PM Abhisit Details '9 New Year Gifts'

[webfact]

'NEW YEAR GIFTS'

PM details '9 New Year gifts'

By The Nation

Free power for low comers, cooking gas subsidy, social security welfare for freelancers among 9 measures announced

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva Sunday unveiled nine measures or 'New Year gifts' to be implemented to help the low-income and underprivileged people under the 'People's Agenda for 2011' scheme.

Speaking at a press conference at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre, the prime minister said the government would spend about Bt2 billion to implement the measures but the scheme would generate benefits worth Bt20 billion for Thais.

The nine 'New Year gifts' announced by the prime minister are:

1) Self-employed people can join the Social Security scheme in July. Freelance workers and self-employed people can start paying Bt100 a month to join the scheme to enjoy benefits like company's employees.

2) Soft loans will be given to taxi drivers so that they can buy their own taxi cars in installments at cheaper rate than renting their vehicles. The government will also provide soft loans to street-side vendors so that they can have some funds to carry out their vending businesses.

3) Taxi motorcyclists nationwide will be registered so that they will enjoy welfare and benefits like other professions. After the registration, the taxi motorcyclists will also work as security volunteers for their communities. The registration will start in March.

4) The government will reorganise roadside stalls in certain areas as tourist attractions.

5) The government will continue subsidy for cooking gas used by consumers but it . will stop subsiding the LPG gas' prices for industrial use, to make the price structure fairer.

6) The government will allow low-income people who use less than 90 units of power per month to be exempted from paying their bills on the permanent basis.

To enable this free usage for the low-incomers, the government will restructure the advanced fee system for electricity usage so that those who use a lot of power will have to pay higher fees.

7) The government will ensure free and fair competitions for agricultural products and market pricing.

8) The government wil ensure that consumes will get to buy foods at fairer prices and will not be be taken advantage by foods manufacturers or distributors. They will get to buy cheaper eggs, for example.

9) Crime rates will be reduced by 20 per cent in six months. The government will install more security camera in remote spots and increase police patrols in such areas to prevent crimes.

Abhisit said these measures were aimed pushing for structural fairness and not for giving away money like populist schemes.

He promised that he would do everything in his power to deliver the New Year gifts to the people's hands.

-- The Nation 2011-01-09

[Thailand]

Couldn't be there is an election coming up could it.

[whybother]

Couldn't be there is an election coming up could it.

That can't be. If you listen to some red shirt supporters, you would think that the government will delay an election indefinitely.

[mca]

The government will install more security camera in remote spots and increase police patrols in such areas to prevent crimes.

Can't recall ever seeing police on patrol.

[negreanu]

the taxi motorcyclists will also work as security volunteers for their communities

haha

Most of these are scum and dealers/crooks anyway...

[Phatcharanan]

the taxi motorcyclists will also work as security volunteers for their communities

haha

Most of these are scum and dealers/crooks anyway...

How little you know.

[negreanu]

How little you know. [/color]

haha thats almost as funny.

You have no idea what goes on mate.

Tell that to the guy in the other thread who had his daughter molested by one.

Sukhumvit 22 making no secret about selling yaba.

You have no idea.

[chuang]

Couldn't be there is an election coming up could it.

I think so....when Thaksin applied populist policies the Democrat party cried foul....and now Abhisit is following suit, what's now..

[Pib]

3) Taxi motorcyclists nationwide will be registered so that they will enjoy welfare and benefits like other professions. After the registration, the taxi motorcyclists will also work as security volunteers for their communities. The registration will start in March.

Sounds like there are more details to the plan like maybe to order to receive the welfare/benefits, X-amount of community hours/work have to be "volunteered" such as reporting any suspicious activity while picking up/dropping off customers.....or maybe even more aggressive in having to ride around a certain neighborhood for an hour a week wearing some kind of security vest saying Neighborhood Patrol or something. With all the suspicious activities that go on everyday they are going to be busy!!!

[Pib]

9) Crime rates will be reduced by 20 per cent in six months. The government will install more security camera in remote spots and increase police patrols in such areas to prevent crimes.

