Urgent measures launched to stimulate Thai economy, PM says

[webfact]

Urgent measures launched to stimulate Thai economy, PM says



BANGKOK, 8 September 2015 (NNT) - Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha said in a televised program “Returning Happiness to the People” broadcast last Friday that the government has launched urgent measures to stimulate Thai economy.

He said that the measures are expected to create more job opportunities, bringing more income to the people. They include useful projects which truly respond to the public demand. The stimulus fund will be distributed in the form loans to Village Fund in order to ensure that it reaches all areas of the country.

According to the loan criteria, each village will receive one million baht in loan with free interest for the first two years. Village committees will take responsibility to oversee the loan management and encourage public participation in their project under a mutual monitoring basis.

As for villages which have been provided with loans by the previous government, Gen Prayut said he had assigned the Ministry of Interior to oversee the loan management to ensure budget spending was systematic and transparent. Moreover, every Tambon (or sub-district) in Thailand will get a five million baht budget as a rotating fund in the community.

Gen Prayut has assigned the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), the Interior Ministry and the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives to supervise the project. The Prime Minister reiterated that the Committee to Monitor and Inspect the Government Expenditure Budget must see to it that all project requests submitted for the stimulus fund be drafted with transparency and accountability.


-- NNT 2015-09-08

[bamnutsak]

Get the paddles out, charging. Clear. Zap. Flat-line continues.

[peterjackson]

The easiest thing to do to Stimulate the economy and increase confidence in the country would be to hold democratic elections.

I know that isn't in the Coup Generals road map as the self imposed, autocratic, unelected PM. But it would really prove he is genuine in bringing happiness to the people.

Actions speak louder than words.

[MZurf]

This smells more and more like "Thaksinomics". Who knew the junta would stoop so low!!!

I fully expect to see a rice buying scheme introduced soon...

[ikke]

A real populist project, the village head mans will like it.....this gonna be much worse than the the (so called) rice scam...

And btw, why need job opportunities , the numbers of unemployment your government presented where ridiculous low at 0.56% ...... Oh sorry, that where also populist statements...

[amerasianex]

A vibrant economy cures all social ills. Without it your just shooting in the dark....

[Time Traveller]

hahahahaha.....the infamous one village, one million baht scheme!!!

Seems the military are smart enough to know they are stupid. So they just copy policies that works - the same policies by the guy they blamed for the country's problems

This really is a comedy. And people still believe Thaksin is no longer running the country.

[Jon Wetherall]

Again?

This guy's completely lost the plot.

[zaphod reborn]

The new OTOP - one tambon, one pocket. All funding goes into the pocket of the village headsman. For Thailand, a scheme like this only feeds corruption.

[Jon Wetherall]

hahahahaha.....the infamous one village, one million baht scheme!!!

Seems the military are smart enough to know they are stupid. So they just copy policies that works - the same policies by the guy they blamed for the country's problems

This really is a comedy. And people still believe Thaksin is no longer running the country.

Sorry to have to say this but I'm sure you're right.

With the kind of electoral advantage he had (many eaters of sour grapes would say 'bought' but that's been repeatedly shown to be nonsense), it's pretty much inevitable. In all probability, the next election will see another Thaksin government, which is why Mr P continues to poo in his pants and thrash about protecting people and institutions all over the place, Pity really, he so badly wanted to ride in out of the sunset and save Thailand with his own peculiar brand of wit and wisdom. A legend in his own mind.

So yes, Thaksin probably still does run the country, for good or ill. Actually, I'm quite glad about that because it's a better longer-term prospect than any of the chicken-poop alternatives that have so far presented themselves.

[Anthony5]

In his "return happiness to the people" broadcast, Mr Thaksin announced that.......................Hey wait it isn't Thaksin, it's his rival who is re-introducing all his policies as if it are his own bright ideas.

[worgeordie]

Do these villages ever pay the money back?if they do

I would be very surprised,the other word for loan, seems

to be gift.

regards Worgeordie

[BigBadGeordie]

Do these villages ever pay the money back?if they do

I would be very surprised,the other word for loan, seems

to be gift.

regards Worgeordie

The method used in the village in the village I live in is this:

Once a year the headman announces that the interest on the loan is due and the loan balance is to be repayed. Everyone who has a loan turns up, fills in a multitude of forms and makes a minimal interest payment. Technically repays the loan, and, then borrows exactly the same sum of money again. There is of course (other than the interest payment) no cash to be seen. Ad infanitum.

