Prayut appeals to the 20 richest Thais for help

[ThailandRyan]

But wait why ask for more donations TAT has indicated tourism will be back, albeit in limited numbers;

 

Thailand is likely to close this year with only 16 million international tourists and 60 million domestic trips, far below the pre-coronavirus targets of 40 million and 172 million respectively, according to Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT).

 

I would have to say, if they have not been here already than the numbers for the rest of the year may be close to No million.....but hey I may be wrong.

 

People want the relaxation of closures and opening of businesses, I agree for some local things but an analogy of that is:

 

"The curve is flattening, we can start lifting restrictions now" = "The parachute has slowed our rate of decent; we can take it off now....

 

Slow is good, lets not relax to much, I would hate to see decimation because people believe it is over.

 

Stanford medical researches, after conducting voluntary tests for Corona Virus antibodies, now believe that there are a lot more people who have been affected and not shown symptoms or had very mild ones, just in the Bay Area, if thats true, maybe heard immunity could work, but what if it doesn't and the whole thing blows up.  Only theories and speculation, but who really knows.  I for one would not want to be a victim if it blows up because people got it wrong.

[essox essox]

if money had not been spent on a sub, and yanky tanks....there would be money in the kitty!!

[nomad2019]

Hes pathetic ????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

BRING BACK THAKSIN ????????????????????????????????????????

[Emdog]

Cancel sub order, cancel high speed rail, fire half the generals, collect taxes from the rich.

That should be more than enough.

Did PM ask for any percentages from wealthy? Jeeves, give the government our spare change jar.

[bluesea]

His fleet of Jet skis must not be making any money in Pattaya!! 

[Antonymous]

33 minutes ago, Forza2002 said:

This could be a clever tactic from Prayut's spin doctors. Sensing a revolt, civil unrest, the Govt. make it look like the HiSo Thais have come to the rescue the hoi polloi.

 

Partly correct. The Government is acutely aware that civil unrest is brewing and it is this above all else that they must control. They probably realise that mistakes have been made, that they are losing the battle and that all the public ire is being directed against them.

 

This appeal for money from those who control the economy (and more) is both a way to raise funds and a way to spread the burden of blame. It could be a clever move; or it could be an indication of desperation. I sense a change of leadership is in the offing.

[Alex 012]

5 minutes ago, Antonymous said:

 

Partly correct. The Government is acutely aware that civil unrest is brewing and it is this above all else that they must control. They probably realise that mistakes have been made, that they are losing the battle and that all the public ire is being directed against them.

 

This appeal for money from those who control the economy (and more) is both a way to raise funds and a way to spread the burden of blame. It could be a clever move; or it could be an indication of desperation. I sense a change of leadership is in the offing.

Change from one con artist to another?

 

Good luck, the whole country is founded on one scam after another.

[rtco]

So had he not spent all that money on submarines, armoured carriers, helicopters, goodness knows how many generals pay checks, brown envelopes (oooops) and the like there would have been enough money in the coffers wouldn't there!!!

[ketherin]

16 hours ago, chickenslegs said:

He might have better luck asking Captain Tom to do a few extra laps of his garden ...

 

Captain Tom Moore has now raised £21,447,456!! 

Unbelievable what a character, there's now people in the UK calling on him to be knighted, and quite rightly so

Edited April 18, 2020 by blackcab
Font normalised

[Cake Monster]

12 hours ago, smedly said:

lets review the last week or so on the topic of Government funds

 

- we had the announcement of money for people facing hardship and it grossly underestimated how many people would be applying by millions

 

- next we had millions rejected and protests followed

 

- next under pressure from protests they agreed to pay out most of the applicants 

 

- then we had Prayuth stating that the country could not afford the pay and they could only afford one pay out for one month

 

- on the same day they announced a suddenly that the lockdowns were going to finish end of April (in other words they are looking to avoid prolonged handouts

 

Now the Thai government are begging for donations from the 20 richest people in Thailand ?????

 

I don't know what anyone else concludes from this but I for one get the impression Thailand has no money - at least nothing near what they claim to have.

 

As I have said already several times - they think ending the lockdown is somehow going to relieve any financial pressure - well it won't, the millions they cannot afford to pay 5k a month are not going back to work any time soon lockdown or not

 

Thailand is going to have to step up to support these people and support the businesses that are in dire straights or have already gone to the wall.

 

and if they think that ending the lockdown is going to see a flood of tourists to come to the rescue - they are deluded, the smelly dirty farangs will not be back here for at least 12 months ...................if ever after the disgusting comments from a certain Deputy Prime Minister, an outburst at western tourists and also other constant racist comments directed toward westerners 

Thailand probably does have the Money that is often quoted as " Foreign Reserves " for payments to the poor and needy.

However, over the last couple of Years or so, the Government have gone on a massive procurement drive for Toys of War.

These Toys are hugely expensive items to purchase, and any contracts for Apache Attack Helecoptors, Striker APC,s, Drones and Submarines Etc Etc Etc will carry massive cancellation penalty clauses, and late payment penalties.

The Government is probably so far down the tracks on these contracts, that any default now will incur massive payments for breach of Contract to the suppliers and Agents, and they will receive no Toys for their Money.

Therefore is better to try and see the Contracts through, and ask their friends for help in funding the poor and  needy program.

 

[Yadon Toploy]

8 hours ago, BeltAndRoad said:

Yes right, because Thais have their own family, a government is for the purpose of supplying infrastructure and not much more. It's not to be used as a tit to be suckled on in times of peril.  Difficult for westerners to understand as they would be lost without their big brother

Evidently the Thais disagree with you. 