A 20% reduction is a huge drop. To achieve such a crime drop on a nationwide basis it would take serious, aggressive law enforcement (that's why it won't succeed on a nationwide basis) and a change in the environmental conditions/mindset for many people. But I have no doubt that the govt will claim success by achieving a 20% reduction in select, small areas.

[OzMick]

A 20% reduction is a huge drop...

No no no. It's not a 20% drop in actual crime rates because nobody knows how much crime there actually is. It's a 20% drop in reported crime rates, which is easily achieved - the BIB say that the guy who takes the reports is out on patrol, come back later, 20% couldn't be bothered because they know it's a waste of time and effort.

[OzMick]

90 kWhrs is really low usage. For a start, you can just about forget about owning a fridge............

Here's a lurk. Meter reader says "Slip me B20 every month and I read you under 90, one big bill every year, 990 units for free!" Nah, never happen.

[rubl]

I think so...

Pitch Pongsawat, a lecturer at Chulalongkorn University, said on Sunday the policy to maintain price of cooking gas and free use of electricity can help reduce expenses of low-income earners, but they can not increase income in their pockets. The lecturer also believed that the Pracha Wiwat welfare scheme will not help the ruling party to win more MP seats in the next general election as coalition partners also help push this policy, even if the Democrat claimed to be its achievement.

Damned when you do, damned when you don't. In this case I personally would suggest the government to continue

[Pib]

No no no. It's not a 20% drop in actual crime rates...

Achieving a 20% drop in reported crime rates should be easy and profitable for the police through increased on-the-spot monetary negotiations with the law breaker thereby negating the need to report the crime. But it may require some additional police training in negotiations. Brilliant...it was so easy...polticians are so smart.

[hammered]

Pitch Pongsawat, a lecturer at Chulalongkorn University, said on Sunday...

If I dont spend ten baht I retain it in my pocket or have it top use for soemthing else therefore it is an increase in my pocket, Maybe not an increase in income as that is about earning power and the issue Pitch raises is not about earning. Either way he looks pretty silly.

And he manages to add to this by saying it wont help the ruling party to get more seats as their coalition allies also push the project. Yep that is the government pushing the project to return as a coaliton government leaving the PTP in opposition which according to most analysts is the aim. Amazing statement by someone supposedly well educated. As Thaksin found out it actually comes down to thos enot so well educated deciding on things and they can make different decisions to their betters. Plus of course it depends on how the village headmen etc sell the schemes too, but never academics. Just wait till the Korn if he ever does proposes taxing all the unused land of the rich and inheritance, the wealthy will have a heart attack, as will virtually every PTP MP as they own huge swathes of that unused land

[hammered]

Achieving a 20% drop in reported crime rates should be easy...

That is exactly the way western polticans and governments reduce the number of unemployed. Maybe Thailand is learning the art of western democracy;)

[OzMick]

Pitch Pongsawat, a lecturer at Chulalongkorn University, said on Sunday...

that's very observant of Pitch - now can he explain the difference between B350 extra earned and B350 not paid out. It still buys a lot of rice, which may help the coalition win more seats from PTT.

[Deeral]

I note with interest that these "ideas" are almost identical to the "ideas" Thaksin proposed a few years back.

Doesn't this remind you of the meeting between the pigs and the humans at Animal Farm?

[Buchholz]

I note with interest that these "ideas" are almost identical to the "ideas" Thaksin proposed a few years back.

Doesn't this remind you of the meeting between the pigs and the humans at Animal Farm?

