Salmon, Celery & Lamb Shank
-
Recently Browsing 0 members
- No registered users viewing this page.
-
Topics
-
-
Popular Contributors
-
-
Latest posts...
-
27
Starmer condemns ‘indefensible’ starvation of Palestinians in Gaza
You are one sick puppy. Claims that Hamas is solely responsible for Gaza’s hardships oversimplify the issue. UN reports and aid agencies, including the WHO, document that Israel’s blockade since March 2025 has severely restricted food and aid, causing widespread malnutrition. While Hamas has faced accusations of aid diversion, UN monitoring found no evidence of widespread misuse. The current Gaza Humanitarian Foundation system, backed by Israel and the US, has been criticized as inadequate, with over 1,000 Palestinians killed near aid sites since May 2025. Both sides’ actions contribute to the crisis, but the blockade’s impact is well-documented. -
13
Report Instant Savoury Delight: French Salami Debuts in Thai 7-Eleven
Spanish Chorizo is available in varios shops around CM. Even the BigC has had it already over a year ago. So the "cheap price" for "Salami" is 195bht/100gr. You can get good whole french salami (named "saucisson sec") in CM in certain Rimping stores for less. Of course you have to peel and cut it yourself and the diameter is smaller than a typical italian "Salami Milanese". Just try it once. And calculate by weight, not by packing. -
30
TM30 Required Still ?
So you had printed out the regulation (in Thai) issued by the national Thai government and handed it to them? The last time I looked at a map, Songkhla - close as it may be to Malaysia - is still in Thailand. Doesn't mean they won't ignore the law of course. -
23
Report Retirement Lottery: A Fresh Approach to Savings in Thailand
Am I wrong to be disturbed by this? -
23
Report Retirement Lottery: A Fresh Approach to Savings in Thailand
Here is what AI's thoughts are on this scheme: This proposal is not a savings plan; it is a state-sponsored gambling scheme that uses the language of retirement security to justify a regressive tax on the poor and financially illiterate. It is riddled with logical fallacies, presents a demonstrably inferior financial product compared to existing alternatives, and opens the door to severe, negative societal consequences. The entire plan is built on a foundation of several fallacies: Fallacy of the False Alternative: The plan's proponents create the impression that the only way to encourage savings among those who "love to buy lottery tickets" is to offer them another lottery. This ignores the direct, and superior, alternative of contributing to the existing National Savings Fund (NSF). Appeal to Emotion: The argument relies on the sympathetic image of hardworking Thais who "love to buy lottery tickets" finally getting a chance to save. This emotional appeal distracts from a rigorous financial analysis of the proposal, which reveals it to be a damaging financial product. Equivocation on the word "Savings": The bill intentionally conflates "money set aside" with "prudent financial savings." Locking money away in a no-interest account for decades is not a sound savings strategy; it is a guaranteed loss of potential earnings. The "Savings" Component is a Financial Trap The core premise of the bill—that non-winning lottery ticket purchases will be "saved" and returned with "returns from the National Savings Fund"—is profoundly deceptive. Massive Opportunity Cost: The money spent on non-winning tickets is essentially an interest-free loan to the government for potentially up to 45 years. While this money is sitting idle, it is not earning the guaranteed interest or, more importantly, the direct government-matching contributions that define the actual National Savings Fund. Under the real NSF, the government provides matching contributions of up to 100% (with annual caps), effectively doubling a person's savings. This lottery scheme appears to strip away this primary benefit, replacing it with near-zero odds of winning a prize. A citizen who deposits 1,200 baht directly into the NSF gets an additional 1,200 baht from the government (if over 50); a citizen who spends that same amount on this lottery gets nothing but a lottery ticket. Pathetic and Uncertain Returns: The "returns from the National Savings Fund" are presented as a benefit. However, the NSF's historical performance is poor. In 2016, it targeted a mere 3% return, and for the first seven months of 2021, it generated a paltry 1.14%. By steering citizens into this scheme, the government is locking their money into a low-yield fund while denying them the guaranteed, immediate return of the government co-contribution. The proposal is a mathematically worse deal for the saver than the system already in place. A Regressive Tax Disguised as a Social Program Stripped of its "savings" rhetoric, this is a classic state lottery, and it carries all the hallmarks of a regressive tax that preys on the most vulnerable. Exploitation of the Poor: Studies consistently show that low-income individuals spend a disproportionately high percentage of their income on lottery tickets. This bill doesn't solve that problem; it institutionalizes it under the guise of benevolence. It targets those with the least financial literacy and exploits their hope for a windfall, all while providing a demonstrably terrible financial "product." Cannibalization of Real Savings and Consumption: The money for these tickets will not materialize from thin air. It will be diverted from other uses. Research on similar schemes shows that the funds come from reductions in current consumption and other forms of savings. This means money that could have been spent at local businesses, on essential goods, or invested in genuinely productive assets will instead be funneled into a state-run gambling enterprise. Worst-Case Scenarios and Unintended Consequences The potential negative outcomes of this bill are severe. Legitimizing Gambling Addiction: By branding a lottery as a "retirement" plan, the state is giving moral license to gambling. It encourages citizens to view a game of chance as a legitimate savings strategy, potentially fostering gambling habits in individuals who might otherwise have avoided them. Funding Fungibility and Deceit: The claim that this will "benefit economic development" is baseless. There is no guarantee that the profits generated will be used for new or additional social benefits. As seen in numerous other jurisdictions, governments often use lottery revenue to replace, not supplement, existing funding for public programs. The funds can be used to plug budget holes elsewhere, making the entire exercise a deceptive shell game. The Rich Still Win: The 3,000 baht monthly cap is presented as a measure to "give equal access." This is naive. Wealthier individuals are far more capable of maxing out this limit without financial strain, giving them more chances to win the prizes, which are funded by the losses of the poor. This bill is an attack on the financial well-being of the very people it purports to help. It is a cynical maneuver that leverages false hope to extract wealth from low-income populations, offering a financially inferior "savings" product as a reward. It should be recognized not as a tool for retirement, but as a predatory instrument of the state. -
234
Border Thai and Cambodian Troops Clash Near Ta Muen Thom Temple
Why would your wife be outraged that Cambodia can claim the right to a temple that a Cambodian Empire built in the first place? In Brief: The Khmer Empire was a powerful Southeast Asian civilisation centred in present-day Cambodia. While it controlled a vast territory that included parts of modern-day Thailand, Laos, and Vietnam, it was fundamentally a Cambodian empire, with its heartland and capital, Angkor, located within Cambodia. The Khmer people, who are the direct ancestors of modern Cambodians, were the empire's rulers and builders
-
-
Popular in The Pub
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now