Promises Galore At Trt Rally

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Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra kicked off the Thai Rak Thai party's election campaign yesterday, promising more of his populist policies _ something for everyone from cradle to grave.

In a speech to supporters who packed the Hua Mark indoor stadium broadcast live nationwide via Channel 9, Mr Thaksin promised to end poverty if his party is given another four years in government.

He said ``poverty eradication caravans'' would be sent to all areas of the country providing occupational training for jobless adults who would be paid a 100-baht daily allowance.

Scholarships and education loans would also be available to all who need them until they graduate from college. More schools and universities would be built in the provinces.

By next year, all villages would have a budget of their own to solve their own problems, he said referring to his SML programme that provides cash to villages of all sizes and which was launched last week in the first 1,002 villages.

He promised to turn the Village Fund into a Village Bank to provide easy access to loans for people in need of money to develop farming operations or start up new businesses.

The government would form an organisation to take out loans on behalf of needy farmers, who will not have to repay in cash but with farm produce such as rubber and palm. Their loans would not be loans of cash but of farm produce, including cattle, which would be accepted by the organisation for resale.

Mr Thaksin promised to expand the 30-baht medical care programme with more funding derived from taxes on the sale of cigarettes, liquor and other vices.

Landless farmers will have land of their own. Land right papers will be issued to those who have already occupied and are making use of public land.

The Ua Arthorn housing projects for the urban poor will be expanded. Mr Thaksin pledged to rid the country of slums. An estimated 48,000 low-income families have already been given low-cost houses under the programme, he said, adding that no one would be evicted from slums.

And there are programmes for the middle class. Mr Thaksin pledged to spend an estimated 1.1 trillion baht to make traffic flow better in Bangkok and outlying areas by building more skytrains and subways. The fares of those mass transit systems will be kept low, he said.

The environment will be improved with programmes to end water pollution. All river basins will be developed with more reservoirs built to cope with floods and drought.

Tax incentives will be provided to those who help take care of their old parents, enabling them to deduct up to 60,000 baht for tax purposes. Small businesses will also benefit from a higher deductible income base, having to pay no tax if their revenue is below 1.8 million baht _ up from the current 1.2 million baht base.

The elderly will be taken care of and be involved in helping to manage child nurseries. The bureaucratic system will be improved and corruption will be dealt with, he said.

The Thai Rak Thai campaign launch had the air of an American-style political convention but with distinct differences. Party supporters, rather than delegates, packed the Hua Mark sports stadium waving party flags. Mr Thaksin, on stage, conducted the programme like an MC, talking to party supporters at six locations throughout the country via a teleconference system.

He acknowledged that the nearly four years in office had been taxing, but he was proud to have the chance to serve the country and was satisfied that many problems had been solved and the country had overcome the economic crisis.

``I'm much older today. I have had little time for family ... and my sex life also suffers. But I'm still strong and ready for the next four years,'' he said.

Mr Thaksin admitted that he had been rash and hot-headed at times and promised that he would keep calm and be more willing to listen to criticism.

``I admit I have been too quick with my mouth when criticised and often quick to return the favour. That is true because I cannot stand things that are not right. But now I have to keep cool.''

There had been questions as to where he would get the money to fulfill all his promises, he said.

``I can assure you that we have the money because I know how to make money. And when I promise to do something, you can be sure I can deliver, unlike the other party that failed because they promised but couldn't deliver,'' Mr Thaksin said.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/18Oct2004_news04.php

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