Election Commission under fire over poor regulation of populist campaign policies

[webfact]

 

The Thailand Development Research Institute has criticised the Election Commission for its failure to check whether populist campaign policies, promised by political parties in their election manifestos, are worth the huge spending, confirming the sources of the funding for the policies and the potential impacts on the country’s fiscal discipline and public debt.

 

The country’s economic think-tank has made a number of observations about these policies. They say that some of the parties have not explained in their reports to the EC or to the public about the sources of funding needed to realise thepolicies, which would be a heavy burden on the state.

 

Several parties have announced that they will make use of the annual budget to implement their campaign policies, but have not specified which budgets will be cut in order to fund them,while some parties say they will source their funding from tax increases, but do not specify what taxes would be increased or by how much, said the TDRI.

 

Full story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/election-commission-under-fire-over-poor-regulation-of-populist-campaign-policies/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2023-05-02

 

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[Andycoops]

Not a surprise as the EC along with other bodies is in the pay of Too and his cronies.

Just another useless corrupt bunch of Muppets with no integrity whatsoever.

[hotchilli]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Several parties have announced that they will make use of the annual budget to implement their campaign policies, but have not specified which budgets will be cut in order to fund them,while some parties say they will source their funding from tax increases, but do not specify what taxes would be increased or by how much,

Or if they will actually implement anything they say.

I remember Prayut saying he would stop corruption during his campaign.. nothing happened so is he guilty of making a false promise to garner votes last time around?

[zzaa09]

26 minutes ago, Andycoops said:

Not a surprise as the EC along with other bodies is in the pay of Too and his cronies.

Just another useless corrupt bunch of Muppets with no integrity whatsoever.

You described politicians in general.

[zzaa09]

2 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

Or if they will actually implement anything they say.

I remember Prayut saying he would stop corruption during his campaign.. nothing happened so is he guilty of making a false promise to garner votes last time around?

Nonetheless, expect his cronies to gain substantial [albeit minority] seats in this year's circus that passes for an election.

[dinsdale]

No regulation whatsoever for these being handed out.

 

[sherwood]

Thailand could find the needed cash for handouts quite easily. Stop the useless spending on the military toys would be a good starting point.

[John Drake]

Interesting group of poeple.  https://tdri.or.th/en/staff/

[nahkit]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

Several parties have announced that they will make use of the annual budget to implement their campaign policies

But so far only one is being investigated ..... hmmm

[Purdey]

This is a great incentive for the EC and courts to dissolve parties with a chance of receiving lots of votes.

I remember the free cinema tickets after the coup. No one dissolved the junta but over time the junta dissolved popular parties. 

[connda]

8 hours ago, webfact said:

The Thailand Development Research Institute

It seems they are the only adults in the room as they understand the long-term fiscal impact of these Thai political parties opening up the Thai treasury and showing money on the populace.
Like heroin, in the short-term if feels great; in the long term Thais will suffer immensely - as bad if not worse than 1997..
And if the EC doesn't rein in this fiscal and monetary insanity, then they will be explicitly responsible for the long-term outcome, although nobody will be held accountable for the train-wreak that will happen to the overall Thai economy.