Anand: Focus On Thailand's Tackling Poverty

[webfact]

Anand: Focus on tackling poverty

By KITTIPONG THAVEVONG

THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- Former prime minister Anand Panyarachun yesterday suggested that the feuding sides in the political conflict start the process of settling their differences by focusing on the problem of poverty.

Anand said that he believed both sides would agree that poverty was the root cause of the country's social ills. Tackling the problem would provide a common ground and make it easier for discussion on other issues that they may not see eye to eye on at this time, he said.

"Don't be obsessed with the issues you can't agree to now. Just talk about the issue you can agree to first," he said during a special programme titled "Exit for Thailand" on Modernine TV last night.

He said reforms of other areas should be done but the focus should be on tackling the problem of poverty.

Describing poverty as "Thailand's largest enemy", Anand pointed out that there are three kinds of poverty that need to be tackled: poor from a lack of money, poor from a lack of opportunity, and poor from a lack of rights.

He said that at least 10 million out of a total population of 65 million are living under the poverty line. Many of them lack decent food, medical treatment and education opportunities. Also, there are people who have no access to justice and legal fairness.

The ex-premier said the ongoing conflict is a battle for political benefit that also involves certain individuals, which makes it more difficult to solve.

He called on the feuding sides to find common ground by trying to reduce poverty in order to pave the way for social reconciliation.

For him, good education could help reduce poverty. In addition to free compulsory education, he said, improvements are needed in the quality of teachers, the curricula, and teachers' incomes.

Anand said that when it comes to democracy, many appear to focus on format rather than essence. He said elections and the constitution were just part of democracy and that to become a democratic country, people have to possess a democratic mind.

What Thailand lacks is "democratic infrastructure", such as an independent and free media, which he compares to pillars of a house. "You pay no attention to the pillars. You just look at the bedroom and the toilet," he said, referring to the need for democratic infrastructure.

The former premier said that social and political conflicts are common in any society, and there are often issues for debate even in mature democratic countries. However, such conflicts should lead to healthy arguments rather than physical assault.

Anand served as unelected prime minister twice during the tumultuous early 1990s - first after the coup of February 1991 and again after the bloody May incident of 1992.

-- The Nation 2010-05-12

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[gotlost]

Some one that makes sense.

[Robby nz]

Former prime minister Anand Panyarachun yesterday suggested that the feuding sides in the political conflict start the process of settling their differences by focusing on the problem of poverty.

Anand said that he believed both sides would agree that poverty was the root cause of the country's social ills. Tackling the problem would provide a common ground and make it easier for discussion on other issues that they may not see eye to eye on at this time, he said.

"Don't be obsessed with the issues you can't agree to now. Just talk about the issue you can agree to first,"

Now if only the reds would get Anard up on their stage and listen to him.

[whybother]

There is no chance of the reds working WITH the government to solve any problems of the poor.

The reds don't want the poor to know anything about the governments help. That might make a few red supporters realize that they don't actually need to protest against the government.

[fullcave]

There is no chance of the reds working WITH the government to solve any problems of the poor.

The reds don't want the poor to know anything about the governments help. That might make a few red supporters realize that they don't actually need to protest against the government.

Anand is a true statesmen. Thailand needs more like him.

[brahmburgers]

Among other bad things, the Red protest is sucking resources out of government and public coffers. Thai legislators don't do much of anything even in the best of times, except play golf and tend to their mia noi. In trouble times like this, they do even less of what they're paid to do. Indeed, they've probably quietly taken their families on 'fact-finding missions to Europe' (paid by taxpayers) to escape the craziness in Bkk.

Yes, tackling poverty is important, but there are a vast array of other problems Thai legislators should be addressing. To name a few:

>>>> enabling Thais without ID cards to get them without bribes (i.e. Hill Tribe people)

>>>> Enabling free education, not just in appearance, but in reality

>>>> Cleaning up the environment, forests, seashores, etc.

>>>> disciplining cops and 'pu yai ban' who extort & prey on the disadvantaged.

>>>> Enacting campaigns to teach Thais how to drive safely, and how to not be litterbugs.

>>>> Establishing a system of promotions based on skills, rather than payments and 'who you know'. Just this one item will lessen the number of inept people in high places. The current problems in Bkk would have ended awhile ago if there were intelligent people in charge of police, military, government, Red shirts.

