Broken economy on most people’s minds in NIDA poll

[webfact]

Broken economy on most people’s minds in NIDA poll

By The Nation

 

File photo

 

More than anything else in 2019, citizens want the government to improve the economy, according to a recent survey by the National Institute of Development Administration (NIDA) released on Friday.

 

The December 24-26 poll of 1,252 people across the country over age 18 and of various levels of education and occupations asked what they wanted from the government that will be formed after the election scheduled for late February.

 

More than 52 per cent urged that economic problems be resolved, while nearly 21 per cent want the price of farm produce shored up and more agricultural goods to be developed.

 

Nearly 9.7 per cent would like to see corruption eradicated, 7.3 per cent want the minimum wage raised, and 4 per cent believe the employment rate should be higher.

 

Large-scale infrastructure projects like roads and railways were on the wish list for 1.6 per cent of respondents, 1.12 per cent want environmental issues addressed, 0.79 per cent thought tourism needed better promotion, and 2.48 per cent cited a miscellany of other needs.

 

These included maintaining peace and order, improving education, solving crimes and catching drug traffickers, increasing the elderly allowance, improving health security, and taming the unrest in the southern border provinces.

 

The same poll found that 27.7 per cent of respondents believed the Pheu Thai Party could resolve the problems most bothering them if it were elected to form the next government.

 

Another 21.3 per cent doubted that any political party could do so, while 16.5 per cent were ready to put their trust in the Phalang Pracharat Party and 16.4 per cent in the Democrat Party.

 

Among current government projects people want to see continued were welfare cards for low-income earners and Pracharat shops (27 per cent), tackling off-system debts (15.1 per cent), cheap loans for houses and farming on state land (12.5 per cent), crackdowns on influential figures and corruption (11.9 per cent), and improvements to the quality of life, such as free emergency medical services (10.2 per cent).

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30361281

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-12-28

[Thaiwrath]

24 minutes ago, webfact said:

Broken economy

The only thing not broken appears to be the wealth of the powers that be, lies and all !

[Phuketshrew]

32 minutes ago, webfact said:

Broken economy on most people’s minds

I beg to differ:

[Cadbury]

34 minutes ago, webfact said:

More than 52 per cent urged that economic problems be resolved

The Thai economy is not all that bad in general terms. The problem is that so few are getting the benefit of what is coming from it. The elite, big business, "friends" of the junta, corrupt politicians, senior civil servants, provincial leaders and military generals are all doing very nicely thank you.

While the masses are just keeping their heads above water or bouncing along the bottom or putting themselves into debt to survive. But the aforementioned don't want to know about that.

They sometimes pretend they do and throw them a few scraps but there has been no attempt at radical reform to redress the situation so as to balance the books a bit more evenly between the filthy rich and rest. A wealth tax would go a long way to do that but that's got a snowball's chance in hell of happening.

[Oziex1]

While Prawit and his pet NACC say "let them eat cake"

[AtoZ]

The biggest issue for the smart, regular Thai is the elite won't allow competition in anything except restaurants and massage shops.

 

When there is something brewing, let's quickly outlaw it so our friends can continue racking billions.

 

It's like China disqualifying the Western companies, except here the 1% of Thai disqualifying the 99% of other Thais + the Western companies

[greeneking]

Agree. The big brewers applying pressure so making the new entrepreneurs 'import' their better quality products so that even a small shop bottle is 160 baht +.

[chainarong]

The problem with a Junta , there's numbers and dam numbers when it comes to fiddling the books, its their way or the highway, nothing can be believed and like it or lump it, that's the truth of the matter.

[tracker1]

Fear of the coming election results I think more of the same or worse

[khunJeroen]

Assuming they could raise salaries they immediately will out price them to surrounding nations and unemployment levels will raise. The only way to create more wealth for everyone is to transition to a knowledge based industry or products with more added value. With an economy based largely on traditional farming that is very difficult. Imo the problem is not that a few have a lot of wealth, we see similar distribution in more wealthier countries (and completely logic). Its more the absence of a proper middle income layer creating a big gap between the 'haves and have nots'. These are often the educated people (doctors, engineers, finance) working for big companies in Bangkok but relative still a huge minority. Education is the best way to get out of the poverty trap and that is what the government should enable and support. Just raising salaries and more freebies only costs money but don't improve the economy and the long term wellbeing of the country. 

[Eric Loh]

20 hours ago, webfact said:

Broken economy on most people’s minds in NIDA poll

Pro Prayut political parties achilles heel. 