Pheu Thai Party has now removed the only reason anyone had a reason to vote for them... in this NNT report:

Pheu Thai: Government’s 9-point policy same as Thaksin’s policies

http://thainews.prd.go.th/en/news.php?id=255401090010

[Deeral]

It seems to me to show how utterly shallow and bereft of real ideas K Abhisit actually is.An ineffective PM who is so inept he can't even disguise someone else's ideas to make them look like his own.Almost everything he's tried todo is vetted or vetoed by his army sponsors and the country is sliding into a military dictatorship - no wonder they have such strong ties to Burma - for some in govt it's a role-model. And abhisit - flabby cabbage that he is - seems completely incapable of standing up to them or even for himself

[rubl]

It seems to me to show how utterly shallow and bereft of real ideas K Abhisit actually is.An ineffective PM who is so inept he can't even disguise someone else's ideas to make them look like his own.Almost everything he's tried todo is vetted or vetoed by his army sponsors and the country is sliding into a military dictatorship - no wonder they have such strong ties to Burma - for some in govt it's a role-model. And abhisit - flabby cabbage that he is - seems completely incapable of standing up to them or even for himself

Can you think of some 'real' ideas other than those circulated when TRT was in power and those now proposed by PM Abhisit?

As for 'inept, can't even disguise', some may call that 'integrity'.

Damned when you do, damned when you don't. Ignore fools and continue, dear PM.

[hyperdimension]

Pheu Thai: Government’s 9-point policy same as Thaksin’s policies

Pheu Thai Party Spokesperson Prompong Nopparit said the nine points were the same as those in Mr Thaksin’s Eua-Arthorn or Assistance for the Poor Project. The Pheu Thai Party claimed the government's policy was simply aimed at getting votes.

If they are bad policies then Pheu Thai should explain why, but they can't because they just said they're the same as Thaksin's.

If they're not bad policies then the government should go ahead with them. There's nothing wrong with continuing with what worked in the past as long as it still works.

Have Pheu Thai scrapped their crazy minimum wage proposals? It seems so, as they stated recently that their focus is on "injustice" and discrediting the government instead of working out how to improve people's lives and the country.

Do critics prefer that the current government do absolutely nothing, not even try? Pheu Thai probably wishes so.

[heina]

6) The government will allow low-income people who use less than 90 units of power per month to be exempted from paying their bills on the permanent basis.

Am i miss something?! Now 100 units of power per month is free of charge.

[travelingmike]

It seems to me to show how utterly shallow and bereft of real ideas K Abhisit actually is.An ineffective PM who is so inept he can't even disguise someone else's ideas to make them look like his own.Almost everything he's tried todo is vetted or vetoed by his army sponsors and the country is sliding into a military dictatorship - no wonder they have such strong ties to Burma - for some in govt it's a role-model. And abhisit - flabby cabbage that he is - seems completely incapable of standing up to them or even for himself

The PM is doing a great job, if this list goes through it will help the poor people. He is not just trying to give them free cell phones and then collecting the bills each month. This is politics, he is very smart, what are the red shirts going to bitch about when he is helping their "base", and has been. Yes there is an election coming up, but so what-this is politics. How do you get votes without blatantly handing out bribes village to village; you enact policies that actually help the people long term. What exactly are the 30,000 protesting? The red shirt people walk around our village handing out a few baht-sure people take it, but in confidence-my family and extended members vote for actual change and what will benefit them. You take the money and smile, if you dont then you are marked for possible retribution of some sort. It is becoming apparent in our village(near khon kaen) that Abhisit is winning the battle of hearts and minds. I dont know how anyone can keep from smiling and say Thaksin did a better job than Abhisit is doing now. Some on here like to compare thailand to burma, but unlike burma when you vote a soldier is not standing over you with a rifle. The red shirts are the party of "no", just like the republican party in my home country(USA)-even if something benefits them they are against it, because they are so brainwashed by the rhetoric of the leaders they fail to think. Like the republicans in my home country they are against any idea from the other side, but have no ideas of their own. Have the red shirts come out with a list of changes that would help the poor people they supposedly represent? I havent heard any of them actually stand up and discuss policy changes that would help the people they are representing. If the policies are the same as what thaksin had, they are not, but if they were then the red shirts should be rejoicing that they have won. There should be a big party-not a protest.

[473geo]

6) The government will allow low-income people who use less than 90 units of power per month to be exempted from paying their bills on the permanent basis.

Am i miss something?! Now 100 units of power per month is free of charge.

Many of the local Thai homes in the area of my family using mainly a fridge,TV and lighting are currently receiving zero baht electricity charges. But it is good if continued.

