Shocking data on income inequality
April 18, 2014
The Thai prime minister earns 9.000 times as much as a middle-income Thai. In India that ratio is 2.000:1 and in the Philippines 600:1. A recent report on income inequality in Thailand contains shocking figures.
Point by point, the most important figures from the report of the Thailand Future Foundation.
- Of the 22 million households, the bottom 10 percent earn an average of 4.300 baht per month and the top 10 percent earn 90.000 baht.
- Thirty years ago, the top 10 percent earned 20 times as much, now 21 times as much, and the report suspects the gap is even 25 percent wider than official statistics show. That earns Thailand the dubious honor of being one of the world's countries with the highest income inequality.
- The poorest of the poor – about 2 million people, mostly the elderly – rely on support from their children; they receive little support from the government.
- Half of all households – 11 million households – have a monthly income of less than 15.000 baht.
- The top 10 percent of landowners own 60 percent of all land.
- The top 10 percent of people with money in a bank account account for 93 percent of the nation's savings.
- The average wealth of all 500 MPs is worth more than the average wealth of 99,99 percent of all Thai households.
- In Bangkok, the doctor-patient ratio is 1 to 1.000; in the Northeast 1 in 5.000. It is therefore not surprising that children from wealthy families are healthier and perform better than poor children elsewhere in the country.
The figures above are quoted in the newspaper's editorial. I will omit the comment itself. I think that after reading these figures, everyone can imagine what the commentary of the newspaper reads. The comment doesn't add much either. The cold numbers speak a clear language.
(Source: bangkok mail, April 18, 2014)
Of course this is terrible. But isn't this the trend at the moment? I just watched another movie about the economic crisis in the US. It's even worse there than here in Thailand. A waiter in a restaurant earns 2,13 net per hour. That is not much more than someone earns here in Thailand.
You would expect the differences in a country like Thailand, but in the US? Especially when you know that the prices there are many times higher than here and the way of life is also different. Then you also need heating in the winter. You need less here in Thailand to live on.
I was surprised when I first heard this. Only then do I realize how well many of us are still doing. When will the whole system collapse? I am afraid that soon nothing will be paid out in pensions. Maybe they start with those who live abroad… I don't want to think about it. Have you saved and paid for your pension all or a large part of your life, you can look again at how you can make ends meet..
Sjaak, in the US the waiter has to rely on the tips. He is expected to do his job extremely well and in a friendly manner and the customer is expected to reward this with a tip (approximately 10%). In this way, the waiter does indeed receive a good wage if he does his job well.
In the USA the minimum tip is 10% and 15% is normal. At the bottom of the bill it is already indicated how much 15 and 20 is. So the waiter still earns a decent income.
Sjaak, you are a very pessimist, because if you will no longer receive money from the Netherlands in the distant future
you can always come back to the Netherlands and you will be welcomed with open arms again,
so keep smiling and enjoy beautiful Thailand while you can.[and I think that will be for a very long time
may take.]
greetings and have fun.
Moderator: Please do not chat.
And then we continue to insist that Thaksin would have reduced income differences, or would have wanted to. He is just as bad as those super rich who have been in power for years, because that is all that matters. A lot will still have to change to make Thailand a little more democratic
And say that the stupid voters vote for the rich in the hope of getting better. On the other hand, I think that an ordinary citizen has no chance of being on a electoral list.
When I look at the electoral lists in Belgium for the coming elections, I notice the same thing. The old rats do not give up their place and really think they are the greatest lights in society. Ordinary citizens are only allowed to stand in unelectable positions and are only allowed to contribute to the propaganda machine. What is the difference with Thailand? They all do the digging and provide posts for friends and acquaintances.
A Salary of 9000x the average in Thailand comes out to a sloppy 100 million. The Thai PM earns well, but really not that far.
@ Peter vz Checked the text again. I think I worded it wrong. The English text reads: The income gap between the prime minister and the people's average income is 9.000 fold. That's not making 9.000 times as much. I honestly don't know how to translate it.
I was well aware that the waiter has to live on his tips, but on a bad day he will have to pay. And to earn a good extra. Not a nice system. As a restaurant, you can simply add the salary to the price of the menu and leave a tip as a token of appreciation. Anyway, it's about Thailand. So if a Thaiae waiter gets a tip of 10% of the value of the meal each time, he will be fine by Thai standards. Not as good as a minister, better than the cleaning lady at Tesco.
@Dick. I had also read the original text. So can't be right. Maybe the total power is meant, but still. A factor of 9000 is a lot, but Thai media sometimes want to do a zero (or two) too much.