Thai govt yet to differentiate itself from elected regimes

[webfact]

BURNING ISSUE
Govt yet to differentiate itself from elected regimes
Chularat Saengpassa

BANGKOK: -- Given that General Prayut Chan-o-cha's government was only formed in August, it is too soon to evaluate its performance. But it appears that policies that have been announced in this short period have failed to differentiate it from elected governments, no matter how much it yearns to be considered different.

The military government was born out of the dreams of people fed up with elected governments that woo voters with big promises but blow the country's finances - and leave little to fund projects for long-term prosperity.

Prayut, who retired as Army chief last month, also dreamed of fulfilling this vision, vowing to serve in a distinctive way. But, it's easier said than done.

Several policies announced so far involve the agricultural sector. Yes, it is the same target for any elected government, given the sector employs over 20 million workers.

Opponents of the Yingluck government criticised her for giving farmers subsidies. The first agricultural policy approved by the current government was subsidies for rubber growers, amid their threats to stage protests in light of a steep fall in rubber prices. This was followed by Prayut's famous notion that Thailand churns out so much rubber we need to export it to Mars.

As the Yingluck government's rice-pledging policy was one of the main issues opponents used against her, it seems the Prayut government does not want to repeat the mistake but obviously has few new ideas on how to deal with farmers.

The Commerce Ministry under the Prayut administration has been doing pretty much the same things the previous government did. It is putting rice in small sacks for sale and auctioning big sacks. When the Yingluck government made a similar move last year, it faced stiff protests and was lambasted.

When the rubber price plummeted during the previous administration, Yingluck faced serious protests even though her administration tried to significantly subsidise the price. The rubber price has plummeted again but there has been no serious complaining.

A new time-bomb facing the government involves its policy to give Bt1,000 per rai for each of the 3.9 million rice-farming households, in a bid to persuade them not to grow a second crop.

Deputy Prime Minister MR Pridiyathorn Devakula and Finance Minister Sommai Phasee reasoned that this would stimulate the economy in the short term. Sommai also added that it would help farmers who did not benefit from the rice-pledging scheme. Well, the Bt40-billion budget allocated for this scheme is enough for 40 million rai, when the rice-pledging scheme covered all 70 million rai.

Prayut said that this would add income to farmers and reduce water usage in areas that are prone to drought. This is in addition to his plan to have farmers' children schooled on better techniques in a bid to deliver higher productivity. Certainly, this would please children who want to be farmers.

In his speeches, he also unveiled his plan to campaign for more rice consumption around the globe.

"Bread makes you fat. Eating rice won't," he said.

There were also claims that this would cut output, to help the government deal with the millions of tonnes of rice in government stockpiles. Farmers are not pleased with this. What they need is a mechanism for cheaper supplies of raw materials like seeds and fertilisers.

Another academic reckoning is that the spending could generate a moral hazard, as people are paid to stop doing what they do for a living. This came in response to Agriculture Minister Pitipong Phuengboon Na Ayudhaya saying that he pondered a policy to pay farmers in areas not suited to rice farming, so they don't need to suffer from low yields and losses every crop.

The pay-out policy has also led to criticism from oil palm and corn growers, plus those who grow other crops. They want to know why they have been left out if the government really wants to use public money to boost farmers' income.

With its stated desire to change Thailand for the better, the government has also tasked itself many other assignments. In time, we will know if this government has overcome the trap that is preventing it from differentiating itself from elected governments.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/politics/Govt-yet-to-differentiate-itself-from-elected-regi-30245422.html


-- The Nation 2014-10-14

[Fred Flinstone]

Quote

The military government was born out of the dreams of people fed up with elected governments

UnQuote

Is it just me or is anyone else starting to really enjoy this stuff.?

[smedly]

nonsense

who writes this dribble

[assayer]

"Bread makes you fat. Eating rice won't," he said.

From what I understand about nutrition it is the carbohydrates that make you fat if you overindulge in ANY foodstuff. Carbs don't differentiate in the foodstuff, ( ie: wheat, rice, potatoes, etc.) So to my knowledge it would be the size of portions and not the foodstuffs you do eat.

