Pheu Thai: 'We Can Keep All Our Election Promises'

[scorecard]

Pheu Thai should provide documentation of their proposals that consist of the calculations, assumptions and forecasts that led to their conclusion that the promises are feasible, even enough to guarantee that they will all be implemented.

A few vague verbal statements via the media in an attempt to reassure everyone that everything will be OK are not convincing enough.We're not all stupid (though many of their voters are and they know it).

Their lack of details shows just how unprofessional and incapable this mob really is.

Plus, instead of one or perhaps two credible people (should include the coming soon PM, especially since it's a major aspect of how they won the election) making comments, they have a patchwork of people making comments.

But I guess it's a rub off of the thaksin authoritarian approach - 'take this pill - you WILL like it, and don't dare ask any questions'.

[Crushdepth]

Have all thais voting for PTP forgotten Khun T. promise to make every Thai rich in 6 months?

So long as he fixes the traffic in 6 months this time, I don't care.

[DLock]

Why are they proposing the average daily wage to go up by 70% to 300 baht per day?

Will it increase productivity? No

Will it increase competitiveness? No

Was it promised so Thai's would vote for PTP? Bingo.

There is no merit in this wage increase. Regardless of what our Western standards say, Thai's on the minimum wage seem to be doing fine.

A wage increase will see some of them lose their jobs to staff cuts or Burmese staff and multinationals look elsewhere, meaning more job loses.

Populist vote only. Will not happen en masse and anyone that thinks this is a good idea really doesn't understand basic economics.

I guess you will volunteer to give 200 and some baht a day a try and see if it is doable.

No.

Your point is classic misunderstanding the point and using your Western standards as a benchmark for Thai standard of living.

Thai's at the minimum wage are doing fine. They live accordingly, but perhaps not by your standards.

Regardless of whether Thais could use the money or want the money (they do), raising the average wage by 70% cannot be done.

You are missing the point. Don't confuse the standard of living argument with the election promise that can't actually be done.

I'd support raising the standard of Thai living at the minimum wage end, and with proper planning, tax reform, subsidies, employment schemes, limiting foreign workers and appropriate timeframes...it could be done.

Economics 101.

[LindsayBKK]

I am happy to pay my staff a min of 300 baht per day if I get value for money. If they continue to sleep on the job, arrive late, take 30 day sick leave per year then I might have to hire Burmese. Does this also now mean that there will be just 1 sales clerk loafing around Tescos, rather than 3?

If you hire Burmese under the new law will you still have to pay 300bht?

It also means alot of Burmese and Cambodaian & Laos will be happy to come to Thailand.

Immigration will be busy.

Edited July 19, 2011 by LindsayBKK

[whybother]

Well PTP says that minimum salary of 300 baht per day will only be for skilled labour, and for Bangkok only (I saw that on Tulsathit's twitter a week or so ago).

Skilled labour was explained as Bachelor degree holders.

...

The payment for Bachelor degree holders is for the 15,000 per month, not for the 300 baht per day.

The "skilled labour" part was mentioned at one point.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

...vowed total compliance with its campaign pledges, including an increase in the minimum wage to Bt300 per day.

"I guarantee every Pheu Thai policy is practical and will be implemented," party-list MP Suchart Thadathamrongvech said....

Like New England weather, so are PTP public statements; if you don't like it wait a minute, they will manage to contradict themselves yet again.

What their statements have to do with reality... I have no idea.

Smoke and mirrors, bait and switch,

?

How does the quoted / highlighted part relate to your comment in any way? I know all you do all day is take stabs at Thai politicians that you didn't vote for, but at least try a little to make sure the point you're making lines up with the quoted part, ok? An automated script could pretty much provide the same contribution.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Actual comment, and actually critical AND relevant:

** The 15K starting salary policy is conspicuously absent in all this. **

Indeed this is the one that seems by far the hardest to fulfil. ( The 300 baht minimum salary is a good one; keep in mind it's not net salary, social insurance and taxes should be taken from it. If anything it may bring more labor on the lower-end into the existing social security structure, which would be another very good thing and may actually hep fund some of the healthcare improvements. )

But that 15K starting salary promise just does not seem feasible at all.

[kurnell]

I am happy to pay my staff a min of 300 baht per day if I get value for money. If they continue to sleep on the job, arrive late, take 30 day sick leave per year then I might have to hire Burmese. Does this also now mean that there will be just 1 sales clerk loafing around Tescos, rather than 3?

