What is Your Village Doing?

[Toknarok]

What is your village doing with the half a million baht loan the Government has approved for each village in the Country? Our local Pouyaiban called a meeting of the residents and asked for suggestions. After much discussion it was decided to spend the money on the construction of a concrete roadway in the village to replace the muddy gravel track that floods and becomes a quagmire in the rainy season.

Over the last few days tons of gravel, blue chips and drainage pipes have been delivered and yesterday hundreds of bags of cement were delivered. Personally I would have thought the readymixed concrete in trucks would have been easier but then again I suppose that the construction will give a few weeks work to some of the villagers in the village.

I bet my wife voted for this project, we (rather she) owns a house on this stretch.

Glad to see that a democratic process was observed and that the Pouyaiban did not treat himself to a new car as suggested he might in http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/889905-cabinet-nods-35-billion-baht-for-village-fund-project/

[NeverSure]

How do you know he won't get a new car from kickbacks and taking shortcuts?

[villagefarang]

They have been expanding the reservoir here in our village in Chiang Rai.

[colinneil]

Asking what villagers want to borrow money?

That is as far as it got in my village.

[dreaming]

My Gfs village is concreting the road too. But I bet the head honchos are skimming every baht they can

[villagefarang]

I am not convinced that anything would ever get done if there were no corruption. Officials need to be incentivized and the only times I have seen things get done was when there was something in it for them. It is not a black or white topic for me.

[dreaming]

I am not convinced that anything would ever get done if there were no corruption. Officials need to be incentivized and the only times I have seen things get done was when there was something in it for them. It is not a black or white topic for me.

I agree.

But last time this happened - in the run up to elections. There wasn't enough money left after skimming to finish the road.

The village folk just put up with this BS. They know it's happening but no one does anything about it.

Their problem - not mine. I only head out there once a year

[lostinisaan]

Aeeh what money?

[khwaibah]

More Lice Shops selling Leo and Lao Khao.

[lostinisaan]

More Lice Shops selling Leo and Lao Khao.

And Buri Paeng Maak Duaei.

[steven100]

my village just hit the piss more ...

[zyphodb]

Not even been mentioned in mine, but we are in the red heartland so probably wasn't offered it....

[realenglish1]

How is the loan being paid Back ?

[robblok]

Not even been mentioned in mine, but we are in the red heartland so probably wasn't offered it....

Or it was kept secret by the headman as to make the populace hate the military even more meanwhile using the money for himself.

[UTH001]

How do you know he won't get a new car from kickbacks and taking shortcuts?

Well, on a loan of 500,000 THB, a new car probably ain't possible...

[billd766]

How do you know he won't get a new car from kickbacks and taking shortcuts?

Work it out for yourself.

If the grant is 500,000 baht, even if he skimmed 250,000 baht or 50% there is no way he will get a new car for that.

Not every Thai is corrupt and a thief even if you think they are.

[Laza 45]

...the part they don't read is 'loan;... father-in-law got a 'loan'.. family had to pay it back.. where are poor farmers going to get the money to pay back?????

[farmerjo]

There doing up the village meeting places and improvements to the nightly market area.

Roads would have been my no 1 but at least a band of older guys are working and making a few baht.

[tom21]

not heard of it but if it is a loan is it a thai type loan.( no pay back)

[villagefarang]

...the part they don't read is 'loan;... father-in-law got a 'loan'.. family had to pay it back.. where are poor farmers going to get the money to pay back?????

That is where the bridge loan comes into play. Borrow money to pay back the loan, so you can get a new loan with the good credit. You then pay back the bridge loan at a high interest rate. Eventually is all catches up with you but it can go on for a very long time.

[OttoPollmann]

Now I know why the village got a new power transformer. I have ask my wife if she is aware about any meeting of the villagers but she didn´t heared anything about some money from the government.

Anyway, this transformer will not cost more than 150k so the rest goes in the pocket of the village headman.

He just got elected, now he could get his money back of his bribery.

[Ulic]

Is it a loan or a grant. I thought it was a grant. If it is a loan, send back, if it is a grant,

an infrastructure project, and then a piss-up when it is completed.

[connda]

Constructing modern buildings ten times the size of Chiang Mai Immigration?

[amykat]

I am not convinced that anything would ever get done if there were no corruption. Officials need to be incentivized and the only times I have seen things get done was when there was something in it for them. It is not a black or white topic for me.

