Economics professor accuses parties of wooing voters with dream populist policies

[webfact]

Economics professor accuses parties of wooing voters with dream populist policies

 

 

All political parties contesting the March-24 election are engaged in selling “dream” populist policies to woo voters without clarifying how they will fund these policies, said Mr.Narong Petprasert, a lecturer in political economics at Chulalongkorn University.

 

All populist policies, be it cash handouts for the poor, free social security or a welfare state, can only be implemented using tax revenue, yet none of the parties have explained their planned tax measures to raise the funds needed for their implementation, said the professor.

 

He proposed the Scandinavian model of progressive rates of corporate and personal income taxes, such as 20%-28% value-added tax and 17%-18% personal income taxes for those who earn from one million to 100 million baht per annum and higher tax rates for higher incomes as well as high property and inheritance tax rates.

 

Full story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/economics-professor-accuses-parties-of-wooing-voters-with-dream-populist-policies/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2019-03-04

 

[YetAnother]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

yet none of the parties have explained their planned tax measures to raise the funds needed for their implementation, said the professor.

that is why they are 'dream policies' , they lack realism

[LomSak27]

13 minutes ago, YetAnother said:

1 hour ago, webfact said:

yet none of the parties have explained their planned tax measures to raise the funds needed for their implementation, said the professor.

that is why they are 'dream policies' , they lack realism

Paying the bill has never been popular, the world over, and least of all in Thailand.

[leeneeds]

Gez professor,  its all in the small print,

that most don't read until after they have signed,

[Oziex1]

Populist policies lead to the trough.

[Cadbury]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

.......selling “dream” populist policies to woo voters without clarifying how they will fund these policies

There may be some truth in what he says but I was under the impression a number of Parties were selling the "dream" populist policy of substantial funding cuts to the military to pay for those other "dream" populist policies referred to by the Professor. 

The Professor is a "lecturer in political economics". What is that meant to mean in a country with a government which presently has politics, economics and corruption so closely intertwined?

His other idea about the Scandinavian model does have some merit but I can't see the filthy rich 1% coughing up more taxes to help the poor. The present government would never allow something like that to happen.

[Denim]

What ?????

 

 But the great leader said that populist policies are a thing of the past ?

 

Surely not more pork pies from him who must be obeyed ?

[sammieuk1]

Just about any politician anywhere with any clout is by default rich already and makes the job so much easier to see the pain of the poor ????

[Cadbury]

5 minutes ago, Denim said:

What ?????

 

 But the great leader said that populist policies are a thing of the past ?

 

Surely not more pork pies from him who must be obeyed ?

What he says and what he does are two completely different things. He is not referred to as Pinocchio for nothing.

The military Junta via the PM and their caravan of provincial mobile cabinet meetings have been enthusiastically pumping out populist policies using the Thai Niyom electioneering slush fund for the last 18 months or more. 

[irwinfc]

nothing to worry about, since the military is always on hand to "save" thailand in case politicians of the wrong sort get elected. 

[Eric Loh]

In this land of world most unequal country and where 1% richest Thais owned 66.9% and rising every year, any populist policies that extract more from the rich to pay for the poor is most welcome. Double that welcome if we can cut the military frivolous spending and the fat cat generals. 

[Chrisswe]

1 hour ago, Eric Loh said:

In this land of world most unequal country and where 1% richest Thais owned 66.9% and rising every year, any populist policies that extract more from the rich to pay for the poor is most welcome. Double that welcome if we can cut the military frivolous spending and the fat cat generals. 

As per one old farmer told me"what will happend after Oktober when the vote-buying money 300 bht finish "  ?????

[robblok]

1 hour ago, Eric Loh said:

In this land of world most unequal country and where 1% richest Thais owned 66.9% and rising every year, any populist policies that extract more from the rich to pay for the poor is most welcome. Double that welcome if we can cut the military frivolous spending and the fat cat generals. 

That is not the topic here, the topic is that all the parties are coming up with policies but without coming up with a way to fund them. Where I come from that would not be allowed. Where I come from all party programs are put in a computer to see if the policies are viable. 

 

I feel its quite bad and vote buying if you don't make a good plan that explains how its going to be financed.

 

Having said that the junta is doing the same things, but we should hold political parties to higher standards as a junta.. correct Eric ?