Are you one of those employers that treats his employees with respect, offers a benefits plan and allows the workers to engage in continuing education? I sympathize if you are one of the employers that helps employees move up and provides a safe work environment that conforms with all the health and safety codes.. On the other hand if you provide the bare minimum but expect great work, then perhaps you need a course in business psychology.

BTW, these Burmese employees you are threatening to hire, they will all be legal right? You'll help with the work permits and provide a wage with no holdbacks right? If not, you will be engaged in an illegal act and deserving of the harshest treatment possible for such an offender. According to the TVF PTP bashers there must be zero tolerance for anyone that breaks the law.

Is it any wonder why there is resentment and frustration expressed by Thailand's underclass?

Wanna come and talk to my staff yourself?

[animatic]

...vowed total compliance with its campaign pledges, including an increase in the minimum wage to Bt300 per day.

"I guarantee every Pheu Thai policy is practical and will be implemented," party-list MP Suchart Thadathamrongvech said....

Like New England weather, so are PTP public statements; if you don't like it wait a minute, they will manage to contradict themselves yet again.

What their statements have to do with reality... I have no idea.

Smoke and mirrors, bait and switch,

?

How does the quoted / highlighted part relate to your comment in any way? I know all you do all day is take stabs at Thai politicians that you didn't vote for, but at least try a little to make sure the point you're making lines up with the quoted part, ok? An automated script could pretty much provide the same contribution.

"I guarantee every Pheu Thai policy is practical and will be implemented,"

He said this and two days earlier said it couldn't necessarily be done

as impractical budgetarily... then back tracked.

What part of 'contradictions' don't you want to appear to understand?

[kurnell]

I am happy to pay my staff a min of 300 baht per day if I get value for money. If they continue to sleep on the job, arrive late, take 30 day sick leave per year then I might have to hire Burmese. Does this also now mean that there will be just 1 sales clerk loafing around Tescos, rather than 3?

If you hire Burmese under the new law will you still have to pay 300bht?

It also means alot of Burmese and Cambodaian & Laos will be happy to come to Thailand.

Immigration will be busy.

You might wanna double check that

[jdinasia]

Actual comment, and actually critical AND relevant:

** The 15K starting salary policy is conspicuously absent in all this. **

Indeed this is the one that seems by far the hardest to fulfil. ( The 300 baht minimum salary is a good one; keep in mind it's not net salary, social insurance and taxes should be taken from it. If anything it may bring more labor on the lower-end into the existing social security structure, which would be another very good thing and may actually hep fund some of the healthcare improvements. )

But that 15K starting salary promise just does not seem feasible at all.

Taxes .... on 300 a day? None are due.

300X6X4.25X12= 91,800 a year ..which is below the taxable rate at 150k+

(That is based upon a 6 day work week -- 4.25 weeks in a month --- and 12 months in a year)

I would have to look up how much SS should be paid monthly but it would be quite low.

The major problem with the nationwide minimum wage at 300/day is that there is no longer ANY benefit to having a company upcountry. Shipping from Mukdahan to Laem Chabang AND having to pay labor the same rate/day means that jobs move closer to the supply/shipping areas. But hey ... who wants jobs to be located upcountry anyways?

As for paying every university graduate a minimum of 15k a month? That won't work either and would again mean that upcountry would suffer.

The PTP campaign promises were ill-conceived and fiscally irresponsible. It is no wonder that they are waffling back and forth over them and have been since the elections.

[hammered]

I would suggest that if PTP intend to introduce the 15K starting salary for graduates in a phased manner that they introduce it first as a priority for school teachers and even target it for school teachers at upcountry schools

[jdinasia]

I would suggest that if PTP intend to introduce the 15K starting salary for graduates in a phased manner that they introduce it first as a priority for school teachers and even target it for school teachers at upcountry schools

I would not agree UNLESS it was performance based. Scads of new teachers that can't teach isn't a plus, is it?

I was reading elsewhere that in the next few years universities alone will need 15,000 new professors.

[scorecard]

Well PTP says that minimum salary of 300 baht per day will only be for skilled labour, and for Bangkok only (I saw that on Tulsathit's twitter a week or so ago).

Skilled labour was explained as Bachelor degree holders.