>>>> Encouraging inventions, creativity, innovative thinking among youngsters.

>>>> Restricting access to harmful videos and video games. Cleaning up the sorry state of TV programming. Those things are immensely influential (in bad ways) to the youth of Thailand, and are factors in why there are several thousand dumb thugs taking over downtown Bkk.

.....shall I go on?

[Thai-Aust]

>>>> enabling Thais without ID cards to get them without bribes (i.e. Hill Tribe people)

>>>> Restricting access to harmful videos and video games. Cleaning up the sorry state of TV programming. Those things are immensely influential (in bad ways) to the youth of Thailand, and are factors in why there are several thousand dumb thugs taking over downtown Bkk.

Hill tribe people are not Thais, most of them are stateless. All Thai can get their ID cards without having to pay bribes.

Agree with axe on lakorn, bad influence to people from all walks of life and all ages.

[pornsasi]

There is no chance of the reds working WITH the government to solve any problems of the poor.

The reds don't want the poor to know anything about the governments help. That might make a few red supporters realize that they don't actually need to protest against the government.

Anand is a true statesmen. Thailand needs more like him.

Indeed he is

[animatic]

Clearly you do NJOT know the real situation.

>>>> enabling Thais without ID cards to get them without bribes (i.e. Hill Tribe people)

>>>> Restricting access to harmful videos and video games. Cleaning up the sorry state of TV programming. Those things are immensely influential (in bad ways) to the youth of Thailand, and are factors in why there are several thousand dumb thugs taking over downtown Bkk.

Hill tribe people are not Thais, most of them are stateless. All Thai can get their ID cards without having to pay bribes.

Agree with axe on lakorn, bad influence to people from all walks of life and all ages.

Clearly your do NOT know the real situation.

You can be born in Thailand to 2nd- 3rd - 4th generaltion THAILAND hilltribe folks

and STILL have to bribe your way to a real ID card. Until some family head has gotten enough cash

through a usuerous employer loan typically, to get officially on the rolls, they are forced for

generations to be stateless, while being born and raised in Thailand.

This has to do with the state driven prejudice against any that do NOT, or can not,

join the Thais school system and it's nation buliding indoctrination scheme.

Which requires an ID card... Catch 22.

And even then you must PAY for your indoctrination.

[brahmburgers]

>>>> enabling Thais without ID cards to get them without bribes (i.e. Hill Tribe people)

>>>> Restricting access to harmful videos and video games. Cleaning up the sorry state of TV programming. Those things are immensely influential (in bad ways) to the youth of Thailand, and are factors in why there are several thousand dumb thugs taking over downtown Bkk.

Hill tribe people are not Thais, most of them are stateless. All Thai can get their ID cards without having to pay bribes.

That's like saying Apache are not Americans, or Amazon natives are not Brazilian. Everyone deserves to be a citizen of somewhere. Hundreds of thousands of hill tribers who were born and whose parent's were born and bred within Thailand's borders are denied citizenship. At best, they're allowed a faint chance of getting an ID card (which may or may not be authentic) by bribes to village headmen and bureaucrats for hundreds of thousands of baht.

Either the Bkk gov't doesn't know about this (and they're therefore ignorant) or they choose to disregard it with a yawning 'mai pen rai' because hill tribers are at the bottom rung of the social ladder in SE Asia.

It's a festering problem and paints Thais as racist and callous.

Incidentally, the Reds never make a mention of this problem, which gives proof to the vacuousness of their one trick pony policy aim (bring back Thaksin). It's doubly ironic, because the Reds talk about helping the poor, yet don't give a hoot about the poorest and most disadvantaged in Thailand.

Edit: I should include migrant workers in that category of 'most disadvantaged.' Migrants are routinely shaken down (extorted) by crooked cops and others. That's another big sad issue which is never mentioned by Issan demonstrators.

Oops, almost forgot. Of course Reds don't give a rat's tail about hill tribers and migrants. Neither group can vote, and neither can be paid/cajoled for their votes. So they're essentially non-people in their view. They simply don't matter.

