Prayut hopes Thailand to become 'land of smiles' again

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Prayut hopes Thailand to become 'land of smiles' again
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Greater economic self-reliance will returns Thailand towards becoming the Land of Smiles once again, wrote Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha in the latest government's newsletter distributed to the public.

The letter penned by Prayut entitled "From the Heart of the Prime Minister", urged Thais to become more self-reliant economically. Prayut wrote that over the past decade, political, economic and social imbalances stemming from political instability have led to the lack of continuity in successive governments' policies.

Prayut said he, as prime minister, is seeking to redress the issues facing the kingdom over the past years and to lay foundations for national reform. The premier added that he is well aware that it's hard to build a nation as long as its people do not have enough food on the table or cannot sleep.

Amidst the global economic slowdown and Thailand's 70 per cent dependency on its income from exports, Prayut said Thais will have to stop depending on others. This, said Prayut, is why the current administration is trying to help farmers who are the backbone of the country to be able to stand by themselves. Measures cited by Prayut in assisting farmers includes tackling farmers' debts that they owe to loan shark, provide access to loan, improve irrigation system and water sources, improve social welfare, encourage savings and more.

The prime minister also said the government is trying to strengthen villages, tambons as well as SME enterprises in order to create more jobs at local level.

Efforts are also being made to extend infrastructure to link various production areas to better export Thailand to the world, wrote Prayut.

"I am confident that these measures will return Thailand to become 'Smiling Siam' that is known to the world once again," Prayut concluded.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/breakingnews/Prayut-hopes-Thailand-to-become-land-of-smiles-aga-30269779.html

-- The Nation 2015-09-29

[Reigntax]

Announce an investigation into unusual military wealth and all will be smiling. Except your cohorts!

Edited September 29, 2015 by Reigntax

[metisdead]

From the NOTICE TO MEMBERS POSTING IN THAILAND NEWS:

Please use discretion in your references to the government. Phrases which can be considered as anti-coup will be removed. Referring to Thailand or the government as a dictatorship, military dictatorship or other such terms will be removed.

[baboon]

That he speaks about Siam is chillingly telling of his vision of the future. The glory days, eh, when the workers and peasants were chattels of the state. Keep this up and all he will have left will be rubl and djjamie's desperate attempts to point fingers elsewhere...

[amerasianex]

Now your talking. A vibrant economy cures all social ills..?

[Hawk]

How can Thailand ever have economic independence when it so heavily depends on exports and the tourist industry?

And why must the common folk always have to make do with less and less?

Land of smiles? Well, for a small minority anyway!

[zaphod reborn]

I think people will smile again when there is an election and this PM rides off into the sunset. Could be a lot of grief, however, before that ever occurs.

[Hawk]

Prayut said Thais will have to stop depending on others.

Is the government going to put an end to free medical care next?

[kotsak]

Prayut said Thais will have to stop depending on others.

Is the government going to put an end to free medical care next?

Or worse, FDI?

[Hawk]

The prime minister also said the government is trying to strengthen villages, tambons as well as SME enterprises in order to create more jobs at local level.

I have seen no evidence of this to date.

[bamukloy]

Prayut said Thais will have to stop depending on others.

Is the government going to put an end to free medical care next?

Or worse, FDI?

Why not? They are even sweeping up the crumbs that keep the RED free buses going in Bangkok.

[Strangebrew]

Well since 70% of Thailand's income comes from exports you might want to tap The expat's experience in this area to promote products of Thailand in there home countries. Since expat's have a better command of the language in there home countries and some even have contacts. But remember nothing is free We might have two tier price for Thai's for the information.

[Sam Jones]

Some people are smiling all the way to the Bank - not the common people tho ...

[chainarong]

One has doubts about what PM Prayut - O is on about, what is self reliance , he cannot be referring to a US style self sustaining economy , the first thing you'd need to do is up the wages, then you have to ask yourself what international business is leaving town first , for as I have stated many times , Thai Governments of all persuasions have sacrificed the nation's most important asset, its people and traded low wages for jobs and investment , the devil you do the devil you don't ,Low and middle class Thailand would need to be paid a whole lot more than what is on offer at present and for the record the US is the only country that has self sustaining economy and doesn't need exports to boost the bottom line.

[MichaelJohn]

The Land of Smiles could refer to any country; I think many of Thailand's neighbours would probably qualify?

