Due to a lack of resources and facilities in rural areas, more and more Thais are at risk of sinking into deep poverty, warned Mr. Arkhom Termpittayapaisith, Secretary General of the National Economic and Social Development Board (NESDB).
Arkhom sounds the alarm after his report on Q1: Thailand's social situation. The country faces a number of major challenges, such as:
- Rising household debt.
- The poor accessibility to education and health care.
- Major economic and social differences.
- Increase in drug-related crimes.
Social inequality
The social inequality between city dwellers and villagers is especially great. Many basic services are concentrated in the big cities, which means that the socially disadvantaged Thai in rural areas have less access to social and health facilities.
The increase in household debt, lower incomes and overspending is a source of concern. Poor Thai spend much more money on alcohol and cigarettes than the richer Thai.
Despite the employment rate rising by 1,3 percent, the unemployment rate remained the same as the same period last year. Due to the national introduction of the minimum daily wage (300 baht), the wage differences have narrowed somewhat, but employers are adapting the terms of employment in response to this, so that they no longer have to spend on wage costs. An example of this is the decrease in working hours.
The Thai government's emphasis on post-graduate education has led to a shortage of skilled workers in the labor market, according to Mr. Arkhom.
Drugs biggest problem
He added that the number of drug-related cases has risen to the highest number in eight years. More than 85 percent of all criminal cases are drug-related. More and more children are also becoming addicted, including a number of children between the ages of 7 and 11.
Arkhom believes that drug abuse is Thailand's most pressing problem.
Source: MCOT online news
I wonder if the Thai Red Shirts are also aware of this. The policy of the People's Party, the Peua Thai, does not seem to be working. Now that was already quite clear to many people, only the Red Shirts are rather slow of understanding. Hopefully they will wake up sometime today or tomorrow.
You see that many people fall into opportunism. Even in the Netherlands, where people are better educated, they vote for opportunistic politicians (fill in the blanks).
My girlfriend recently asked me to write something (I still have to do it) about the fact that Thailand is also deteriorating rapidly in her eyes. First time I've heard that from her in the four years we've known each other.
It depends on how you look at it. I don't see it as Thailand going backwards fast.
I rather think they are not moving forward.
And as the saying goes: standing still is going backwards.
So unfortunately the slide of the Thai economy cannot be stopped.
I wonder when this will be more clearly reflected in the exchange rate.
Cor Verkerk
Of course, you have to turn on the alarm in the morning. Red or yellow. Almost everything in government here is wealthy. There is not a single slemiel who tries to earn a few baths in the early morning with his saleng, or Jan with the short surname who does hard work for the minimum wage.
My father always says, it may take a long time, but those sleazes will come and get it later.
I won't live to see it again, but they are coming.
Cor van Kampen.