EC asks Pheu Thai to explain source of 10,000-baht giveaway policy funding

[snoop1130]

 

Thailand’s Election Commission has officially asked the Pheu Thai Party to clarify the source or sources of the funding required to implement its manifesto policy to distribute 10,000 baht to the e-wallets of each Thai citizen who is 16 or older if it is in government after the May 14th general election.

 

According to Pol Maj Nattawat Sangiamsak, EC Deputy Secretary-General, the EC has sent notifications to all parties requiring them to clarify the sources of funding for policies contained in their election manifestos which involve the payment of money to the people.

 

He said that he expects the Pheu Thai Party to respond to the EC’s notification soon, adding that any party, not just Pheu Thai, which fails to provide the requested clarifications may face criminal and civil litigation, including a one-time fine of up to 500,000 baht, plus a daily fine of 10,000 baht until the party fulfils their obligation.

 

Full Story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/ec-asks-pheu-thai-to-explain-source-of-10000-baht-giveaway-policy-funding/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2023-04-11

 

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[OneMoreFarang]

I think the damaged is done.

Thaksin, or one of his cronies, promised the mostly poor people 10k per person.

Most of those people don't pay income tax, so they are not the people who have to pay for this, so it's unlikely that they care where the money comes from.

If the EC would not allow this policy, then what will happen? I am sure Thaksin will spin it in a way like: We wanted to give you all that money, but now those bad guys don't allow us to do that.

 

I hope Thaksin's party will be banned before the election. Otherwise too many uninformed and mentally challenged people will vote for them again. And we will have the same consequences again.

Block the criminals before it's too late! 

[Srikcir]

During the Covid pandemic many countries have implemented similar financial aids to citizens of certain income levels: stimulus payments. Paid for from raising taxes on the wealthy, higher government fees, budget cuts on waste, termination or rollback of government spending, etc. 

EC might argue success for such policies are speculative and not predective. But this is a prelude to a scheduled General Election for not only the Head of State and Cabinet but the whole of the Parlianent House. As such the EC has no business (legality?) to predict the outcome of the Election before it occurs, and thus, the success of such proposed economic policies.

[Andycoops]

12 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

I think the damaged is done.

Thaksin, or one of his cronies, promised the mostly poor people 10k per person.

Most of those people don't pay income tax, so they are not the people who have to pay for this, so it's unlikely that they care where the money comes from.

If the EC would not allow this policy, then what will happen? I am sure Thaksin will spin it in a way like: We wanted to give you all that money, but now those bad guys don't allow us to do that.

 

I hope Thaksin's party will be banned before the election. Otherwise too many uninformed and mentally challenged people will vote for them again. And we will have the same consequences again.

Block the criminals before it's too late! 

The criminals have been in power for more than 8 years...

[Purdey]

Unfortunately, her indoors doesn't have an e-wallet so this is technically discrimination. 

[OneMoreFarang]

48 minutes ago, Andycoops said:

The criminals have been in power for more than 8 years...

Really? I always thought only convicted criminals should be called criminals.

Others, who you suspect are criminals, are suspected criminals.

If you have any evidence to convict them, please bring it forward. 

 

The evidence against the people who ruled Thailand previously was already used to convict them. 

[herfiehandbag]

13 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

hope Thaksin's party will be banned before the election. Otherwise too many uninformed and mentally challenged people will vote for them again.

A true believer in democracy, with a deep respect for the Thai electorate.

[sammieuk1]

Just tell the commission its from the F35 moon landing and submarine budget that will keep them busy ????  

[JBChiangRai]

I said at the time of Prayut’s coup that Thailand had been set back on its path to an uncorrupt democracy by 20 years, I would revise that number upwards significantly now.

 

I suspect had that coup not taken place, Thailand would have ultimately gone the way of Singapore.  So PT in power (a corrupt government) would have at some point been challenged by a new party made up of youngsters (perhaps Future Forward) and Thailand would end up as a democratic uncorrupt government.

 

I forecast this before FF came about, now it’s doubly difficult because the last charter change stacked against a true democracy occurring ever again, whether corrupt or not.

 

Until the charter is rewritten, all I can say is those who wished for the coup and to be rid of Thaksin were simply Turkey’s wishing themselves an early Christmas.

 

Incidentally, I am no fan of Thaksin and PT, but he was/is a shortcut to a better, uncorrupt democratic future.

[robblok]

2 hours ago, Srikcir said:

During the Covid pandemic many countries have implemented similar financial aids to citizens of certain income levels: stimulus payments. Paid for from raising taxes on the wealthy, higher government fees, budget cuts on waste, termination or rollback of government spending, etc. 

