Thai govt scrambles to provide welfare system and reduce social disparity

[webfact]

Govt scrambles to provide welfare system and reduce social disparity

  

BANGKOK, 16 September 2016 (NNT) – The government is accelerating to provide a welfare system and reduce social disparity, said Deputy Prime Minister Narong Phiphatthanasai. 

He said that the public have benefited from the implementation of many government policies such as housing projects for about 2.7 million households of low-income earners over the past two years. 

Besides, the government has provided a monthly subsidy of 600 baht to new-born infants aged 1-3 years for which a total of 136,490 people have applied in 2015, he said. 

He said the government had increased the monthly allowance for people with disabilities from 500 baht to 800 baht per head to which a total of 1,384,734 disabled persons are entitled. 

The government has also promoted the employment of people with disabilities in state firms, he added.

 

-- nnt 2016-09-16

[shirtless]

I would hardly say 400-800 bht a month is social security, I wonder how much government officials get , They are so out of touch with everyday costs because they get it all for free.

[NongKhaiKid]

4 minutes ago, shirtless said:

I would hardly say 400-800 bht a month is social security, I wonder how much government officials get , They are so out of touch with everyday costs because they get it all for free.

Not only do they draw a salary there's also being ' paid ' to do their job.

[jamesbrock]

No mention of how much this scheme is going to "cost."

 

I remember, back in March, the junta announced a special "one-time bonus for government officials during Songkran festival." Under this scheme about one million low- and middle-ranking government officials were to receive a one-time cost of living bonus averaging about 1,000 baht each.

 

Finance permanent secretary Somchai Sajjapong said then that the special bonus would cost the state 15 billion baht.

 

For those still waking up this morning, 1000 x about 1 million = about 1 billion - not 15 billion...

[Brer Fox]

Another 1,500,000 new members of the Prayuth Fan Club. Tick that box.

[lannarebirth]

1 hour ago, shirtless said:

I would hardly say 400-800 bht a month is social security, I wonder how much government officials get , They are so out of touch with everyday costs because they get it all for free.

 

When Social Security was initiated in America it paid out a mere pittance, but as with all things associated with government budgets, it grew. As did the power of the constituency receiving those benefits. 

[PatOngo]

Cool!........there's the deposit for an iPhone and a Honda Scoopy.

[maoro2013]

Besides, the government has provided a monthly subsidy of 600 baht to new-born infants aged 1-3 years for which a total of 136,490 people have applied in 2015, he said. 

 

What about all the others who have not applied, and the ones in 2016?

 

I would also suggest that the subsidy would be paid to the parents rather than the infant.

 

[phantomfiddler]

Just don,t go ridiculously over the top and make it more profitable to sponge than to work, as is the situation in U.K.  Sooner or later the U.K. welfare system will be their ruination

[SOUTHERNSTAR]

And there will be no more populist policies anymore because they are evil creations of politicians. Reality = tax breaks holidays for civil servants and the rich, pension boosts for civil servants and pay increase x 3 the inflation rate for civil servants. The new and improved state subsidies (as per this article) for the poor will cost less than B 3 billion per year, compared to the nearly B 50 billion impact on the enhanced civil servant pension scheme and the cumulative impact of the excessive salary increases. They are following the old Thai way, we give you a Baht but we are taking B 99 for us, be happy and smile.

[williamgeorgeallen]

4 hours ago, jamesbrock said:

No mention of how much this scheme is going to "cost."

 

I remember, back in March, the junta announced a special "one-time bonus for government officials during Songkran festival." Under this scheme about one million low- and middle-ranking government officials were to receive a one-time cost of living bonus averaging about 1,000 baht each.

 

Finance permanent secretary Somchai Sajjapong said then that the special bonus would cost the state 15 billion baht.

 

For those still waking up this morning, 1000 x about 1 million = about 1 billion - not 15 billion...

these schemes have a lot of 'running fees' also costly to get started. doubt making small welfare payments to the poor will help any disparity.

[smutcakes]

Is this a banned populist policy? I hope the NCPO will be held personally liable for this. Well they could be if they had not written in there and everyone else's immunity. But no problem there apparently, only when PTP do it.

[Alive]

Prayuth should quite in his 'leadership role' and go into private business giving seminars on how to get rich. He afterall really his the big time making nearly a billion baht in his lifetime as a general. He could hold three-day seminars for poor people where they get his free CDs to listen to, cheer and clap to his power speeches and take an oath to make it in Thailand or die trying. 

 

 

[gandalf12]

2 hours ago, SOUTHERNSTAR said:

And there will be no more populist policies anymore because they are evil creations of politicians. Reality = tax breaks holidays for civil servants and the rich, pension boosts for civil servants and pay increase x 3 the inflation rate for civil servants. The new and improved state subsidies (as per this article) for the poor will cost less than B 3 billion per year, compared to the nearly B 50 billion impact on the enhanced civil servant pension scheme and the cumulative impact of the excessive salary increases. They are following the old Thai way, we give you a Baht but we are taking B 99 for us, be happy and smile.

You forgot bonuses for people to do the job they are being paid to do

[Grubster]

On September 16, 2016 at 7:05 AM, shirtless said:

I would hardly say 400-800 bht a month is social security, I wonder how much government officials get , They are so out of touch with everyday costs because they get it all for free.

Yes and also the same in all western countries. Like sheep we just take it in stride.

[baboon]

On 16/09/2016 at 8:59 AM, phantomfiddler said:

Just don,t go ridiculously over the top and make it more profitable to sponge than to work, as is the situation in U.K.  Sooner or later the U.K. welfare system will be their ruination

It isn't the welfare that is the root of the problem, it is the wholesale importation of people who are prepared to live 6 to a room and work for virtually nothing. Don't fall into that trap of kicking those further down the ladder than you - focus your anger on those at the top.

[DrTuner]

Social security in Thailand is family. Just the way it should be.

[halloween]

So easy to disparage the amount of welfare when viewed from a position of relative wealth. B100 is nothing until you haven't got that much. Do you think a disabled person will feel insulted by a 60% increase in their allowance?

When my twin step-daughters were born, their mother received a generous allowance of one can of baby formula per month, probably based on the assumption that Thai women have small breasts. For someone lucky enough to be working a 60 hour week and paid peanuts, B1200/m would have been appreciated.

[halloween]

Double up

Edited September 17, 2016 by halloween
double post

[baboon]

10 minutes ago, DrTuner said:

Social security in Thailand is family. Just the way it should be.

No it isn't. 

[chainarong]

On ‎9‎/‎16‎/‎2016 at 9:12 AM, Brer Fox said:

Another 1,500,000 new members of the Prayuth Fan Club. Tick that box.

This is how I also look at this,  I hate to say , it would be a whole lot more transparent if a Democratic elected government was doing this hand out ,  just another Khun Thaksin in reverse, Junta buying votes.