Now what can easily happen is that employers will start to hire college graduates, or whatever is the lowest education needed for the job.

In Europe (well in some countries, at least, like my former home), the salary is determined among others by the education of the employee. So I've often seen those with Bachelor's or Master degree jobless, as companies rather hire college or even high school graduates and train them by themselves, than pay higher wages to more educated staff.

Then there's also currency control/inflation that could be put into consideration. If wages are increased to double, and at the same time currency devalues by half (either through direct measures or through inflation), the promise is carried out completely, yet there's no effect on the person with higher wage, or at least no positive one.

I don't know how this will play out in the end, but I don't see this as a victory for fresh graduates. At least until it's clear how the new government plans to carry this out.

And for the sake of future generations, I hope that it's not by simply loaning the money to pay for populist promises.

The truth is that the vast majority of companies / employers across the world do not pay people by their personal education qualifications.

The standard approach to reward management is to put a 'job size' on every job in the company (which means evaluate (size) the level of impact the job is expected to have on achieving the business goals of the organization along with a recognition of how difficult it is to achieve the said outputs).

Paying an employee for their personal qualifications but quite often the same employee is sitting in a job where the outputs are very simple is simply unsustainable in terms of efficiency and appropriate costs to operate the company, and especially in a very competitive industry.

It can also be the catalyst for lack of commitment in other employees. e.g. A person (with a bachelors degree or even less, but highly capable) sitting in a job which has big responsibility and has difficult problems to solve every day could be paid lower than someone sitting in a job with little resposnibility and little difficulty gets higher salary because they do have the bachelor or whatever degree. The high output person will start to say 'why should I work under all this pressure for lower pay than the guy who has a simple easy job'. Not a good way to motivate people or to generat innovation or creativity.

And please don't say that the company should align jobs (outputs and difficulty) according to the the personal qualifications of the staff. That would mean that capable people who don't have a degree, or don't have a higher degree, are not allowed to sit in higher level (more difficult jobs).

The concept of 'pay for performance' is also tangled in the same argument.

This is not the way to build highly successful companies. The reality is that many highly successful companies have CEOs (and people in other high positions) where the jobholder has never completed a degree. (One well known example is Bill Gates, who dropped out of Harvard, Richard Branson is another example and there are many more examples. Some claim that Leonardo da vinci had only verey basic education.).

Further there are many many people who have higher education, often with high GPA, who cannot apply their learning in a real workplace. Another twist of this is that in some countries the emphasis on employing the best graduates (highest GPA) well before they even graduate has dimished somewhat. All for the reasons above, there is no guarantee whatever that people with highest GPA will be high performers. In fact global research (first conducted in the 1960s by Dr David McClelland and conducted many times since) clearly proves this point.

I worked for a major oil company for many years who dimished this activity because many times the 'new graduates ' 'management trainees' etc., did not pass probation and/or were not impressive performers. At the same time the company started to place more emphasis on behavioral competencies, EI, etc., and this has become common across the world.

However I am well aware that in the past it has been traditional for companies / organizations in Thailand to pay people because of their paper qualifications. This could be labelled as paying people because of social status, and it's not surprsing in a country where social status deeply permeates everything. But, there are more and more Thai companies who do not do this because of all of the reasons above.

Edited July 19, 2011 by scorecard

[scorecard]

Why are they proposing the average daily wage to go up by 70% to 300 baht per day?

Will it increase productivity? No

Will it increase competitiveness? No

Was it promised so Thai's would vote for PTP? Bingo.

There is no merit in this wage increase. Regardless of what our Western standards say, Thai's on the minimum wage seem to be doing fine.

A wage increase will see some of them lose their jobs to staff cuts or Burmese staff and multinationals look elsewhere, meaning more job loses.

Populist vote only. Will not happen en masse and anyone that thinks this is a good idea really doesn't understand basic economics.

I guess you will volunteer to give 200 and some baht a day a try and see if it is doable.

No.

Your point is classic misunderstanding the point and using your Western standards as a benchmark for Thai standard of living.

Thai's at the minimum wage are doing fine. They live accordingly, but perhaps not by your standards.

Regardless of whether Thais could use the money or want the money (they do), raising the average wage by 70% cannot be done.

You are missing the point. Don't confuse the standard of living argument with the election promise that can't actually be done.