Edited May 12, 2010 by brahmburgers

[WinnieTheKhwai]

>>>> enabling Thais without ID cards to get them without bribes (i.e. Hill Tribe people)

>>>> Restricting access to harmful videos and video games. Cleaning up the sorry state of TV programming. Those things are immensely influential (in bad ways) to the youth of Thailand, and are factors in why there are several thousand dumb thugs taking over downtown Bkk.

Hill tribe people are not Thais, most of them are stateless. All Thai can get their ID cards without having to pay bribes.

That's like saying Apache are not Americans, or Amazon natives are not Brazilian. Everyone deserves to be a citizen of somewhere. Hundreds of thousands of hill tribers who were born and whose parent's were born and bred within Thailand's borders are denied citizenship.

I agree with you, but the comparison is awkward because many hill tribe people are relatively recent arrivals from Burma and China, whereas Native Americans go back thousands of years.

[Thai-Aust]

>>>> enabling Thais without ID cards to get them without bribes (i.e. Hill Tribe people)

Hill tribe people are not Thais, most of them are stateless. All Thai can get their ID cards without having to pay bribes.

That's like saying Apache are not Americans, or Amazon natives are not Brazilian. Everyone deserves to be a citizen of somewhere. Hundreds of thousands of hill tribers who were born and whose parent's were born and bred within Thailand's borders are denied citizenship. At best, they're allowed a faint chance of getting an ID card (which may or may not be authentic) by bribes to village headmen and bureaucrats for hundreds of thousands of baht.

Either the Bkk gov't doesn't know about this (and they're therefore ignorant) or they choose to disregard it with a yawning 'mai pen rai' because hill tribers are at the bottom rung of the social ladder in SE Asia.

It's a festering problem and paints Thais as racist and callous.

Although I sympathise for their statelessness, but I have to insist that according to Thai law, hill tribes are not Thais. It doesn't matter how many generations are born in Thailand, as long as your parents are not Thai, you will not be classified as 'Thai' in the eye of law. What they can apply for in order to traveling around the limited area is an ID cards (NOT a national card) issued specificly for them. To be fair, consider the situation where you happen to have a baby born outside your home contry, says Australia, you baby will not qualified for being Australian.

[noahvail]

>>>> enabling Thais without ID cards to get them without bribes (i.e. Hill Tribe people)

Hill tribe people are not Thais, most of them are stateless. All Thai can get their ID cards without having to pay bribes.

That's like saying Apache are not Americans, or Amazon natives are not Brazilian. Everyone deserves to be a citizen of somewhere. Hundreds of thousands of hill tribers who were born and whose parent's were born and bred within Thailand's borders are denied citizenship. At best, they're allowed a faint chance of getting an ID card (which may or may not be authentic) by bribes to village headmen and bureaucrats for hundreds of thousands of baht.

Either the Bkk gov't doesn't know about this (and they're therefore ignorant) or they choose to disregard it with a yawning 'mai pen rai' because hill tribers are at the bottom rung of the social ladder in SE Asia.

It's a festering problem and paints Thais as racist and callous.

Although I sympathise for their statelessness, but I have to insist that according to Thai law, hill tribes are not Thais. It doesn't matter how many generations are born in Thailand, as long as your parents are not Thai, you will not be classified as 'Thai' in the eye of law. What they can apply for in order to traveling around the limited area is an ID cards (NOT a national card) issued specificly for them. To be fair, consider the situation where you happen to have a baby born outside your home contry, says Australia, you baby will not qualified for being Australian.

I can't speak for Oz, only NZ and the US. In both of those countries, it doesn't matter where in the world the baby is born, as long as one parent has citizenship of either of those countries, the child is entitled - required - to be a citizen.

Besides, wasn't Mr Abhisit born in England of Thai parents? He certainly is a Thai citizen.

[OneZero]

[

I can't speak for Oz, only NZ and the US. In both of those countries, it doesn't matter where in the world the baby is born, as long as one parent has citizenship of either of those countries, the child is entitled - required - to be a citizen.

Besides, wasn't Mr Abhisit born in England of Thai parents? He certainly is a Thai citizen.

Thailand's current King was born in the US, which would have made him a US citizen. I don't know if / when he may have given it up, but I assume he did.

[Rideau]

Decent education system or access to it is the last thing Thai politicians want. That's true. In my opinion, education starts at home too! Something to do with Thai culture. Just look at the Chinese and Indians. Why have most of them grown so influential in the Thai society?