[chainarong]

This present Thai government started out with good intentions, but alas momentum has slowed and why not , it is cast in the same mould as all the so called elected governments, you are not going to get a Nobel prize winner in this lot, they are from a special part of Thai society than normal Thai's cannot reach, the ruling elite , the catch phrase should be business as normal , nothing has changed just the names , as I have said before the chairs on the Thaitantic are in the same place and in two years time, sameness . with a touch of Thainess.

[thesetat2013]

This writer Chulurat sure likes to compare how much better it was with YL but fails to show how all she did failed mostly due to corruption.

It is too early to know what Prayuth is doing will help Thailand. And because it is still martial law you will hear very few complaining about what he does.

All in all though things on the surface seem to look better than with the Shin clan running things.

[Tatsujin]

Despite high hopes and high expectations, it's a "same, same but only a very little different" . . .

[tx22cb]

"Bread makes you fat. Eating rice won't," he said.

From what I understand about nutrition it is the carbohydrates that make you fat if you overindulge in ANY foodstuff. Carbs don't differentiate in the foodstuff, ( ie: wheat, rice, potatoes, etc.) So to my knowledge it would be the size of portions and not the foodstuffs you do eat.

Give the General a break - he's not as educated as the people on ThaiVisa.

With his daily quips without bothering much about factual content, he should become a member of TVisa, where he will fit in like a glove.

[visionchaser45]

I'd say that being a dictatorship that requires the people to live under martial law significantly differentiates it from elected governments. As for their intentions, they were actually their "stated intentions." Their actions after the coup reveal their "true intentions."

[casindonet]

The hands in the cookie jar are different, does that count?

[Pib]

And with the ongoing beat to raise VAT, implement property taxes, and implement an inheritance tax it appears they want to refill the cookie job but I doubt this will result in any cookies for the general population; only select groups.

[worgeordie]

At least the present regime acknowledges that corruption is rampant,

and are trying to solve the problem,and as far a i can tell, are not the

cause of it ,as with past Governments,which cost Thailand Billions.

It wont be easy to solve all the problems that resulted from reckless

acts of the previous Governments,I just hope they can close all the

loopholes with strong laws,before they have to hand the country back

to the professional politicians.as the country will again be back to square

one,something has to change.

regards Worgeordie

[jaltsc]

"Bread makes you fat. Eating rice won't," he said.

Quite true from an socio-economic point of view, but not from a nutritional point of view.

Most field workers labor 10 hours a day for 300 baht and can hardly afford bread. Rice is their main source of nutrition and provides the energy needed for their hard labor. Due to their lifestyle and diets restricted to rice and fresh vegetables, they don't tend to gain weight.

However, those who live in urban areas go to 7-11 like establishments and eat bread and chemically altered food to make them thirsty, leading to consuming large amounts of sugared beverages. In addition, they compound the problem by adding sugar to everything from noodles to any sauce they prepare.

All things being equal, eating starchy (whether it be in the form of rice, bread, noodles, etc.) and sugary carbohydrates will build up fat stores in the body due to their effects on insulin output, glycemic levels and liver function.

[Emster23]

The old "Meet the new boss.... same as the old boss". Seems main difference is that payoffs and such are now going to establishment pockets rather than Yingluck's friends pockets. The way it was before people were allowed to choose government, pre Thaksin. Never get between the elite and their sources of money.

[Eric Loh]

For his own and country sake, he need to employ a PR man to manage his idioscrantic brash outburst. If he continue with this, imagine the international ambarassment from saying something silly and foolish when goes abroad. That's the only differentiation I see from elected Governments when media have a field day writing on gaffs and politically incorrect statement.

[Gomyway]

At least the present regime acknowledges that corruption is rampant,

and are trying to solve the problem,and as far a i can tell, are not the

cause of it ,as with past Governments,which cost Thailand Billions.