[madmitch]

20 hours ago, webfact said:

Nearly 9.7 per cent would like to see corruption eradicated

Not a lot then.

 

A devaluation of the baht would help the economy and tourism but it's not in the interest of those filling up their offshore bank accounts.

Edited December 29, 2018 by madmitch

[OwlishDawlish]

21 hours ago, Thaiwrath said:

The only thing not broken appears to be the wealth of the powers that be, lies and all !

 

And the runaway corruption that creates that wealth.

 

 

[OwlishDawlish]

1 hour ago, Eric Loh said:

Pro Prayut political parties achilles heel. 

 

Indeed. No matter how much they try to misdirect and create a different impression, the economy for most is broken and will play an increasingly large role in the next few months.

 

 

[RichardColeman]

21 hours ago, webfact said:

Nearly 9.7 per cent would like to see corruption eradicated,

so 90.3 % on the fiddle then !

[BritManToo]

23 hours ago, webfact said:

More than 52 per cent urged that economic problems be resolved, while nearly 21 per cent want the price of farm produce shored up and more agricultural goods to be developed.

The problem being the price of the Baht has made Thai farm produce unsellable outside of the country.

All the other Asian countries are 15-20% below the Baht (compared to 2 years back).

This is a problem which has no cure without devaluation.

Why pay 20% more for Thai rice (et al)?

[Pedrogaz]

Let's hope they vote with this in mind. The junta have been in charge for 4 years so should have fixed the economy if it was fixable.

[robblok]

19 minutes ago, Pedrogaz said:

Let's hope they vote with this in mind. The junta have been in charge for 4 years so should have fixed the economy if it was fixable.

People always seem to think the economy is fixable.. its not it just flows with the world economy, best the people in power can do is add an extra percent or so or if they are bad lose an extra percent. The economy always has its ups and downs. 

 

what needs to be fixed is the distribution of wealth here that is the main problem. 

[Odysseus123]

32 minutes ago, Pedrogaz said:

Let's hope they vote with this in mind. The junta have been in charge for 4 years so should have fixed the economy if it was fixable.

Well..they have "fixed" the economy in their own peculiar way.

[marcusarelus]

11 minutes ago, robblok said:

People always seem to think the economy is fixable.. its not it just flows with the world economy, best the people in power can do is add an extra percent or so or if they are bad lose an extra percent. The economy always has its ups and downs. 

 

what needs to be fixed is the distribution of wealth here that is the main problem. 

It's about the same as Canada.  Terrible. 

https://knoema.com/atlas/ranks/GINI-index

[BestB]

Let’s hope all those surveyed have enough brain not to vote for current junta or its proxies as according to them Thai economy is doing super well and there is nothing to fix or to worry about .

[pornprong]

33 minutes ago, robblok said:

People always seem to think the economy is fixable.. its not it just flows with the world economy, best the people in power can do is add an extra percent or so or if they are bad lose an extra percent. The economy always has its ups and downs. 

 

what needs to be fixed is the distribution of wealth here that is the main problem. 

"What needs to be fixed is the distribution of wealth here that is the main problem". 

 

 

How hilarious coming from you, for so many years the number one cheerleader of an unelected regime that has moved Thailand in the exact opposite direction of your statement above.

 

 

Comedy gold!

[robblok]

2 minutes ago, pornprong said:

"What needs to be fixed is the distribution of wealth here that is the main problem". 

 

 

How hilarious coming from you, for so many years the number one cheerleader of an unelected regime that has moved Thailand in the exact opposite direction of your statement above.

 

 

Comedy gold!

Yes the PTP and Thaksin have really done a lot to bring change the distribution of wealth, i must admit... too bad it was only from the old gard to their own account and not to the people. If you look you see that they were as unsuccessful as the junta.

 

And id like you to prove your statement with numbers because I can't seem to find them, below shows that they equally junta and PTP made progress but not much. 2011-2013 YL in power see the difference (not too much), then junta in power, not too much change either (and no recent figures) but seems YL did not do as good as you thought.

 

https://knoema.com/atlas/ranks/GINI-index 

[BestB]

22 minutes ago, robblok said:

Yes the PTP and Thaksin have really done a lot to bring change the distribution of wealth, i must admit... too bad it was only from the old gard to their own account and not to the people. If you look you see that they were as unsuccessful as the junta.

 

And id like you to prove your statement with numbers because I can't seem to find them, below shows that they equally junta and PTP made progress but not much. 2011-2013 YL in power see the difference (not too much), then junta in power, not too much change either (and no recent figures) but seems YL did not do as good as you thought.