EC might argue success for such policies are speculative and not predective. But this is a prelude to a scheduled General Election for not only the Head of State and Cabinet but the whole of the Parlianent House. As such the EC has no business (legality?) to predict the outcome of the Election before it occurs, and thus, the success of such proposed economic policies.

In my country they have a independent organization that checks all plans from political parties and runs them through computer programs to see if its financially and otherwise possible. Its a good way to prevent people from cheating by promising things they can't deliver. I think its a good thing if political parties must show where their prestents are coming from. So they cant just show the good. 

[Pedrogaz]

Throw this clown in jail for a long time and ban him from politics for the rest of his life. A blatant attempt at bribery.

[BangkokReady]

40 minutes ago, JBChiangRai said:

I suspect had that coup not taken place, Thailand would have ultimately gone the way of Singapore.  So PT in power (a corrupt government) would have at some point been challenged by a new party made up of youngsters (perhaps Future Forward) and Thailand would end up as a democratic uncorrupt government.

You think Thaksin would have simply stepped aside?  He has never been particularly democratic.

[BangkokReady]

15 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Thailand’s Election Commission has officially asked the Pheu Thai Party to clarify the source or sources of the funding required to implement its manifesto policy to distribute 10,000 baht to the e-wallets of each Thai citizen who is 16 or older if it is in government after the May 14th general election.

Their response should be interesting.

 

Perhaps their response will be similar to Boris Johnson and his lies about 350 million pounds a week going to the EU.  "We meant that in would be a nice idea if we could give you 10,000 Baht each."

[KannikaP]

2 hours ago, Purdey said:

Unfortunately, her indoors doesn't have an e-wallet so this is technically discrimination. 

Neither has my Mrs, and her two over-16 kids. Where does a person get such an e-wallet.

Is it correct that this gift can only be spent within 4km of your registered home. If so, that's us up the Swannee.

[tomazbodner]

Well, Phuea Thai could simply come up with their own worthless coin, based on nothing, value it at 10k baht at launch, give it out, then let it crash to 0. Promise fulfilled. Cost some computer hardware, off-the-shelf software and electricity.

[tomazbodner]

2 hours ago, herfiehandbag said:

A true believer in democracy, with a deep respect for the Thai electorate.

Well... election is when you let the biggest group of people select who would run the country. The biggest group of people in most countries are the poorer and less educated, who are also easily swayed by populist promises and vote buying, for having less forward thinking and mostly focusing on immediate needs, out of necessity.

Had countries had mostly well-off people with ability to think long term and critically assess information, the government would have actually done the job it's there to do, and, none of the politicians you see in power now would actually be there, but rot in prisons.

So, sorry, but most of Thai electorate, like in most other countries, will vote for the most unbelievable lies, without questioning them. Is that a true democracy? You be the judge of that.

[Puccini]

How is this e-wallet supposed to work? Is it a cryptocurrency wallet?

[NoshowJones]

6 hours ago, Andycoops said:

The criminals have been in power for more than 8 years...

I agree. I take it you mean the real criminals.

[billd766]

5 hours ago, KannikaP said:

Neither has my Mrs, and her two over-16 kids. Where does a person get such an e-wallet.

Is it correct that this gift can only be spent within 4km of your registered home. If so, that's us up the Swannee.

At this point in time it means nothing.

 

Firstly PT have to win enough seats to become the government party, then they will need to examine the finances so sadly depleted over the last years, and only then can they bring the policy into use, modifying it to account for distances etc.

 

I suspect that whoever sketched this policy out lives in town or an urban district and has not thought clearly about distances in rural Thailand.

[Purdey]

5 hours ago, KannikaP said:

Is it correct that this gift can only be spent within 4km of your registered home

Regretfully, I don't know. I lost interest at the word e-wallet knowing that it won't be including us. I hope someone else can tell you. 

[rabiedabruce]

9 hours ago, Srikcir said:

During the Covid pandemic many countries have implemented similar financial aids to citizens of certain income levels: stimulus payments. Paid for from raising taxes on the wealthy, higher government fees, budget cuts on waste, termination or rollback of government spending, etc. 

EC might argue success for such policies are speculative and not predective. But this is a prelude to a scheduled General Election for not only the Head of State and Cabinet but the whole of the Parlianent House. As such the EC has no business (legality?) to predict the outcome of the Election before it occurs, and thus, the success of such proposed economic policies.

Enough with the obfuscating waffle, how is this NOT vote buying? Exactly?