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Former Thaksin finance minister blasts Abhisit’s economic
policies in Pattaya speech
Ariyawat Nuamsawat
The global recession may be easing overseas, but don’t expect things
to improve in Thailand as soon as the country’s leadership predicts, a
former deputy finance minister told agricultural and tourism executives
meeting in Pattaya.
 (File)
Jaturon Chaisaeng, a former executive in the disbanded Thai Rak Thai party,
accused Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva of lying about Thailand’s economic
health by claiming that the economy will begin to recover in the fourth
quarter of this year.
Invited by the opposition Puea Thai party to speak at its July 30 “Clear the
Country’s Debt, Create Income for People” seminar at the Long Beach Garden
and Spa, Jaturon Chaisaeng, a former executive in the disbanded Thai Rak
Thai party, accused Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva of lying about
Thailand’s economic health by claiming that the economy will begin to
recover in the fourth quarter of this year.
“The government has misled the people into believing that the economy will
soon improve,” the former minister said. “But international statistics show
that the global economic recession will continue for another 3-5 years and
Thailand’s situation is no different.”
Emboldened by the opposition’s recent wins in regional by-elections, the
claims by Jaturon - banned from politics for five years - may be based more
in political rhetoric than fact, however.
Abhisit, in a July 10 speech to the National Economic and Social Development
Board, actually said the Thai economy is likely to take more than a year to
fully recover. Meanwhile, the World Bank last week predicted Thailand’s
gross domestic product will return to positive territory in the fourth
quarter with expected growth of 1.8 percent. And the Thai Fiscal Policy
Office said the manufacturing sector, exports and private consumption all
showed signs of recovery in June.
That doesn’t mean the ally of deposed prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra
didn’t find a receptive audience among the Pattaya business leaders.
“Thailand is afflicted with two types of problems: political and economic,”
he said. “When it comes to politics, the government is so preoccupied with
things such as the attempted murder of (People’s Alliance for Democracy
leader) Sondhi Limthongkul it doesn’t have time to manage the country. So
political problems have caused the economic problems.”
Citing statistics on economic indices and huge year-on-year drops in
exports, Jaturon said, “If you do the math, you see it doesn’t add up.”
There is no way, he said, the country can recover this year. The prime
minister is simply trying to make people feel better, he claimed.
Making a pocketbook appeal to the agricultural exporters, who’ve been
hammered during the current recession, Jaturon claimed the government was
more concerned with the financial sector than farmers and that the
government’s massive stimulus package won’t help them.
“Who will it truly help?” Jataron asked of the stimulus package. “We are an
agricultural country, but they have spent millions of baht on many other
projects and only a few to help tourism and agriculture. The government
should find a solution for exports and stop creating new debt for the
country.”
‘Pattaya Card’ rewards
tourists, charities
Saksiri Uraiworn
Tourists can save money, businesses gain customers and local charities
collect donations through a new partnership between Pattaya and a worldwide
loyalty-card company.
 Global
I-Care (Thailand) President David C. Tyson (left) and Deputy Mayor Ronakit
Ekasingh (right) sign the agreement.
The new Pattaya Card, made possible through a partnership with the Global I-Care
(Thailand) Co. Ltd., offers users discounts of up to 20 percent at restaurants,
shops, dental clinics and other retailers while, at the same time, donating 10
percent of all proceeds to charity. Merchants also get free marketing and
chances to win prizes.
The new card is the second attempt by the city and the Australia-based company
to launch a citywide rewards program. In November the company launched the “GLC
Tourist Pack” which included a free 1-2-Call SIM card and discount certificates.
That program, however, gained little traction. The company’s website shows it
has only attracted 17 merchants in Pattaya to date.
The new card, following a format used in Australia, New Zealand and other
Thailand cities, works similarly to a credit card. Cardholders present the card
at participating merchants who ring up discounts to the member’s account. These
“points” can then be redeemed for products and services at I-Care member
merchants in the three countries. The card is free, but the first 680 baht in
discounts go to the company to cover “administrative fees.”
At a July 30 press conference, Pattaya Deputy Mayor Ronakit Ekasingh explained
one thing that makes the Pattaya Card unique is that 10% of all the discounts
accrued go to charity. In Pattaya the Father Ray Foundation and the city’s
public schools are the beneficiaries.
Another bonus is that both merchants and customers are entered into monthly
prize drawings automatically with each use.
The card is available at The Avenue, Walking Street’s Soho Square, GHI and Villa
Market. The program officially launches Sept. 9. For more information, see
http://th.globalicare.com
PM: Government reviews oil prices; Diesel must
not exceed Bt30/litre
As oil prices have risen to about US$71 a barrel in Asia, Prime
Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said Sunday that concerned Thai
government officials will review the country’s oil tax policy
this week while insisting that retail diesel prices must not
exceed Bt30 per liter.
Speaking during his weekly television and radio address, Abhisit
defended his government’s recent decision to collect excise tax
on oil in order to strengthen the state Oil Fund after the
global oil price had dropped to between US$30-40 a barrel.
But with oil prices rising again, Abhisit said his government is
ready to review its oil policy - including the Oil Fund subsidy
- after global oil prices have now risen to more than US$70 a
barrel with the objective of prevent oil prices in the country
from becoming too expensive.
The local retail price for diesel, used widely in the commercial
sector, should not exceed Bt30 a liter, he said.
Presently, local price for high-speed diesel is Bt28.89 per
liter.
“The Oil Fund shouldn’t pose a burden to people if the crude oil
price continues rising in future,” said Abhisit, adding that his
government properly managed both the tax and the fund in the
past, and now there are sufficient funds to subsidize oil prices
whenever they rise.
It is expected that the government will focus on fuel levies
collected by the Oil Fund rather than excise tax - which was
increased by Bt2 to Bt7 per liter in May - in this week’s talks.
Abhisit said discussions which would focus on lowering domestic
oil prices should “become transparent this Friday”. (TNA)
No foreigners found violating law on buying, renting farmland in Thailand
Concerned Thai officials will continue monitoring whether
foreigners have violated law on buying or renting farmland to engage in
agriculture in the Kingdom although initial investigation found that such a
practice does not exist, Deputy Commerce Minister Alongkorn Ponlaboot said on
Saturday.
Alongkorn said an investigation had been conducted in 20 provinces nationwide by
Commerce Ministry Business Development Department officials and it was found
that no foreigners had either bought or rented farmland over the limit set by
law to continue farming in Thailand.
However, the ministry will continue monitoring the sector and seek cooperation
from owners of agricultural land, and members of the Thai Farmers Association
(TFA) for help in monitoring the activities of foreigners who may have entered
into the business, he said.
Farming as an occupation is reserved for Thais only and the probe was conducted
following an outcry by some farmers that foreigners have bought numerous plots
of farmland here and hired farmers to provide the labor.
On Monday, the ministry will ask the Department of Special Investigation to
continue probing whether foreigners have bought or rented farmland through
business registration or a joint investment with Thais, said Alongkorn.
The ministry will also cooperate with TFA president Prasit Boonchuey in
investigating the matter, he said. (TNA)
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