 

What was it? A week into the lockdown and 28 million of them applied for government support.

Edited April 18, 2020 by Yadon Toploy

[essox essox]

3 hours ago, rtco said:

So had he not spent all that money on submarines, armoured carriers, helicopters, goodness knows how many generals pay checks, brown envelopes (oooops) and the like there would have been enough money in the coffers wouldn't there!!!

it is called saving for a rainy day....as i was taught yrs ago !!!

Edited April 18, 2020 by blackcab
Please do not modify someone else's post in your quoted reply, either with font or color changes or wording

[Mattd]

2 minutes ago, Cake Monster said:

The Government is probably so far down the tracks on these contracts, that any default now will incur massive payments for breach of Contract to the suppliers and Agents, and they will receive no Toys for their Money.

Therefore is better to try and see the Contracts through, and ask their friends for help in funding the poor and  needy program.

Under normal circumstances I would agree with you, however, we are not in normal circumstances and as I stated in another topic, these contracts will almost certainly have a force majeure clause in them, which can and should be activated. Normal business is seeing this being done on a daily basis now.

[Yadon Toploy]

1 hour ago, Wildliferescue said:

If I was one of these 20 I would do it on one condition; that he resigns. 

Why? They are all part of the same gang.

[BeltAndRoad]

8 minutes ago, Yadon Toploy said:

Evidently the Thais disagree with you. 

 

What was it? A week into the lockdown and 28 million of them applied for government support.

what was it? I'm not sure its your story, a cool one at that.  Can you name the source for such information?

[NightSky]

13 hours ago, YetAnother said:

on one hand you can justify this (inequality) but it tacitly effaces the incompetent government here , run by rich people benefitting from corruption their whole lives

 

 

Under table envelopes are being sealed as we speak..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Yadon Toploy]

13 minutes ago, Cake Monster said:

Thailand probably does have the Money that is often quoted as " Foreign Reserves " for payments to the poor and needy.

However, over the last couple of Years or so, the Government have gone on a massive procurement drive for Toys of War.

These Toys are hugely expensive items to purchase, and any contracts for Apache Attack Helecoptors, Striker APC,s, Drones and Submarines Etc Etc Etc will carry massive cancellation penalty clauses, and late payment penalties.

The Government is probably so far down the tracks on these contracts, that any default now will incur massive payments for breach of Contract to the suppliers and Agents, and they will receive no Toys for their Money.

Therefore is better to try and see the Contracts through, and ask their friends for help in funding the poor and  needy program.

 

You make a valid point, and I would add something pretty obvious but equally as important, that weakening the Baht would make these big-ticket items even more eye-wateringly expensive.

 

Rock and a hard place now for Thailand, and with no more tourism income, something will have to give.

[newnative]

   Let's not stop with the first 20 billionaires.  Let's reach down further so we get to the multi-millionaires like the PM, himself, and ask them to cough up a bit of their wealth, too.  Remember it's Team Thailand!  Join up, multi-millionaires. 

[johng]

6 minutes ago, BeltAndRoad said:

what was it? I'm not sure its your story, a cool one at that.  Can you name the source for such information?

You didn't see the clamour for  5,000 baht per month government handouts which millions of Thais applied for  only a million where approved then  "the democratic soldier" said the government didn't have enough money to pay  for 3 months and there was uproar, so suddenly it was all just a "misunderstanding"  and of course everyone would get 3 months money..but now he is asking the top 20 families for help..

Why not just use the 200 billion USD foreign currency reserves ?

 

[soalbundy]

They will have used up a lot of their money buying up cheap stocks and shares, always an opportunity in a disaster for the wealthy. 

[5633572526]

He got nothing from the military so now begging from the rich 555

how about cutting the military budgets by 20% as was suggested by his political opponents 

[BeltAndRoad]

3 minutes ago, johng said:

You didn't see the clamour for  5,000 baht per month government handouts which millions of Thais applied for  only a million where approved then  "the democratic soldier" said the government didn't have enough money to pay  for 3 months and there was uproar, so suddenly it was all just a "misunderstanding"  and of course everyone would get 3 months money..but now he is asking the top 20 families for help..

Why not just use the 200 billion USD foreign currency reserves ?

 

No, sorry i was not a witness to "clamour".  Was just curious as to the source of Yadon Toploy's claim that 28 million Thais claimed Government support.

[smudger1951]

Prayut is right to ask these mega rich people to chip in and help. Ministers have done the same here in the UK.

[Isaan sailor]

I guess they won't be calling on me for this...

[rkidlad]

4 hours ago, balo said:

The Red bull family should do something about this and help Thailand, just need to locate them first .

I think the Red Bull Family have given this government plenty of brown envelopes. 

[khunpa]

I wonder if they will pay

Edited April 18, 2020 by khunpa

[kensisaket]

Definitely need to be careful with the derogatory comments. Low hanging fruit is ex-pats pockets. 

[RJRS1301]

14 hours ago, Thaiwrath said:

Who are the other 19 ?

If you are asking that, you are not in their social circles ???? it seems

[johnarth]

why do not all counties affected put the cost on China they were the ones that deliberately caused this outbreak so they should pay, no ifs or buts, China waged war they should pay can not put it any clearer than that

[RJRS1301]

3 minutes ago, johnarth said:

why do not all counties affected put the cost on China they were the ones that deliberately caused this outbreak so they should pay, no ifs or buts, China waged war they should pay can not put it any clearer than that

How do you propose you get payments, how would they be distributed?

Suggesting seizing o/seas assets?