Govt readies New Year 'presents' for citizens

[Lite Beer]

Govt readies New Year 'presents' for citizens
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Transparency in state operations, bicycle lanes, no ATM fees among planned gifts

The government has many New Year "presents" for the public, Cabinet members said yesterday.

From next week onwards, the public will be offered gifts ranging from increased allowance for registered disabled people, more transparent services by state agencies, new bicycle lanes, and no ATM withdrawal fees during the long New Year holiday.

Social Development and Human Security Minister Adul Saengsingkaew said his ministry had prepared about 20 presents.

Adul said they included an improvement to the ministry's hotline system, increasing the disabled allowance from Bt500 to Bt800, a lower interest rate at pawnshops, and a house-repair project for poor people.

Christmas Day surprise

He plans to hold a press conference on December 25 to reveal all the details.

Interior Minister Anupong Paochinda said his ministry had also prepared many projects that would be given as New Year presents to the people. He said they included more efficient garbage collection and improved transparency and services at local administrative organisations and state agencies under the ministry including the Land Department.

"After December 20, the bike-lane project should be able to start in Bangkok," Anupong said, adding that the Interior Ministry was working with the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration to implement the project.

He said his ministry was also working with relevant state agencies to build roads along the Chao Phraya River in the capital. The government has approved the project in principle and the relevant agencies will work out the design, scope of the project, budget and construction.

Tourism and Sports Minister Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul said her ministry had worked with the Thai Bankers Association so that anyone making a withdrawal from an automated teller machine in a province other than their own between December 31 and January 4 would be exempted from a fee.

The minister dismissed concerns that there would be insufficient banknotes in the ATMs during the long holiday. "There will certainly be enough money to withdraw," she said.

Kobkarn said the martial law that had been in place since the coup in May had no impact on tourist arrivals, with the number of foreign visitors increasing over the past three months.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Govt-readies-New-Year-presents-for-citizens-30249749.html

-- The Nation 2014-12-13

[4evermaat]

[quote name="Lite Beer" post="879571......

BANGKOK: -- Transparency in state operations, bicycle lanes, no ATM fees among planned gifts

...

Does this include foreign atm cards?

[Kooweerup]

[quote name="Lite Beer" post="879571......

BANGKOK: -- Transparency in state operations, bicycle lanes, no ATM fees among planned gifts

...

Does this include foreign atm cards?

Bugger off farang

[Snig27]

Good to see we've moved away from "populist" policies.

Whilst many of these are worthwhile, marking them as "presents" is both arrogantly patronising and a blatant attempt to curry favour.

[NongKhaiKid]

[quote name="Lite Beer" post="879571......

BANGKOK: -- Transparency in state operations, bicycle lanes, no ATM fees among planned gifts

...

Does this include foreign atm cards?

Yesterday the BP website story only mentioned inter-bank and inter-regional withdrawal but the word ' international ' was not used.

[Kooweerup]

Good to see we've moved away from "populist" policies.

Whilst many of these are worthwhile, marking them as "presents" is both arrogantly patronising and a blatant attempt to curry favour.

its different when this side does it because it is to make the people happy and these are better gifts. Yingluk didn't give out free movie tickets, hold free parties with all you can eat and drink.

[Thailand]

These guys have thrown up more populist policies in their short tenure than the last mob did in their restricted term.

The country is rapidly heading downhill and they have no idea how to stop the slide.

[Commerce]

"a lower interest rate at pawnshops"

Encourage people to get more into debt....... Nice one!

[ikke]

Again one of the daily populist policies !

[NongKhaiKid]

What nonsense about ' presents ' !

Bicycle lanes etc are infrastructure projects and transparency should be expected as a normal govt function not handed out as a so called present. Is the govt admitting if they weren't so generous transparency wouldn't exist ?

Can't wait for Christmas Day to find out what other simple govt functions are to be wrapped up as goodies for the masses.

[ezzra]

Hey, I also can be extremely generous with someone else money, no skin of

my nose,

I wonder, if those politicos had to foot the "gifts" bill out of their pockets, would they just as generous?

Those acts of "generosity" is a flimsy attempt to keep the poor masses quiet and appeased,

they will be forgotten very quickly...

[Sarathi]

One small positive I see - the govt. sees it as important to maintain favour. Which provides a kind of 'check and balance'.

[rubl]

Most of those presents seem just the normal operation which lots of foreign posters have come to expect from their governments.

It would seem it's incorrect to label these as either presents or populist policies.

[Tatsujin]

Still buying off the people it seems then ... and most don't even seem to realize it ... mind you, same things happening in other "great" Democracies in the world, and those voters are too dumb to realize it too.

[noitom]

Do Thais actually have a clue as to what is the true meaning of Christmas?

[thhMan]

Bicycle lanes will end up scooter lanes and then extended car lanes... Why have 1 car lane when you can be selfish and jump the line in a second lane

[Lupatria]

What nonsense about ' presents ' !

Bicycle lanes etc are infrastructure projects and transparency should be expected as a normal govt function not handed out as a so called present. Is the govt admitting if they weren't so generous transparency wouldn't exist ?

Can't wait for Christmas Day to find out what other simple govt functions are to be wrapped up as goodies for the masses.

How about 8 hrs of correct services at all offices?

[soalbundy]

How about paying farmers for last years harvest,there are still hundreds of thousands still waiting

[soalbundy]

Do Thais actually have a clue as to what is the true meaning of Christmas?

Do we ?

[harryfrompattaya]

Do Thais actually have a clue as to what is the true meaning of Christmas?

Do we ?

Most on this Board never attend Church or Walk with God

What they want is a slow Electric Meter and a Hot Partner

To understand Xmas one has to Partner with God

[soalbundy]

Do Thais actually have a clue as to what is the true meaning of Christmas?

Do we ?

Most on this Board never attend Church or Walk with God

What they want is a slow Electric Meter and a Hot Partner

To understand Xmas one has to Partner with God

I'll take the hot partner

[NongKhaiKid]

What nonsense about ' presents ' !

Bicycle lanes etc are infrastructure projects and transparency should be expected as a normal govt function not handed out as a so called present. Is the govt admitting if they weren't so generous transparency wouldn't exist ?

Can't wait for Christmas Day to find out what other simple govt functions are to be wrapped up as goodies for the masses.

How about 8 hrs of correct services at all offices?

Not sure even Santa Prayuth could arrange that.

[Krataiboy]

More welcome than a suspension of the absurd fees charged for using machines outside your own town would be a guarantee that the dispensers will be kept stocked with notes throughout the extended New Year break. At holiday times, many of those in the seaside town where I live tend to run out in a day or two.

[lostinisaan]

Adul said they included an improvement to the ministry's hotline system, increasing the disabled allowance from Bt500 to Bt800, a lower interest rate at pawnshops, and a house-repair project for poor people

Gotta love it. How many really poor people own a house?

[poohy]

How about tackling police corruption and better education.... ah sorry dreaming , I must stop taking drugs!

[Anthony5]

How about paying farmers for last years harvest,there are still hundreds of thousands still waiting

You mean that when general happiness declared end of June that every farmer was paid, he was just talking bullshit happiness?

[tbthailand]

then there was the free dental work, cataracts, ...

giving happiness to the 'little' people now that you have no real say in your own destiny.

The elite are in control.

[emilymat]

Honestly, I just despair. This is kinder garden stuff, not government of any sort, even an illegal one.

[binjalin]

The past is the past... the future hasn't come yet... the 'present' is censored

[Wilsonandson]

Govt readies New Year 'presents' for citizens

"Give them cake."