Anand To Srettha: Don’t Forget Bangkok’s Slums

[webfact]

 

FORMER prime minister Anand Panyarachun advised Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin that in helping poor people in the provinces he should not forget that Bangkok’s slum communities too need help, Matichon newspaper said this evening (March 1).

 

Srettha told reporters at the Office of the Chularatchamontri that earlier in the day he met Anand at a merit-making ceremony for his late wife M.R. Sodsri Panyarachun and they discussed various issues including geopolitics and the escalating rivalry between the United States and China.

 

At one point Anand mentioned that while Srettha had surveyed the poverty of people in the provinces and even inspected the condition of police and military flats, he should not forget to look at Bangkok’s slum communities too.

 

by TNR Staff

Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin holding talks with former prime minister Anand Panyarachun. Photo: Matichon

 

Full story: THAI NEWSROOM 2024-03-02

 

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[flyingtlger]

42 minutes ago, webfact said:

Anand Panyarachun advised Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin that in helping poor people in the provinces he should not forget that Bangkok’s slum communities too need help

Anand Panyarachun is the MAN!

[dinsdale]

As a property tycoon I'm sure Srettha hasn't forgotten about the slums indeed he's probably been eyeing them off for years.

Edited March 2 by dinsdale

[Gandtee]

Dr Anand was a ray of light when he was Prime Minister. After his tenure it became a downhill journey, and still is.  

Edited March 2 by Gandtee
added words

[spidermike007]

Yes, those poor slum dwellers. One cannot even imaging living like that on a daily basis with the heat ant the mosquitos and the filth. 

 

What percentage of Thailand is relatively poor? 

 

This info is pre-covid. Only worse since then. 

 

Poverty is on the rise in Thailand. In 2015, the poverty rate was just 7.2%. This figure has risen to almost 10%. That amounts to 2 million more people living beneath the poverty line, a substantial increase in only a few years. The rise in poverty does not occur in only a few of the country’s regions. Since 61 out of 77 provinces have seen a rise in poverty, one cannot attribute the current situation regarding poverty in Thailand to one specific community or circumstance. It is a widespread problem with profound implications for the livelihood of all Thai people.

 

Agriculturists (who make up 31.8% of the workforce) are already a poor group in the country, but the recent droughts in the past year have impoverished them even more. This combination of economic and environmental factors pushes farmers into even more poverty.

 

https://borgenproject.org/facts-about-poverty-in-thailand/

 

And those numbers do not take into account millions who get by, but just barely. 

 

In the longer term, investing equitably in the next generation will be key. The next generation will be smaller due to demographic changes and lower fertility rates. Every child will need to be given a fair shot and be provided the health and education opportunities to reach their full potential. This will help households break out of the generational poverty trap, support an aging population, and boost Thailand’s growth prospects.

 

Just imagine such a concept here. Improvements in education and more opportunities for youths. Such a wonderful vision. 

 

 

 

 

[Enoon]

Slums are just under-utilised real estate to Srettha.

 

Even if there were humans there, they would be humans whose previously "impious" existence justly condemned them to live this life in miserable squalor.

 

It's not just him......that is the way their planet works.

[hotchilli]

9 hours ago, webfact said:

At one point Anand mentioned that while Srettha had surveyed the poverty of people in the provinces and even inspected the condition of police and military flats, he should not forget to look at Bangkok’s slum communities too.

Slums what slums, ohhh you mean the workers quarters?

[scorecard]

3 hours ago, Gandtee said:

Dr Anand was a ray of light when he was Prime Minister. After his tenure it became a downhill journey, and still is.  

 

I met Khun Anand many years ago at a seminar. He speaks perfect English, good listener and great conversationalist

 

When Khun Anand was making his presentation the sound system blew up. The company providing the sound system had no replacement on site but they did have 2 young technicians standing just to the side. Khun Anand quickly asked them to help and they quickly did an inspection, K. Anand politely asking in Thai 'do you need any tools etc?

 

The 2 boys quickly advised him they could not repair the sound system but they knew there was an exact replacement at their office about 10 km away.

 

He gave them his phone, the 2 boys called their office then Khun Anand took the phone and explained who he was and that the replacement was urgent. 

 

He then instructed his driver to take the 2 boys quickly to their office and to buy anything they needed and quietly put 5,000Baht in his driver's hand.

 

He continued his presentation using a small loud speaker unit, OK but way less than what was needed.

 

Then one of his colleagues whispered 'the 2 technician boys are on their way back and they have the replacement system.

 

He then waited at the door with 2 of his staff and made a big fuss when the 2 boys walked in. He proclaimed loudly in Thai and in English 'please welcome back my 2 new best friends'.

 

The 2 boys quickly started to reinstall everything and at the same time enjoying some good snacks, coffee, pepsi etc., ordered by Khun Anand. 

 

Khun Anand then interviewed the 2 boys 'do you speak English he politely asked'. 'No sir'. He continued 'never mind we speak Thai'. And he made them feel comfortable.

 

We learned later that after the seminar he sat privately and talked for some time with the 2 boy and he he had privately offered the 2 boys good jobs with good benefits. And they accepted and both went on to university to study in the electronics field, all paid for personally by K. Anand. 

 

A very nice man.