 

I have no problem with popular policies, if it is shown how they will be financed and viable. Otherwise its just contest of who lies the best, who promises most. Not really how a political campaign should go. At least not where I am from.

[nong38]

I don't think they will put any of these policies in their manifesto's and will then just let drift away with time like the tourist arrival figures or the weather prediction for 6 months hence, however come and look at my new tank or apply for submarine rides now might be a winner.

I expect free beer or whiskey might be deemed popular as well but it must be stressed this was never a promise merely an aspiration.

[Odysseus123]

"Pig from the Left!

Sound forth!"

 

Me..me..?

 

"Oh okay..these polices are bad..shocking bad..totally bad.."

 

"Can I get back to eating now?"

[Eric Loh]

31 minutes ago, robblok said:

That is not the topic here, the topic is that all the parties are coming up with policies but without coming up with a way to fund them. Where I come from that would not be allowed. Where I come from all party programs are put in a computer to see if the policies are viable. 

 

I feel its quite bad and vote buying if you don't make a good plan that explains how its going to be financed.

 

Having said that the junta is doing the same things, but we should hold political parties to higher standards as a junta.. correct Eric ?

 

I have no problem with popular policies, if it is shown how they will be financed and viable. Otherwise its just contest of who lies the best, who promises most. Not really how a political campaign should go. At least not where I am from.

My point is that the privileges of the rich are excessive and they should be taxed more to reduce inequality. Taxation to pay for policies that benefit the poorer segment of the population seem a luring tool for political parties. FFP talk about cutting BOI's privileges and other tax allowance programmes and also pointed out the a hike in land tax which is long overdue. Personally I am for populist policies that add value or address structural problems. The poor segment of the population must be given the opportunity to improve their well being and the rich must accept the social contract for the good of the country.   

[robblok]

14 minutes ago, Eric Loh said:

My point is that the privileges of the rich are excessive and they should be taxed more to reduce inequality. Taxation to pay for policies that benefit the poorer segment of the population seem a luring tool for political parties. FFP talk about cutting BOI's privileges and other tax allowance programmes and also pointed out the a hike in land tax which is long overdue. Personally I am for populist policies that add value or address structural problems. The poor segment of the population must be given the opportunity to improve their well being and the rich must accept the social contract for the good of the country.   

your point is not the point the topic, the point is that they don't tell how its going to get financed. You on the other hand come with good options. I am all for land tax and more tax for the rich. But at least they should then put that in their election program and say that they are going to finance it by implementing these policies. That is what a proper party would do, but they don't do that in Thailand like in a real democracy. 

 

I am also for populist policies that address structural problems, giving a lot of money away does not always solve that but it does sound nice. Good education would be nice (but is not popular so they won't talk to much about that).

 

Anyway I agree with most of what your saying, but that was not the point here. The point was that unlike you they don't show how they are going to pay for it all with realistic taxes and so on with estimates of how much money they get from it. Estimates what cutting the army budget will do. 

 

The need to balance the budget.. not just promise things.

[brain150]

Political Parties and Democracy are a contradiction !

 

And the way they all will finance their populist agendas is as anybody else does it:

1. Stealing the money from the people [it's called taxes]

2. Depth

 

... it's wrong and leads to disaster but that's how the criminal system worldwide operates.

[brain150]

Just as a note:

Elections are not a basic component in a true democracy !

They are just an emergency solution in case there cannot be an agreement between the people !

 

What elections produce is just the Tyranny of the majority over the minority !!!

Governments should serve the people ... instead there are elections to decide who rules over the people.

"Give your vote away and shut up" ... that's what elections really mean !!!

 

Free people don't need to vote a leader ... slaves elect their slave masters ! [What a joke]

[Odysseus123]

7 minutes ago, brain150 said:

Political Parties and Democracy are a contradiction !

 

And the way they all will finance their populist agendas is as anybody else does it:

1. Stealing the money from the people [it's called taxes]

2. Depth

 

... it's wrong and leads to disaster but that's how the criminal system worldwide operates.

Really..phew,ah?

 

Only three maor certainties in life..Death,Taxes and exceedingly odd and puerile posts on the internet.

 

Keep it up-you might be president of Ruritania (viva la revolucion) one day.

[Odysseus123]

3 minutes ago, Father Fintan Stack said:

You believed a lot of the promises the junta made when you supported the coup.

