The high cost of the promises made by major parties to woo the electorate

[webfact]

Amid the strong likelihood of the next government being formed by a coalition led by the Move Forward Party, the biggest gainer in the May 14 general election with 152 seats, it is worth looking at the big promises made by the main parties to the electorate and the fiscal burden they would entail for the next four years.

 

Fiscal constraints and likely resistance from bureaucrats and big businesses to the proposed schemes could make it difficult for parties to live up to their promises.

 

The schemes promised by Move Forward would require spending in excess of a trillion baht. The party has promised to offer each elderly citizen 3,000 baht per month, at an annual cost of 500 billion baht. In addition, it has promised to give local governments subsidies of 200 billion baht, besides a welfare fund of 98.5 billion baht to support every generation, altogether costing 1.3 trillion baht.

 

Full story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/the-high-cost-of-the-promises-made-by-major-parties-to-woo-the-electorate/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2023-05-22

 

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[stoner]

there is but one issue that comes at a huge cost......

[MrMojoRisin]

It all pales into insignificance when weighed up against the cost inflicted on the nation by a decade of incompetent junta governance.

 

The measures mentioned in this article are just the beginnings of the massive inequality that the junta defends and profits from being addressed.

[hotchilli]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

it is worth looking at the big promises made by the main parties to the electorate and the fiscal burden they would entail for the next four years

More of a risk than the last 4 years of fiscal burden.

[newnative]

All easily funded with a better tax system.

[h90]

29 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

More of a risk than the last 4 years of fiscal burden.

mismanagement the last 4 years makes the need for a good budget more important, not less

[h90]

27 minutes ago, newnative said:

All easily funded with a better tax system.

how can less taxes help? Best tax system is no taxes....At least taxes on food should be zero. That helps the poor the most.

[newnative]

33 minutes ago, h90 said:

how can less taxes help? Best tax system is no taxes....At least taxes on food should be zero. That helps the poor the most.

Where did I say 'less taxes'?  I said a better tax system--which certainly could include no taxes on food and drawing more revenue from other sources.

[Stocky]

Well they can peg military spending back from the current 8 billion Baht, to the pre-coup level of 2 billion Baht annually.

 

Every little helps!

[bamnutsak]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

it is worth looking at the big promises made by the main parties to the electorate

Well the biggest promise MoveForward made had no cost. And ironically, they dropped it a scant 8 days after garnering the most seats. Shameful. Disgusting. Disappointing.

 

 

Move Forward galvanises Thai voters with vows of royal reforms

Youth-led progressive party is energising voters with bold promises of monarchy and military reforms – subjects once considered taboo.

 

13 May 2023

Bangkok, Thailand – On a busy intersection outside the Thai capital Bangkok, a young woman with a heavy megaphone urged passersby to vote for her in Sunday’s general election, promising a “new kind of politics” that would curb the monarchy and the military’s stranglehold over the Southeast Asian country’s affairs.

 

“It’s time for change,” 30-year-old Chonthicha Jangrew said on Thursday, her voice slightly hoarse from months on the campaign trail.

 

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/5/13/move-forward-galvanises-thai-voters-with-vows-of-royal-reforms

[WHansen]

17 minutes ago, bamnutsak said:

Well the biggest promise MoveForward made had no cost. And ironically, they dropped it a scant 8 days after garnering the most seats. Shameful. Disgusting. Disappointing.

 

 

Move Forward galvanises Thai voters with vows of royal reforms

Youth-led progressive party is energising voters with bold promises of monarchy and military reforms – subjects once considered taboo.

 

13 May 2023

Bangkok, Thailand – On a busy intersection outside the Thai capital Bangkok, a young woman with a heavy megaphone urged passersby to vote for her in Sunday’s general election, promising a “new kind of politics” that would curb the monarchy and the military’s stranglehold over the Southeast Asian country’s affairs.

 

“It’s time for change,” 30-year-old Chonthicha Jangrew said on Thursday, her voice slightly hoarse from months on the campaign trail.

 

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/5/13/move-forward-galvanises-thai-voters-with-vows-of-royal-reforms

Slowly, slowly, catchy monkey

Edited May 22, 2023 by WHansen

[h90]

1 hour ago, newnative said:

Where did I say 'less taxes'?  I said a better tax system--which certainly could include no taxes on food and drawing more revenue from other sources.

Thailand has too high taxes already. Every increase would be bad. The government should instead save money. Thailand is way too bureaucratic, too many provinces with the full pyramid of bureaucracy. Reducing bureaucracy and taxes and lowering electric costs would cause an economic boom, even if the government makes everything else wrong.
But who want to invest in Thailand if they get a better deal in Vietnam?

[AgMech Cowboy]

2 hours ago, newnative said:

All easily funded with a better tax system.

On whom?

[sammieuk1]

Well you don't need an army or certainly not this one here's your first trillion of savings or so ????

[hotchilli]

2 hours ago, h90 said:

mismanagement the last 4 years makes the need for a good budget more important, not less

I was trying to elude to that, but it't didn't come across as that.

Good luck to MFP

[connda]

The high cost of the promises made by major parties to woo the electorate

We promise to empty the Thai Treasury into your pockets. 

Caveat:  You'll pay it all back in regressive taxes as well as runaway inflation, but short-term  - "Happiness To The People!"

[cncltd1973]

sounds like progress, next up - an updated tax policy

[newnative]

2 hours ago, AgMech Cowboy said:

On whom?

    Not up to me but I would start with those not currently paying their fair share--for example, those with valuable empty land in urban areas that plant some pretend 'crops' to avoid paying higher real estate taxes on non-farm land.

[h90]

18 hours ago, MrMojoRisin said:

It all pales into insignificance when weighed up against the cost inflicted on the nation by a decade of incompetent junta governance.

 

The measures mentioned in this article are just the beginnings of the massive inequality that the junta defends and profits from being addressed.

You see it wrong....it goes on top of the costs inflicted by previous governments (and don't forget the Yingluck rice scam was very costly as well).
Thailand should not hand out more money and increase taxes for everyone.....It need a hard cost cutting politics and lowering taxes. Specially taxes that target poor people.

[h90]

12 hours ago, connda said:

The high cost of the promises made by major parties to woo the electorate

We promise to empty the Thai Treasury into your pockets. 

Caveat:  You'll pay it all back in regressive taxes as well as runaway inflation, but short-term  - "Happiness To The People!"

Than like after 1997 crises or after Yinglucks disaster comes a government that only saves money (but of course without reforms) paving the way for the next populist government with pseudo socialist ideas.