Wow, Villagefarang, I am surprised to hear this from you! " Officials" should be "incentivized" to do things based on their getting paid to do their job (that job which is to DO things) and also due to the prestige and respect they get from having those jobs, and due to loyalty to their country, their community, and the people who depend on them, etc.

Things may NOT actually get done without corruption but that is not a reason to excuse corruption and conclude it is necessary!! Why is it not necessary in other countries that are managed better?

People are corrupt, because it pays off for them, because corruption is not penalized here and it is in fact rewarded. Take that dynamic out of the story and things would be much better here. It most certainly IS a black and white issue ...corruption is wrong and penalizes regular, every day people who don't get the services and infrastructure they have paid for and deserve.

People with your attitude also help corruption flourish here, because there isn't even the smallest social stigma against corruption, in fact, there is usually the opposite, Thais worship people with money and never question how they got it, and might even respect those that got it by being corrupt, by being criminals, etc, because really, only having the money counts ...have some money, you are great and if you got it by doing NOTHING, you are even smarter!!

That is the worst thing about this country. I really hope you made a mistake by writing what you did above. I secretly think though, that the most/more successful people adapting to the lifestyle here, tend to be people with very flexible values and that explains a lot.

[beerzy]

mate ther hea monk is corrupt....imigration is corrupt, armed forces and police are all corrupt....what makes you think there are honest people here?

[billd766]

not heard of it but if it is a loan is it a thai type loan.( no pay back)

IRRC it is a payback loan for a year at a time but if you pay it back within that year you can roll it over again. If it is not repaid that you will never get another loan from the village fund.

Most Thais, at least in rural Khampaeng Phet where I live, do their utmost to repay the loan.

Perhaps other parts of Thailand are different.

[billd766]

Now I know why the village got a new power transformer. I have ask my wife if she is aware about any meeting of the villagers but she didn´t heared anything about some money from the government.

Anyway, this transformer will not cost more than 150k so the rest goes in the pocket of the village headman.

He just got elected, now he could get his money back of his bribery.

Do you or your wife have any proof of that?

If you do then get it reported.

If not why bother to post it.

[willyumiii]

How do you know he won't get a new car from kickbacks and taking shortcuts?

What Thai village are you in NeverSure and what are they doing?

That was the question.

[willyumiii]

mate ther hea monk is corrupt....imigration is corrupt, armed forces and police are all corrupt....what makes you think there are honest people here?

and there are no corrupt farangs..

overstays, back to back tourist visas, fake ED visas, lies about income,..

That's all O.K., they are not Thai!

[villagefarang]

I am not convinced that anything would ever get done if there were no corruption. Officials need to be incentivized and the only times I have seen things get done was when there was something in it for them. It is not a black or white topic for me.

Wow, Villagefarang, I am surprised to hear this from you! " Officials" should be "incentivized" to do things based on their getting paid to do their job (that job which is to DO things) and also due to the prestige and respect they get from having those jobs, and due to loyalty to their country, their community, and the people who depend on them, etc.

Things may NOT actually get done without corruption but that is not a reason to excuse corruption and conclude it is necessary!! Why is it not necessary in other countries that are managed better?

People are corrupt, because it pays off for them, because corruption is not penalized here and it is in fact rewarded. Take that dynamic out of the story and things would be much better here. It most certainly IS a black and white issue ...corruption is wrong and penalizes regular, every day people who don't get the services and infrastructure they have paid for and deserve.

People with your attitude also help corruption flourish here, because there isn't even the smallest social stigma against corruption, in fact, there is usually the opposite, Thais worship people with money and never question how they got it, and might even respect those that got it by being corrupt, by being criminals, etc, because really, only having the money counts ...have some money, you are great and if you got it by doing NOTHING, you are even smarter!!

That is the worst thing about this country. I really hope you made a mistake by writing what you did above. I secretly think though, that the most/more successful people adapting to the lifestyle here, tend to be people with very flexible values and that explains a lot.

I love your passionate heartfelt response. I am not saying you are wrong but until that day arrives when people act less like people and more like saints, I think I will stick with my response. I am not saying this is the way thing should be or always will be, I am just acknowledging that this is the way things are and it will probably take a long time to change. We need idealists as much as we need realists in my opinion. One is trying to take care of the future while the other is dealing with the present.