 

Blind faith?

Mercenary.

[robblok]

1 minute ago, Father Fintan Stack said:

You believed a lot of the promises the junta made when you supported the coup.

 

Blind faith?

Stupidity, not seeing that all sides are bad and the voted in ones marginally less so. It was quite a shock for me to see how the Shins were robbing the country blind. That was when i arrived here. I could not believe that this was the norm. So I was just assuming others would not be so bad.

 

Now I know better the people are just pawns and no matter who is in power they will rob the country blind. I still have no love for the Shins, but neither do I have love for the junta.

 

But this shows again that the political parties in Thailand are just a sham. You can't just promise all kinds of stuff without telling how your going to finance it. But this seems to be the way in this country. 

[statman78]

17 minutes ago, robblok said:

 

But this shows again that the political parties in Thailand are just a sham. You can't just promise all kinds of stuff without telling how your going to finance it. But this seems to be the way in this country. 

It is the same in my country, the USA.  Politicians promise everything with the statement we’ll tax the rich.  When estimates of costs and revenues are made there is never enough money to pay but the politicians don’t care.  Some have even come out and said we’ll pay with borrowed money forever!

[brain150]

1 hour ago, Odysseus123 said:

Really..phew,ah?

 

Only three maor certainties in life..Death,Taxes and exceedingly odd and puerile posts on the internet.

 

Keep it up-you might be president of Ruritania (viva la revolucion) one day.

You might just try to find out what the truth really is.

Might be very surprising for you to find out how wrong your believes are.

 

Knowledge is the way to wisdom. Ignorance is bliss.

[Odysseus123]

You must be desperateley unhappy,indeesd...

 

These new recruits are nowhere near the quality of the old..

 

Food for powder,one would expect.

 

Of course you might actually post a photo of your existence in Thailand..either past or present..

 

Otherwise take a Bex,a cup of tea and a good lay down.

Edited March 4, 2019 by Odysseus123

[connda]

10 hours ago, webfact said:

Economics professor accuses parties of wooing voters with dream populist policies

Well, there is nothing new under the sun about this.  Typical politicians will promise the moon and then renege on the promise while explaining it away with a mealy-mouth, pablum-laced excuse.  Campaign lying is an art form. 

[Baerboxer]

An academic proposing increasing VAT from 7% to 20-28% and big increases in personal taxes, property and inheritance tax etc - who would have thought it!

 

Why do so many academics believe increased taxation and increased central control by government are the answer - when it's been shown over and over again not to work except in rare circumstances for short times? Proves one of Einstein's theories, the one about insanity, yet again.

 

Here increase taxes equals more revenue for the government which equals a bigger trough to fight over.

 

 

[Baerboxer]

53 minutes ago, robblok said:

Stupidity, not seeing that all sides are bad and the voted in ones marginally less so. It was quite a shock for me to see how the Shins were robbing the country blind. That was when i arrived here. I could not believe that this was the norm. So I was just assuming others would not be so bad.

 

Now I know better the people are just pawns and no matter who is in power they will rob the country blind. I still have no love for the Shins, but neither do I have love for the junta.

 

But this shows again that the political parties in Thailand are just a sham. You can't just promise all kinds of stuff without telling how your going to finance it. But this seems to be the way in this country. 

 

You're right of course Rob! They never want anyone to check the detail or the reality.

 

Do you remember when the Shins wanted to borrow 2.2 trillion baht loan for government spending? And wanted to take the spending out of the checks and balances and parliamentary scrutiny? And Yingluck, when challenged, simply said "just trust us"?

 

Well that's how all the politicians here think. They really believe everyone believes everything they say; and never asks how it might be achieved or done.

[Baerboxer]

1 hour ago, Father Fintan Stack said:

Why can't these dirt-poor peasants learn their place under their multi-billionaire overlords?

 

Are you quoting Thaksin, Yingluck, one of the extended family? Or perhaps one of the non elected but somehow appointed UDD leaders?

[Roadman]

17 minutes ago, Baerboxer said:

 

Are you quoting Thaksin, Yingluck, one of the extended family? Or perhaps one of the non elected but somehow appointed UDD leaders?

Sounds very much like that bastion of great leadership Chalerm.

Edited March 4, 2019 by Roadman