference between them anyway, both are mouthpieces for the A-maart) and rename it "The Bangkok Hypocrite".

[SmartyMarty]

The usual idiots on here bagging the Nation for taking too long to bring this to light rather than focusing on what the article contains.

[zzaa09]

32 minutes ago, Lungstib said:

Just read the announcement of the Khana Ratsadon in 1932 and you will find a perfect description of exactly what is and has been going on for all the passing years. Broken only by a few mega-wealthy entrepreneurs who wanted to tip the balance in their favour, but otherwise still robbing the poor. 85 years and counting, nothing has changed. 

....and I do trust that the more knowledgeable among us realize there was nothing terribly special about the 1932 marked event. 

That particular was the instigator that has troubled contemporary Siam/Thailand over several decades.

 

[Cadbury]

Two years ago the greedy 1% had 58% of the wealth. This year that has risen to 67%. They won't be satisfied until they have got the lot and the way they are going that shouldn't take long. 

[YetAnother]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

the junta and its supporters have a duty to show voters how they will tackle the problem

western thinking; they acknowledge no such duty

[yellowboat]

Such condemnation is long overdue.    The blunt instrument ruing the country wants to bring back the status quo as it existed before Thaksin.  The rich stay protected, hidden and well looked after, while the rest struggle.   The was obvious in the first weeks after the coup. 

[mikebell]

44 minutes ago, Cadbury said:

Two years ago the greedy 1% had 58% of the wealth. This year that has risen to 67%. They won't be satisfied until they have got the lot and the way they are going that shouldn't take long. 

But the PM has promised to sort it out when he wins the sham election.

[Cadbury]

7 minutes ago, mikebell said:

But the PM has promised to sort it out when he wins the sham election.

But that was only a Pinocchio promise; doesn't count.

[JAG]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

With an election on the horizon, however, it is now the turn of political parties to put forward rival visions, determination and concrete plans to tackle the gross inequality. In so doing they can offer a brighter future and greater social justice for us all.

An election that will either: be forstalled or rendered void by the Junta should it look like changing something/anything, or if by some miracle a reforming government is elected and comes to power, will lead to another coup to "restore stability" within three years.

[Oziex1]

1 hour ago, Cadbury said:

Two years ago the greedy 1% had 58% of the wealth. This year that has risen to 67%. They won't be satisfied until they have got the lot and the way they are going that shouldn't take long. 

So where do they go when they have it all,  they will want more than all of it, how can they rest? 

[Enoon]

 

Change will not come from any parliament or from within the corridors of power.

 

That is not what they are for.

 

The Thai State seeks only to streamline the processes and components by which it achieve its unchanging core objectives.

 

Ideas about "How it could/should be fixed" (by that same State) are all delusional hope and fantasy.

 

The change will come from "external agencies".

 

The old saying for foreigners in Thailand is as valid as ever:

 

Do not put anything into Thailand unless you are prepared to lose it there.

 

 

 

[fruitman]

Who are 'they' ?? Are they the thai beercompanies who are protected against import beer?

 

Or is it CP who is the only one who understands what customers want these days?

 

Or is it the Central Group building more malls all over asia all the time? Why are there no other groups building malls by the way (except the M-group).?

 

[Cadbury]

37 minutes ago, Oziex1 said:

So where do they go when they have it all,  they will want more than all of it, how can they rest? 

Plenty of opportunities. After they have acquired everything in Thailand they can cash-in and sell the lot to the Chinese and move to a neighbour country and rinse and repeat. They are practiced at amassing fortunes by buying off bent leaders. Greed holds no bounds. 

[jayboy]

The reaction of the Junta leader is wonderfully typical, and actually one that can be found in countless areas of Thai life.

 

In other words, it's not the issue itself that is the problem but more the fact that it can be used to criticize leadership.

[ChrisY1]

2 hours ago, SmartyMarty said:

The usual idiots on here bagging the Nation for taking too long to bring this to light rather than focusing on what the article contains.

Idiotic comment!

[connda]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

The Credit Suisse Global Wealth Report 2018 indicates that Thailand is the world’s most unequal country, with the richest 1 per cent holding 66.9 per cent of the wealth.

I wonder when we'll see the good PM drag Credit Suisse before the Thai defamation courts for disparaging Thailand, her people, and their government.