So you are correct it is never paid back and there is never any "new" money entering the local economy.

[lostoday]

What can you build for a million baht? Maybe buy one taxi? Maybe a bamboo beer bar? Anyone have any ideas for the villages on what infrastructure projects can be accomplished for one million baht?

[somo]

Do these villages ever pay the money back?if they do

I would be very surprised,the other word for loan, seems

to be gift.

regards Worgeordie

At the moment they have to repay the loans once a year. As long as they do so they can reborrow the same amount. This process used to take about 2 weeks but this year it has taken 2-3 months causing real problems. The reason for the delays is that so many staff have been switched around to try and prevent corruption that new staff have to go check out each borrower from scratch. It has been administrative chaos. The cowboys in Bangkok promised the mess would be cleared up by end August but not happened and now they want to start another scheme as well as the one giving loans to villagers to pay back so called loan sharks which has also stalled due to red tape.

Slowly the money will filter through to the poor after half is filtered off which will be great for them. This recognition that the Gov. have to pay the poor to have any chance of staying in power is just one of Taksins gifts to them even if his motives in doing so were equally self serving.

[edwinchester]

What can you build for a million baht? Maybe buy one taxi? Maybe a bamboo beer bar? Anyone have any ideas for the villages on what infrastructure projects can be accomplished for one million baht?

A few years ago our village decided to spend the fund installing street lighting.

The mayor's soi is now lit up like a Christmas tree.

[Sarathi]

Suthep and Gen. Prayuth were happy enough to tank the economy in their 'rule or ruin' campaign.

[Prbkk]

Yingluck MK2 ( and nowhere near as pretty)

[crazykopite]

If the PM RESIGNED I think everyone in the kingdom would be very very happy !!!!

[Somtamnication]

Ok, so now it's 2017. Next week it will be 2018. We have unlimited time here, folks!

[kaiyaibob]

Policy Plagiarism - how ironic

[KimSamui]

Suthep and Gen. Prayuth were happy enough to tank the economy in their 'rule or ruin' campaign.

And now the Tsunami of Bad Debts...from the Loans.

Can they possibly make it worse?....

[toybits]

Ok, so now it's 2017. Next week it will be 2018. We have unlimited time here, folks!

Wouldn't matter much as those Astrologers have already sentenced us to an earlier demise.

[toybits]

When everything else fails, plagiarize. Perhaps, they could invite him back from Dubai so that he can show them how it's done. Hmmmm. Just wonderin.

[Eric Loh]

So the get rid of Thaksin legacy didn't happen.This would make Suthep sick to his stomach and perhaps again find solace in the temple.

[soalbundy]

In my village nobody wants a loan,they want payment for their 2013 harvest, any hope , no ? thought not.

[Emster23]

Urgent measures ought to include:

1. Clean out corruption from top down, include bounties

2. Hold elections

3. Replace all military and police brass, make them subservient to civilian elected government

[tbthailand]

16 months into their self-appointed control of Thailand, with the country in a huge self-induced slump at the time so they could have an excuse to grab power, and NOW this moron comes out with "urgent" economic measures...

He just makes me want to puke every time he opens his mouth.

At our house, he has a new nickname, ... nothing to do with "Uncles", he's just Khun Gohhok.

[soalbundy]

Urgent measures ought to include:

1. Clean out corruption from top down, include bounties

2. Hold elections

3. Replace all military and police brass, make them subservient to civilian elected government

and bring back the Tele tubbies

[soalbundy]

16 months into their self-appointed control of Thailand, with the country in a huge self-induced slump at the time so they could have an excuse to grab power, and NOW this moron comes out with "urgent" economic measures...

He just makes me want to puke every time he opens his mouth.

At our house, he has a new nickname, ... nothing to do with "Uncles", he's just Khun Gohhok.

I like him, the Baht is going down a treat.