PM scraps 2,000 baht giveaway plan

 

File photo from Thai Government

 

The Government has backed down over its plan to give two 1,000 baht handouts to every low-income earner, to help ease their hardship in light of the economic slowdown and COVID-19.

 

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said today that he had ordered the plan to be scrapped.

 

The cash giveaway, which was part of an economic stimulus package, was approved by the group of economic ministers last Friday.  It was to be submitted to the cabinet tomorrow for finalization.

 

The plan has come under heavy criticism from economists and the Opposition, pointing out that it will be a waste of taxpayers’ money and will not help boost the slowing economy.

 

The Prime Minister said the cabinet will, however, consider other economic stimulus measures, such as tax breaks and financial support for small and medium size enterprises.

 

Source: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/pm-scraps-2000-baht-giveaway-plan/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2020-03-09

Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking Thailand news and visa info

16 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

The Government has backed down over its plan to give two 1,000 baht handouts to every low-income earner, to help ease their hardship in light of the economic slowdown and COVID-19.

2,000 baht to help ease people’s hardships? It’s 2,000 baht, for Christ’s sake. 
 

 

The only ideas they have had recently to 'stimulate' the economy are cash give aways, promoting local tourism or that bizarre chim shop taste scheme. They are looking more and more out of their depth by the week. 

7 minutes ago, rkidlad said:

2,000 baht to help ease people’s hardships? It’s 2,000 baht, for Christ’s sake. 
 

 

2000 baht goes a long way in Thailand. This isn't Europe or America where even 20,000 baht isn't enough.

 

 

9 minutes ago, rkidlad said:

2,000 baht to help ease people’s hardships? It’s 2,000 baht, for Christ’s sake. 
 

 

Considering my mother-in-law gets 700 baht a month in pension from the gov't, I,d say 2000 baht is very significant.

Can't decide anything from one day to another

8 minutes ago, EricTh said:

2000 baht goes a long way in Thailand. This isn't Europe or America where even 20,000 baht isn't enough.

 

 

It is a lot of money when you don’t have any, but giving handouts like this isn’t sustainable. That money needs to be invested in people. 

1 minute ago, HOAX said:

Considering my mother-in-law gets 700 baht a month in pension from the gov't, I,d say 2000 baht is very significant.

For how long? And then what?

 

The money needs to be used for a longer term. Not a quick handout. Give a man a fish and all that. 

Cheap Charlies ????

7 minutes ago, HOAX said:

Considering my mother-in-law gets 700 baht a month in pension from the gov't, I,d say 2000 baht is very significant.

Not for a clueless PM.

 

 

56 minutes ago, rkidlad said:

2,000 baht to help ease people’s hardships? It’s 2,000 baht, for Christ’s sake. 
 

 

If you are an older Thai person in your 60s that is more than 3 months pension of 600 thb per month.

11 minutes ago, pdtokyo said:

2,000 baht buys quite a few fish, maybe with enough left over for a rod too ...

Yea, it's not sustainable. 

1 minute ago, billd766 said:

If you are an older Thai person in your 60s that is more than 3 months pension of 600 thb per month.

Well, they're not giving the money now as they deem the idea a waste of tax payer's money - which I agree with. 

 

Use the money for something sustainable. 

Well good they scrap it. Too many Thais don`t know what to do with money, when they get it spontaneously. They tend to buy useless stuff. 

Don`t know if the FFP would have done it better, if in charge. But one of the biggest priorities in Thailand should be an improved and stricter tax system with the aim to raise the miserable monthly pension...let`s say to 2000-3000 Baht/month. 

Edited March 9, 20206 yr by SpanishExpat

So to help the economy now they will give to big business same as the rest of the world . Surely it’s better to give those who need it most because it will be spent by them ,thus boosting the economy , but the bigwigs want it for themselves 

Give Somchai 2000baht and you intoxicate him for a day, teach Somchai to code and he's intoxicated for a lifetime.

People just don't have any idea how much Torpedo's cost !