 

https://knoema.com/atlas/ranks/GINI-index 

I do not think anyone denies what Thaksin and Co did, but the main difference is while he and co were getting rich they allowed others to make a living.

 

The new bunch, Junta and Co, are getting rich while taking everything away from everyone else, under pretext of making it better.

 

 

 

 

[pornprong]

31 minutes ago, robblok said:

Yes the PTP and Thaksin have really done a lot to bring change the distribution of wealth, i must admit... too bad it was only from the old gard to their own account and not to the people. If you look you see that they were as unsuccessful as the junta.

 

And id like you to prove your statement with numbers because I can't seem to find them, below shows that they equally junta and PTP made progress but not much. 2011-2013 YL in power see the difference (not too much), then junta in power, not too much change either (and no recent figures) but seems YL did not do as good as you thought.

 

https://knoema.com/atlas/ranks/GINI-index 

But, but, but Thaksin.

 

The most dramatic reduction is, unsurprisingly, in the northeast, where the poverty rate is the highest in Thailand (though close to the rate in the north since 2002 and the same in 2007). Between 2000 and 2009 more than 4 million people in the northeast moved above the poverty line (more than half of the national reduction in poverty). In the north the reduction was more than 1 million, and in the south about 900 thousand.

 

Democracy = less inequality

Coups and Juntas = more inequality

 

You my friend have yourself a conundrum your (claimed) anti inequality stance and your pro Junta love are incompatible.

Guess on of them is a mistruth.

 

[robblok]

1 minute ago, pornprong said:

But, but, but Thaksin.

 

The most dramatic reduction is, unsurprisingly, in the northeast, where the poverty rate is the highest in Thailand (though close to the rate in the north since 2002 and the same in 2007). Between 2000 and 2009 more than 4 million people in the northeast moved above the poverty line (more than half of the national reduction in poverty). In the north the reduction was more than 1 million, and in the south about 900 thousand.

 

Democracy = less inequality

Coups and Juntas = more inequality

 

You my friend have yourself a conundrum your (claimed) anti inequality stance and your pro Junta love are incompatible.

Guess on of them is a mistruth.

 

I am anti junta, too... and the GINI index does not show what you say. It only shows that recently nothing much has changed by either junta and PTP. 

 

Just shows what I have been saying for the last year or so that they are all crooks and in it for themselves not the people. You keep bringing up things from decades ago while there are no recent accomplishments of the PTP. Just look at the figures of an independent organisation that has been quoted. It backs up what i say. 

[robblok]

17 minutes ago, BestB said:

I do not think anyone denies what Thaksin and Co did, but the main difference is while he and co were getting rich they allowed others to make a living.

 

The new bunch, Junta and Co, are getting rich while taking everything away from everyone else, under pretext of making it better.

 

The GINI index does not show that.. or at least not of the latest version of Thaksin his clone Ying Luck. I am not supporting either junta or PTP for that matter. IMHO they are all crooks and none of them do much for the people. I have a bit of hope for future forward but that is about it. Things wont change as long as the old dinosaurs on both sides are still there as they have proven to only want the power to make it better for themselves. 

[pornprong]

24 minutes ago, robblok said:

I am anti junta, too... and the GINI index does not show what you say. It only shows that recently nothing much has changed by either junta and PTP. 

 

Just shows what I have been saying for the last year or so that they are all crooks and in it for themselves not the people. You keep bringing up things from decades ago while there are no recent accomplishments of the PTP. Just look at the figures of an independent organisation that has been quoted. It backs up what i say. 

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=14&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwiqp6eSzMTfAhVEJHIKHULKBREQygQwDXoECAgQBg&url=https%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FGini_coefficient%23Limitations_of_Gini_coefficient&usg=AOvVaw3aunJ5dZWVPvv_SEwvE0_T

 

The phrase “drinking the Kool-Aid” refers to followership at its worse. It was coined after a delusional, pseudo-guru named Jim Jones led his cult, the Peoples Temple, to mass suicide. Over 900 people, including 304 children, killed themselves by drinking from a vat of grape-flavored drink laced with cyanide.

[Chris Lawrence]

A armful of expensive watches helps the medicine go down
The medicine go down-wown
The medicine go down
Just a Rolex/sugar helps the medicine go down
In a most delightful way

[Cake Monster]

Why, in all Thai surveys, are the number of people surveyed just over 1,000 in every poll.

is it that this is the number that is achieved on a Monday morning outside of some Shopping Mall before its time to fit on a Nose Bag ?