Prime Minister Prayut is in a good mood
Prime Minister and junta leader Prayut Chan-o-cha and his wife don't have to bite a stick, because their assets amount to 128 million baht, against a meager debt of 654.745 baht. This is evident from the statement of their financial position that the cabinet members have submitted to the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC).
The NACC yesterday announced the legally required data, which will undoubtedly give rise to all kinds of speculation. Prayut immediately went on the defensive. “I am prepared to defend the sources of my wealth. I can't remember the details, but everything may be investigated and verified. […] I have no hidden agenda.'
The overview shows that the entire cabinet is virtually debt-free. The richest minister is Deputy Prime Minister Pridiyathorn Devakula. His wealth is 1,38 billion baht and he has no debts. The 'poorest' minister is the education minister, formerly naval commander. His assets are worth 9,8 million baht and he has a debt of 2,9 million baht.
The newspaper pays special attention to two ministers. The defense minister declared a fortune of 2012 million baht in August 79 when he left the Abhisit cabinet as defense minister; now he owns 87,37 million baht, about 8 million baht more. The interior minister, who has declared an asset of 37,79 million baht, is mentioned because he took out a loan of 258,9 million baht in May last year, but the relevance of that eludes me.
(Source: Bangkok Post, 1 November 2014)
I really don't understand why some people make such a fuss about the wealth of the ministers. After all, they all fully support the economic philosophy propagated by the elite, presented to the people and to which every Thai must adhere, the so-called 'sufficiency economy'. 'Enough, enough, they shout to the people. The 'sufficiency economy' is even mentioned as a basic economic principle in the 2007 constitution and is the tenth of the twelve core values that Thai students have to memorize.
How much money would the people from the list above deposit into the government treasury to meet the “economy of enough”?
Conversely in euros, I think it's not too bad. It doesn't seem relevant at all to me. In any case, these people, it turns out, can handle money.
The economic philosophy has nothing to do with having money or wealth, but with the principle that everyone should do more to take care of themselves and be (or become) less dependent on external sources.
I have explained in previous posts that the links between the business community, political parties and top officials are very close and intense. Politicians are therefore rich by definition, just like top civil servants, with the exception of a few. Last week, some former MPs complained that their party (the Pheu Thai) no longer paid them the 100.000 Baht extra per month (in addition to their salary as a member of parliament) since the coup and that they are struggling financially (because their social 'obligations' just continue in the context of patronage). When you consider that this extra perk alone means 1,2 million Baht per year and that some families had 2 to 3 members of parliament, it is not that difficult to understand that they are so rich.
Popular politicians are being bought off (just like football players in Europe) for amounts not below 10 million baht, I have been told.
Interesting list, but “peanuts” compared to the real richest man in Thailand…he has as much as the combined amount that the top 10 of the above list have…
See the Forbes link for who this is.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/investopedia/2011/04/29/the-worlds-richest-royals/
Prayuth… isn't that the gentleman who recently complained in the Bangkok Post that he only earned 400 Bath a day?