I'd support raising the standard of Thai living at the minimum wage end, and with proper planning, tax reform, subsidies, employment schemes, limiting foreign workers and appropriate timeframes...it could be done.

Economics 101.

Agree, it could be done, but there is virtually no attempt to put the factors in place which would build the scenario whereby a much much larger percentage of Thais can achieve a good standard of living through their own productivity.

[hammered]

I would suggest that if PTP intend to introduce the 15K starting salary for graduates in a phased manner that they introduce it first as a priority for school teachers and even target it for school teachers at upcountry schools

I would not agree UNLESS it was performance based. Scads of new teachers that can't teach isn't a plus, is it?

I was reading elsewhere that in the next few years universities alone will need 15,000 new professors.

I was thinking that higher pay may attract better quality

[Crushdepth]

I would suggest that if PTP intend to introduce the 15K starting salary for graduates in a phased manner that they introduce it first as a priority for school teachers and even target it for school teachers at upcountry schools

I would not agree UNLESS it was performance based. Scads of new teachers that can't teach isn't a plus, is it?

I was reading elsewhere that in the next few years universities alone will need 15,000 new professors.

I was thinking that higher pay may attract better quality

It might stop them deserting their classes to pursue consultancies.

[DLock]

I didn't see any asterix's and fine print when they clearly stated raising the minimum wage to 300 baht.

Then again, why focus on 1 promise they likely wont achieve. There were plenty. Actually...the last one they will probably do.

A

• national minimum daily wage of Bt300 ($10) nationally
  
• Universal medical care with patients making a co-payment of Bt30 ($1) per consultation
  
• Credit cards for farmers and a guaranteed price of Bt15,000 – Bt20,000 ($488 – $651) per ton for unmilled rice
  
• A moratorium for household debt up to Bt500,000 ($16,285) per household, with emphasis on debt reduction for teachers, farmers and civil servants
  
• A minimum monthly salary of Bt15,000 ($500) for university graduates and a “One Tablet-PC per Child” project for school children
  
• A 23.3 per cent reduction in corporate tax rates in the first year (from 30 to 20 percent) with a further 13 percent reduction in its second year to a flat 20 percent.
  
• Reduced taxes for first home and first car buyers
  
• A standard Bt20 (65 cent) fare for all Bangkok’s mass transit rail lines (MRT)
  
• High-speed rail lines linking major provincial cities in the north, northeast, east and upper south regions
  
• Rural village development funds of between Bt300,000 and Bt1 million ($9,770 – $32,573) per year
  
• A welfare allowance of Bt600 ($19.55) per month for citizens over 60, increasing by Bt100 ($3.20) at 70, and 80, and rising by a further Bt200 ($6.40) at 90.
  
• Free Wi-Fi and Internet access in public places
  
• 30km (18.8 mile) of levees to protect Bangkok and satellite towns from Gulf of Thailand tidal surges.
  
• Special administrative status for Muslim provinces in the violence-plagued southern provinces
  
• A war on drugs
  
• Amnesty for political offenses committed since 2006
  

source http://photo-journ.com/2011/thainess-the-economy-the-2011-thailand-general-election

[jdinasia]

I would suggest that if PTP intend to introduce the 15K starting salary for graduates in a phased manner that they introduce it first as a priority for school teachers and even target it for school teachers at upcountry schools

I would not agree UNLESS it was performance based. Scads of new teachers that can't teach isn't a plus, is it?

I was reading elsewhere that in the next few years universities alone will need 15,000 new professors.

I was thinking that higher pay may attract better quality

While I understand your thinking, why would it increase quality? Market factors would just push up the pay in private tuition situations to keep the better teachers. Over time it could lend itself to more people choosing teaching, but unless the teacher training programs are radically improved I can only see it turning out more sub-standard teachers.

[hammered]

I would suggest that if PTP intend to introduce the 15K starting salary for graduates in a phased manner that they introduce it first as a priority for school teachers and even target it for school teachers at upcountry schools

I would not agree UNLESS it was performance based. Scads of new teachers that can't teach isn't a plus, is it?

I was reading elsewhere that in the next few years universities alone will need 15,000 new professors.

I was thinking that higher pay may attract better quality

While I understand your thinking, why would it increase quality? Market factors would just push up the pay in private tuition situations to keep the better teachers. Over time it could lend itself to more people choosing teaching, but unless the teacher training programs are radically improved I can only see it turning out more sub-standard teachers.