Changing the name we all use from LoS to Smiling Siam is quite clever because it can't apply to anyone else. Unfortunately, the welcoming smiles the Thai's used to have have long been forgotten as complacency has taken hold.

[canuckamuck]

The political news delivers a couple of good belly laughs a week, that ought to be helping.

[Praematura]

I'm sure there will be more smiles once the economy completely craters. More censorship and more detentions for statements which can be construed as anti government simply because there's a disagreement over policy implementation.

The pm wants to continue keeping the masses in the agricultural sector which makes no sense. Look at how Korea or Singapore transitioned from a similar economy into middle income countries (Thailand now) and successfully transitioned into what they are today. It wasn't maintaining the masses in low paying subsistence farming, it was training and education. Here they haven't the slightest clue how to do that even though they have examples to follow. Oh I'm getting a headache...[emoji19]

[LannaGuy]

Good General YOU stop the lies and deceit and you may get some glimpses of a smile and YOU have an ounce of humility and hold elections and smiles will come YOUR way.

You stop believing that you are some 'saviour' of Thailand sent from God who fools himself that GUNS did not your power install and make the smiles will grow larger

[waitforusalso]

These people are certainly smiling.

Edited September 29, 2015 by waitforusalso

[Sakeopete]

Nobody will be smiling when they can't access their Line and Facebook accounts.

[jerojero]

Yes! Become self reliant on your 300 baht or less per day. Why can't you do this?

[elgordo38]

Prayut said Thais will have to stop depending on others.

Is the government going to put an end to free medical care next?

Trial balloons are all over the place on the free medical care part.

[Thai at Heart]

So somehow domestic spending has to replace exports? But who is going to create all these well paid jobs to create the wealth? Thai companies? The only way out of being in this position is to invest in education, encourage venture capital to invest in companies and get Thais making and producing their own things. They are great at putting things together for other countries but they need their own economic base. They lead the world in sugar, rice and rubber, mostly for export.

All reliant on farming..

Change the education and maybe something can change in 20 years.

[NongKhaiKid]

For goodness sake PM it's going to take much more than fancy words to turn things around and make people feel they are really happy.

' From the heart of the PM ' ! How pathetic is that ?

[PattayaClub]

From the NOTICE TO MEMBERS POSTING IN THAILAND NEWS:

Please use discretion in your references to the government. Phrases which can be considered as anti-coup will be removed. Referring to Thailand or the government as a dictatorship, military dictatorship or other such terms will be removed.

All I can say is: Wow!

[JohnOFphon]

"Thais will have to stop depending on others." Don't depend on my dollars to buy a house (not in my name) for wife. New car for her daughter, new motorcycle for her son. And on and on. Yes, sir..No Thai needs to depend on dirty old farang!

[Oziex1]

Some people are smiling all the way to the Bank - not the common people tho ...

The police and their rewards.

[MaxLee]

The prime minister also said the government is trying to strengthen villages, tambons as well as SME enterprises in order to create more jobs at local level.

I have seen no evidence of this to date.

What he's saying is,... that they will make the poor folks serve the rich unconditionally as slaves, exploit them at all costs, in order to make the influential masterminds "happy"....

Edited September 30, 2015 by MaxLee

[bobmac10]

I'm sure there will be more smiles once the economy completely craters. More censorship and more detentions for statements which can be construed as anti government simply because there's a disagreement over policy implementation.

The pm wants to continue keeping the masses in the agricultural sector which makes no sense. Look at how Korea or Singapore transitioned from a similar economy into middle income countries (Thailand now) and successfully transitioned into what they are today. It wasn't maintaining the masses in low paying subsistence farming, it was training and education. Here they haven't the slightest clue how to do that even though they have examples to follow. Oh I'm getting a headache...[emoji19]

The difference between Korea, Singapore and Thailand is that they didn't have a well entrenched elite class with the born to rule attitude and all the privileges attached to the family name.

There are two societies here, the small and ultra wealthy elite and the rest. Now they are back in power there will be no movement towards a more inclusive and fair society, it will be business as usual for them while the poor struggle as they always have.

Until there is a fair constitution, a functioning democracy, a transparent rule of law and the opportunity for high quality education for all, this place will always be a second class country.

[Emster23]

Surprised he didn't say "And remember, a smile is just a frown turned upside down"