[pipo1000]

Shouldn't the topic title read as "9 new years wishes" instead of "gifts"?

[hyperdimension]

the red shirts should be rejoicing that they have won.

As discussed in the thread Red Protest Absences Threaten Thida's Credibility different factions have their own goals, most of which are not about helping people or the improving the country. The main faction seems to be Thaksin's / Pheu Thai's, and we all know what their goals are. This rally is part of their "injustice" election campaign, so they complain about the government killing people and terrorist leaders being held in prison.

If people benefit from the government's policies, all that complaining will become irrelevant. What really matters to most people are themselves, their family and friends and living peacefully and comfortably. If the Abhisit government can make a change to improve people's lifestyles and happiness, then all the blah blah blah-ing about dead people become irritating noise.

[rubl]

Shouldn't the topic title read as "9 new years wishes" instead of "gifts"?

From the OP "He promised that he would do everything in his power to deliver the New Year gifts to the people's hands."

If these nine gifts still have to go through the parliamentary process, it may indeed take some time. The PTP in it's 'watchdog' function is likely to ask commissions if such measures are valid and some courts if it's legal, even after accusing the government of being copycats.

[Emptyset]

And he manages to add to this by saying it wont help the ruling party to get more seats as their coalition allies also push the project. Yep that is the government pushing the project to return as a coaliton government leaving the PTP in opposition which according to most analysts is the aim. Amazing statement by someone supposedly well educated. As Thaksin found out it actually comes down to thos enot so well educated deciding on things and they can make different decisions to their betters. Plus of course it depends on how the village headmen etc sell the schemes too, but never academics. Just wait till the Korn if he ever does proposes taxing all the unused land of the rich and inheritance, the wealthy will have a heart attack, as will virtually every PTP MP as they own huge swathes of that unused land

Why single out PT MPs? http://asiancorrespondent.com/37917/land-inequality-between-elected-and-electorate/

http://bangkokpundit.blogspot.com/2008/08/tax-reform-part-deux.html

[webfact]

POPULIST POLICY?

Nine New Year Gifts for People

By The Nation

1 Freelancers/self-employed people can join the Social Security scheme and enjoy all benefits from July onwards. They will be required to pay less than Bt100 a month.

2 Soft loans will be given to taxi drivers with more than three years in the service. The loans will allow them to buy their own cabs via lease-purchase contracts at a rate cheaper than paying the rent. The government will also provide soft loans to street vendors.

3 Taxi motorcyclists nationwide will be registered to pave the way for their inclusion in welfare schemes. Their stands will have proper corners and a clear price list. The registration will start in March.

4 Starting from April, the government will give more space for roadside stalls. The move should benefit some 20,000 vendors.

5 The government will continue to subsidise cooking gas for households.

6 Free electricity will be provided to about 9.1 million families who use less than 90 units of electricity per month.

7 The government will ensure the price of agricultural produce and food are not too high by efficiently controlling the price of animal feed and animals used for breeding.

8 Businesses will have to transparently report their cost to ensure consumers get the products at a fair price.

9 Crime rate in Bangkok will be reduced by 20 per cent within six months as the government will install more security cameras in remote spots and increase police patrols at risky spots.

More gifts to come…They include

- Welfare for pregnant women and children from birth till the age of two

- Free milk for pregnant women to improve their health conditions

- Food supplements for pregnant but unhealthy women

- Gifts and counselling for breastfeeding mothers

- 24-hour hotline on the hygiene of mothers and their babies

- Welfare for children aged between three and five years old

- Setting up a centre to encourage private businesses to provide nursery centres in exchange for tax incentives

- Requiring all tambon administrative organisations to operate nursery centres

- Free care for pre-school children of construction workers/employees

- Solving problems facing landless people

- Establishing special economic zones for agricultural sectors

- Boosting educational opportunities among children outside schools

- Giving cash awards of Bt10,000 each to outstanding teachers

- Special grants worth Bt500,000 each to outstanding teachers in remote areas

- Overhauling the judicial and political system to reduce social injustices

-- The Nation 2011-01-10