7 minutes ago, SkyNets said:

Give Somchai 2000baht and you intoxicate him for a day, teach Somchai to code and he's intoxicated for a lifetime.

 

Why not cut the middle man and teach Somchai to ferment and distill corn, sugar or mango? 

So he came up with a populist scheme to give people money and then then was apparently a pole where more than 2/3s were against the giveaway. So, to appease the majority and maintain popularity he withdraw the offer of the populist scheme. I suspect there was never ever going to be money relief and as usual those in the lower rungs of society will just have to suffer.

 

Does anyone know anything about SuperPoll? Is it just a government propaganda machine?

23 minutes ago, rkidlad said:

Well, they're not giving the money now as they deem the idea a waste of tax payer's money - which I agree with. 

 

Use the money for something sustainable. 

What would you suggest? 

4 minutes ago, PowerKat said:

What would you suggest? 

I’m not a politician or economist being paid to come up with ideas. They’re being paid and they said it’s a bad idea. I simply agree with them. 

22 minutes ago, rkidlad said:

Yea, it's not sustainable. 

The government give themself 68,000,000 baht for overseas trip. For the 250 senate guys nobody vote. Use the money in another country.

 

I think it better to give 2000 baht for the people use it in Thailand.

 

https://www.nationweekend.com/content/image_news/6604

3 minutes ago, Yinn said:

The government give themself 68,000,000 baht for overseas trip. For the 250 senate guys nobody vote. Use the money in another country.

 

I think it better to give 2000 baht for the people use it in Thailand.

 

https://www.nationweekend.com/content/image_news/6604

The government is corrupt. Tell me something new. 
 

I’d rather they earned their salaries, invested budgets and came up with sustainable ideas to lift people out of poverty. 

49 minutes ago, rkidlad said:

Well, they're not giving the money now as they deem the idea a waste of tax payer's money - which I agree with. 

 

Use the money for something sustainable. 

Older people need sustaining as well.

2 hours ago, rkidlad said:

For how long? And then what?

 

The money needs to be used for a longer term. Not a quick handout. Give a man a fish and all that. 

I'm not in favor of these handouts, I was simply pointing out that 2000 baht is still a significant amount of money to a large population in Thailand (and something the governments continuously hand out to boost popularity among the poor).

 

Like you say, it's not going to change anything. In fact, it's expenses that could have gone somewhere else. Same goes to these huge bank loan schemes to low-income earners. It would be a lot better for the gov't to invest in long term solutions, such as a skilled workforce (education, tech, innovation programs...), creating investment opportunities, infrastructure etc., that will eventually benefit the poor as well.

1 hour ago, SpanishExpat said:

Well good they scrap it. Too many Thais don`t know what to do with money, when they get it spontaneously. They tend to buy useless stuff. 

Don`t know if the FFP would have done it better, if in charge. But one of the biggest priorities in Thailand should be an improved and stricter tax system with the aim to raise the miserable monthly pension...let`s say to 2000-3000 Baht/month. 

I  could not agree more the tax system n Thailand needs changing ,somehow, next year the wife is 60 and will get her 600 baht/month she has not worked in a tax paying system  in 20 years .

I live in a rule area and  are mainly farmers ,a lot are dairy farmers ,they will pay tax on they income after the first 500 000 baht  of sales of there  milk ,then it will not be a lot 8-9000 baht/year .payable in two installments 

We have a small holding rear a few cattle , have grown some maize in the past ,in  15 years never paid a baht in tax,just 20 baht /year in land tax.

The wife's granddaughter works at our locale chicken factory ,pays about 3-4% in tax ,plus social security  payments , she could easily pay a bit more tax . 

How about cancelling some military hardward and using the money on economic stimulus ? I think the short term worry of invasion from Laos (especially from the sea) is worth the risk

15 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

The Government has backed down over its plan to give two 1,000 baht handouts to every low-income earner, to help ease their hardship in light of the economic slowdown and COVID-19.

Just shows how out-of-touch he is with todays prices !

But the subs are still coming  Subs first people second

He will wait until election time. A bit of hardship is fine. LOL