I was thinking more of graduating teachers which is where the 15 K is supposed to be aimed. Anyway as you point out the pay of teachers needs to go up to attract more to it as a career. Of course there has to be ongoing training and stuff too, but that brings us into ministry of education morasses

Edited to add: Right now a lot of bright education graduates go into non-education jobs because of low pay in education.

Edited July 19, 2011 by hammered

[jimbeam1]

...

I have had 3 non-performing staff in all this time and I managed to get rid of both of them with very little hassle.

...

Classic.

jb1

[jimbeam1]

I didn't see any asterix's and fine print when they clearly stated raising the minimum wage to 300 baht.

Then again, why focus on 1 promise they likely wont achieve. There were plenty. Actually...the last one they will probably do.

A

• national minimum daily wage of Bt300 ($10) nationally
  
• Universal medical care with patients making a co-payment of Bt30 ($1) per consultation
  
• Credit cards for farmers and a guaranteed price of Bt15,000 – Bt20,000 ($488 – $651) per ton for unmilled rice
  
• A moratorium for household debt up to Bt500,000 ($16,285) per household, with emphasis on debt reduction for teachers, farmers and civil servants
  
• A minimum monthly salary of Bt15,000 ($500) for university graduates and a “One Tablet-PC per Child” project for school children
  
• A 23.3 per cent reduction in corporate tax rates in the first year (from 30 to 20 percent) with a further 13 percent reduction in its second year to a flat 20 percent.
  
• Reduced taxes for first home and first car buyers
  
• A standard Bt20 (65 cent) fare for all Bangkok’s mass transit rail lines (MRT)
  
• High-speed rail lines linking major provincial cities in the north, northeast, east and upper south regions
  
• Rural village development funds of between Bt300,000 and Bt1 million ($9,770 – $32,573) per year
  
• A welfare allowance of Bt600 ($19.55) per month for citizens over 60, increasing by Bt100 ($3.20) at 70, and 80, and rising by a further Bt200 ($6.40) at 90.
  
• Free Wi-Fi and Internet access in public places
  
• 30km (18.8 mile) of levees to protect Bangkok and satellite towns from Gulf of Thailand tidal surges.
  
• Special administrative status for Muslim provinces in the violence-plagued southern provinces
  
• A war on drugs
  
• Amnesty for political offenses committed since 2006
  

source http://photo-journ.com/2011/thainess-the-economy-the-2011-thailand-general-election

I would say probably the last two?

jb1

[termad]

...vowed total compliance with its campaign pledges, including an increase in the minimum wage to Bt300 per day.

"I guarantee every Pheu Thai policy is practical and will be implemented," party-list MP Suchart Thadathamrongvech said....

Like New England weather, so are PTP public statements; if you don't like it wait a minute, they will manage to contradict themselves yet again.

What their statements have to do with reality... I have no idea.

Smoke and mirrors, bait and switch,

distract your eyes from the man behind the curtain pulling the levers,

and making the smoke, flames and echos shoot out.

And of course Abhisit and Korn have, in only two years, taken Thailand to economic heights that Thaksin could only dream of. (It's better than Enid Blighton)

Edited July 19, 2011 by termad

[lannarebirth]

First off, I'd like to say I am in favor of making the minimum daily wage 300 Bt/day.

In practice however businesses will not do it and why should they. They all know too well that Thaksin will pay them to do it with subsidies from the government. Subsidies from the government will lead to fake companies and fake employees all so the upper private and new government sector can share in the booty which is the Thailand treasury. Apart from this corruption I also see employers seeking kickbacks from actualo employees and fees levied against their wages for things like lunchrooms and parking places.

Like I say I absolutely believe workers here deserve this pay but I'm certain very few will get it and I believe it will lead to increased unemployment. Not on paper of course , because with so much money floating around to compensate employers, the official employment figures will be somewher north of 110% IMO.

[TAWP]

Basically lets see. If they keep enough promises they will reelected next time and if they dont the voters can reject them. We only have a maximum of 4 years to wait. And of course the masses can demonstrate if unsatisfied too and Thailand has a long and rich history of street demos that go back a long time, so politicians are aware of this and the problems associated with reneging on promises particularly to farmers

This is a joke, right?

