PM's ID card idea draws public outcry

[khunano]

They're not very good at thinking.

Are they?

They are soldiers. Soldiers don't think, they receive orders. Problem is when the guy on top is a soldier too....

[shirtless]

I cant believe this , maybe colour code them so you can tell who has to obey the law and who can break it

[smedly]

Gen Prayut said information in the ID card issued by the Interior Ministry might include occupation and earning of the holder.

Most of what he said is reasonable and many governments do or would do if they had the ability, but the above is quite frankly ridiculous, placing such private and personal information on an id card ...... seriously ? another PR flop

I'm starting to think that the good PM is somewhat detached from reality, many on here including myself have said for a long time that he needs a good PR team to sanitise and vet what he says "in" and "to" the public

[MZurf]

I cant believe this , maybe colour code them so you can tell who has to obey the law and who can break it

Yes, that's a good idea. Red cards for those who are subject to the law and yellow cards for those who are above it.

[gudtymchuk]

They tattoo ID numbers inside the lip of racehorses.... Maybe the next suggestion by the "Fierce One".

[recycler]

Did he think trough how this idea would work with high military officers and their official income versus their spending's and assets?

[waldroj]

Seems there is only one person capable of coming up with the ideas in this country (or, does not one dare to question his sanity)?

One can only imagine what else he has in store.

[BlindMagician]

Can you imagine the can of worm this will open!!

So Mr PM, are you declaring all your income to be listed on your ID card?

[Nicki D]

This must be the world's first and only idea that assume people will have one job with fix income throughout their life.

[spidermike007]

My card says that I am a police sergeant major, and that I earn 245,000 baht per month. My friends card says he is a police general, and he earns 2,500,000 per month. Wow, these new cards are amazing.

[MartyMcFly]

Makes it easy for the girl's, choosing the right $$$ guys....

Hey darling ID first, then ....

[TechnikaIII]

I'd like to see more effective tax collection measures implemented (i.e. Taxing those who sell online through bank transfers only), but I'm not entirely sure how the ID card scheme would help in this process?

May I ask, exactly why you would like to see this ?

[bark]

The VAT/GST is too low. Exempt food and some essentials to protect the poor and increase it to 15% so that those who consume, pay.

If you double the Vat % all at one time; you effect travel, tourism, purchase of big ticket items( cars,TV,large appliances, etc).

We saw this when the government raised the minimum wage by 45 % all at one time. Many small businesses went under. It has not been raised since !

Maybe increase it to 15 % over 3 years ?

Also need to track where the funds go. There is NO accountability for Any of the tax revenue.

[Thailand]

Another beaut for the rapidly growing list!

[klauskunkel]

Give the man a break..., he had an idea! Not developed, or thought about and definitely published way too early..., but he had an idea! That must be worth something for a civil servant. One should encourage and reward these rare events, not pour scorn on the poor man.

[English 1]

You gotta be kidding Man!

Outragious invasion of privacy.

[cumgranosalum]

Only a military mind could not see how intrusive and undemocratic such gathering of information is.

[ALLSEEINGEYE]

This will make it much easier for those checking your ID (they wear brown) to determine what level of extortion you should pay for various offenses you may or may not have committed and will help to decide whether you are a good potential candidate for a kidnapping.

[ikke]

He really has the brain of a frog...

Divide the country and the people even more, divide elite and poor, oh yes, that what yellows and the junta stands for.

Edited December 14, 2015 by ikke

[kiwikeith]

I'd like to see more effective tax collection measures implemented (i.e. Taxing those who sell online through bank transfers only), but I'm not entirely sure how the ID card scheme would help in this process?

I'd like to see 1,000 times more efficient management of public funds before they ever get within 1,000 MILES of effective tax collection.

There are, like, 99 other things wrong with what you wrote too.

Effective taxation of the people probably means taxing the poor.

This would mean closing down street vendors and markets, then building more Macros and tesco's, Mc donalds , Burger Kings.

Some political lobyists might be pressuring for this, Thailand has no wellfare system if it wasn't for street vendors and Markets the place would turn into Burma, there would be horrific poverty and crime rate would climb.

The lobyists though would insist that this would create employment, and provide the government with more funds for infrastructure ect.

The people they would insist will be better off.

Next thing he might think of is bringing in food and hygiene regulations to kick the process along, then they have already invited Monsanto (the company that poisened Vietnam with agent orange) in to wreck their agriculture system with GM seed that has created havoc everywhere along with roundup spray which goes along with the deal, I wish I could think of some more good Ideas for them.

[IamNoone88]

Judging by some FaceBook occupations of young ladies in Patong, would be there be enough space to add:

- Boss at my <deleted> nini

- Self employed at mind your own business

- Take care myself

- Rocket scientist at <deleted> Nasa

Should be interesting squeezing that in ...............

[pinkpanther99]

I should think that knowing a persons occupation and salary is very useful information for a police officer, govt official and dare I say school director intent on fleecing a member of the public for a bit of under the table money!

[dcsw53]

I assume the police and public figures will be exempted from having to have ID cards, if they have to show their income. Or will they just show the income they get from the state and not the serious money coming from other sources ?

[Alwyn]

Yeah great idea, start with all the Generals and police officers.. and of course the PM himself then ask how they manage to have all these houses, cars and millions in the bank on that income

[Squeegee]

Hire some retired German revenue department officials for consulting instead of coming with own silly ideas.

The astounding naivety of his suggestion really shows how unqualified this man is to govern.

I'd like to see the PM's income on his ID card, and then look at his tax returns and calculate his assets, then check any disparity,.....

He clearly thinks he is above the law to suggest everyone provide information he himself refuses to show. That is no good man to lead a country.

He granted himself amnesty long ago.

You forget this is Thailand where multicoloured pigs rewrite each others attempts to stay at the trough. Today's pigs are tomorrow's chops. Meet the new pig: same as the old pig.

I wonder if this Prayuth fella has the brains or education to consider the retirement options for dictators. Most of them check out early.

[Emster23]

Does anyone believe the lame reasons (if I may call them that) given for income and occupation? I reckon could be useful in case some newbie policeman happened to encounter some member of elite that may be away from his Lambo or mansion. How about just issuing "get out of jail free" cards to those above a certain income?

[Reigntax]

The PM should have listed occupation: Junta, salary: 10% of all, IQ non existent.

[ikke]

He is capable of doing what Hitler did with the Jews, give your elite a Yellow star, and the Farmer a red star.... bring happiness to the people need to be changed to "make sure you divide the people "

[tracker1]

The VAT/GST is too low. Exempt food and some essentials to protect the poor and increase it to 15% so that those who consume, pay.

Your been listening to Australia's Prime Minister you both have the same ideology ! BUT HE WANTS IT ON EVERYTHING AND SCREW THE POOR !!!!

[SOUTHERNSTAR]

I see someone is thinking outside the box again, outside the box of logic I may add. Let solve the problem for the short one.

Step 1: All Thai's older than 18 years must register for tax. If they have no income they submit a zero return.

Step 2: Link land offices and vehicle registration offices to the tax office. Each new vehicle bought or land transfer can be viewed against the persons tax return/declared income.

Step 3: Link all banks, money exchanges, gold shops and brokerage firms with the tax office. The tax office then can check any big transactions against a persons tax returns.

Step 4: Enforce the law for everyone in equal terms.