It wont be easy to solve all the problems that resulted from reckless

acts of the previous Governments,I just hope they can close all the

loopholes with strong laws,before they have to hand the country back

to the professional politicians.as the country will again be back to square

one,something has to change.

regards Worgeordie

Me thinks with saying this you didn't see the REAL facts about the military budget, especially for 2015?

[jesimps]

This writer Chulurat sure likes to compare how much better it was with YL but fails to show how all she did failed mostly due to corruption.

It is too early to know what Prayuth is doing will help Thailand. And because it is still martial law you will hear very few complaining about what he does.

All in all though things on the surface seem to look better than with the Shin clan running things.

How???

[Krataiboy]

This present Thai government started out with good intentions

The obvious question is: Good for who? The junta's blueprint for "Thai-style democracy" will clearly end up giving the Thai people and their elected representatives less of a say in how the Kingdom will be run, while leaving any future government more vulnerable to a military takeover.

Considering there have been 17 attempted coups since democracy first surfaced in Thailand, not everyone - either inside or outside the Kingdom - is as enthusiastic over the generals' plans as they might wish.

The Kingdom has reached the calm stage the generals wished to create and it is time to lift martial law - for the sake of the suffering tourist industry - and allow a debate to begin in the media and the public at large on the merits or otherwise of the measures they have introduced so far.

Right now, many people both inside and outside the Kingdom are concerned over what appears to be an unnecessarily prolonged and repressive stage of the much-vaunted "road-map" towards democracy. There is a saying that the road to hell is paved with good intentions. The generals would do well to heed it.

[Pib]

Considering there have been 17 attempted coups since democracy first surfaced in Thailand....

But, the last coup was the last coup to end all coups...plus the new Army Chief installed a few weeks ago has already said there would not be any coup while he's the Army Chief. But hey, they all say that...including most of the Army Chiefs in the previous 17 coup attempts.

[belg]

"The military government was born out of the dreams of people fed up with elected governments"

???????????????

one man deceided to do a coup with his friends and get elected PM by his friends ...

[fab4]

nonsense

who writes this dribble

Well come on then smedly, point out the "dribble" and tell us why you think that - I'm truly interested where you think there are untrue statements, apart from the title - there is one glaring difference between this "government" and elected governments.

[yummman]

"Bread makes you fat. Eating rice won't," he said.

From what I understand about nutrition it is the carbohydrates that make you fat if you overindulge in ANY foodstuff. Carbs don't differentiate in the foodstuff, ( ie: wheat, rice, potatoes, etc.) So to my knowledge it would be the size of portions and not the foodstuffs you do eat.

[yummman]

The Gluten in bread will make you fatter than eating rice.

I switched to a Paleo diet of eating meat, fish, butter and low carb veggies. No fruit, grains, sugar or high carb veggies. I lost 28 pounds in all the right places in 3 weeks and kept it off. I am at the weight I was 30 years ago when i graduated from high school.

When humans developed agriculture, civilization flourished, and so did all the degenerative diseases of modern man. Tooth decay and other diseases.

[h90]

The Gluten in bread will make you fatter than eating rice.

I switched to a Paleo diet of eating meat, fish, butter and low carb veggies. No fruit, grains, sugar or high carb veggies. I lost 28 pounds in all the right places in 3 weeks and kept it off. I am at the weight I was 30 years ago when i graduated from high school.

When humans developed agriculture, civilization flourished, and so did all the degenerative diseases of modern man. Tooth decay and other diseases.

The Gluten is the protein in the bread.....you get fat from the carbs not from the protein.

[MJP]

The Gluten in bread will make you fatter than eating rice.

I switched to a Paleo diet of eating meat, fish, butter and low carb veggies. No fruit, grains, sugar or high carb veggies. I lost 28 pounds in all the right places in 3 weeks and kept it off. I am at the weight I was 30 years ago when i graduated from high school.

When humans developed agriculture, civilization flourished, and so did all the degenerative diseases of modern man. Tooth decay and other diseases.

I'm doing the same at the moment and I've never been hungrier . . . Ahhh . . . I mean happier.