Unless all the inner-circle MPs (current and banned) get caught on Live TV, during a break in the soaps, laughing at the misfortune at Issan people there is no chance they will lose an election, no matter how much they lie, cheat or abuse their voters. The grip of their core constituencies is so tight.

See for example the reported case of voters being told to write their names on their ballots and then being called out publicly after the elections as dogs for voting for democrats etc.

This is the Red Democracy we are going to live in.

[hellodolly]

Well PTP says that minimum salary of 300 baht per day will only be for skilled labour, and for Bangkok only (I saw that on Tulsathit's twitter a week or so ago).

Skilled labour was explained as Bachelor degree holders.

...

The payment for Bachelor degree holders is for the 15,000 per month, not for the 300 baht per day.

The "skilled labour" part was mentioned at one point.

15,000 baht per month based on a work day of 25 days a month works out to 600 baht a day.

Be interesting to watch them squirming when the rice field worker wants t know why he is not getting the 300 baht a day.

Just wondering what all the poor field workers in Issan are going to say when they see people making more money than them getting raises.

There is no getting around it 300 baht a day sounds nice but one might want to take into consideration that is not nearly enough in some area's and in other area's you can live like a king on it.

Maybe they will give them credit cards like the taxi drivers.

[rubl]

And of course Abhisit and Korn have, in only two years, taken Thailand to economic heights that Thaksin could only dream of. (It's better than Enid Blighton)

I'm afraid not. Global financial crisis ignored by proxy governments of the late k. Samak and k. Somchai didn't really help, two years in a row red Songkhran fun neither. Still the economy has been growing remarkably. Pheu Thai finds the house in order, even if they have to manouver carefully. Not so different from, and probably better than other countries

[WinnieTheKhwai]

...vowed total compliance with its campaign pledges, including an increase in the minimum wage to Bt300 per day.

"I guarantee every Pheu Thai policy is practical and will be implemented," party-list MP Suchart Thadathamrongvech said....

Like New England weather, so are PTP public statements; if you don't like it wait a minute, they will manage to contradict themselves yet again.

What their statements have to do with reality... I have no idea.

Smoke and mirrors, bait and switch,

?

How does the quoted / highlighted part relate to your comment in any way? I know all you do all day is take stabs at Thai politicians that you didn't vote for, but at least try a little to make sure the point you're making lines up with the quoted part, ok? An automated script could pretty much provide the same contribution.

"I guarantee every Pheu Thai policy is practical and will be implemented,"

He said this and two days earlier said it couldn't necessarily be done

as impractical budgetarily... then back tracked.

What part of 'contradictions' don't you want to appear to understand?

You have a lot of confidence in English newspaper's abilities to accurately translate and report on statements made by Thai politicians.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Actual comment, and actually critical AND relevant:

** The 15K starting salary policy is conspicuously absent in all this. **

Indeed this is the one that seems by far the hardest to fulfil. ( The 300 baht minimum salary is a good one; keep in mind it's not net salary, social insurance and taxes should be taken from it. If anything it may bring more labor on the lower-end into the existing social security structure, which would be another very good thing and may actually hep fund some of the healthcare improvements. )

But that 15K starting salary promise just does not seem feasible at all.

Taxes .... on 300 a day? None are due.

300X6X4.25X12= 91,800 a year ..which is below the taxable rate at 150k+

I would have to look up how much SS should be paid monthly but it would be quite low.

I can check my pay slip right now. Either way, the new government could make changes to this to ensure enough money is allocated to pay for adequate social insurance. I haven't seen the actual propsosal yet. Actually, NOBODY has seen it because there isn't even a government yet. All we have is some loud mouth Democrats on one day claiming that the policy will bankrupt the country, and on the next day saying that they better implement it or get sued and dissolved. So all we see is hot air right now.

[Throatwobbler]

And of course Abhisit and Korn have, in only two years, taken Thailand to economic heights that Thaksin could only dream of. (It's better than Enid Blighton)

I'm afraid not. Global financial crisis ignored by proxy governments of the late k. Samak and k. Somchai didn't really help, two years in a row red Songkhran fun neither. Still the economy has been growing remarkably. Pheu Thai finds the house in order, even if they have to manouver carefully. Not so different from, and probably better than other countries

Rubi, don't bother arguing with people like that. Some people think that a GLOBAL finacial crisis does not effect Thailand. They have a different understanding of the word global to me and you. Theirs is always right so save you breath, or your typing fingers.