Latest news with #PoliticalAnalysis
CNA
2 days ago
- Business
- CNA
Thailand's stalled cash handout scheme sours voters on ruling party
BANGKOK: Rungthiwa Pimphanit waited months for a long-promised cash handout of 10,000 baht (US$307) from Thailand's ruling party, which she backed in the 2023 elections, but now the scheme to stimulate a stalling economy has been put on ice. "I'm very disappointed and angry," said the 34-year-old government employee from the northeastern province of Nong Bua Lam Phu, who had counted on the money to pay for her son's school supplies. "There's no way I will vote for them again." key election plank of the ruling Pheu Thai party, would be delayed, fuelling doubt about any recovery in Southeast Asia's second largest economy after years of tepid growth. Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra blamed steep tariffs proposed by the United States, but the delay to her government's flagship programme, on which it has already spent 174 billion baht (US$5.3 billion), poses a major political risk, say analysts. "No one will believe anything they say," said Thanaporn Sriyakul, director of the independent Political and Policy Analysis Institute. "The government must keep its promises to the people during the campaign. If they can't do what they said, it's over." The government still has time left in its term, said spokesperson Jirayu Houngsub, reiterating that the scheme had only been postponed. The next polls are two years away. "By that time, if the economy is good, there may even be something more than this programme," he told Reuters. The handout scheme is popular across Thailand, with its continuation backed by about 60 per cent of 1,310 respondents in a May survey by the National Institute of Development Administration, while about 46 per cent said they would be angered if it was scrapped. "I'm upset," said 52-year-old Sathanee Siriphonchaikul in Bangkok, who had planned to use the funds to buy a washing machine. "I don't think they'll do it again. The economy is bad." The Pheu Thai party's failure to fully implement the scheme had damaged its credibility, said political analyst Sukhum Nuansakul. "The digital wallet project hasn't worked," he added. "People hoped they would get it and they waited for it, but didn't get it." The remaining 16 million people registered for handouts should be notified, said Thirachai Phuvanatnaranubala, deputy leader of the opposition Palang Pracharath Party. "The government should tell the truth to these people that it actually won't be able to continue the programme due to budget and technical problems," he said in a statement. GROWTH AND DEBT Three months after its launch, the stimulus plan had been unable to boost consumption, mainly because the handouts were sometimes used to pay down debt, central bank Governor Sethaput Suthiwartnarueput told Reuters this year. Thailand's household debt is among Asia's highest, at 88.4 per cent of gross domestic product. On the campaign trail, the party floated the scheme as a multibillion-dollar initiative to kick-start Thailand's pandemic-hit economy and reach annual growth of about 5 per cent. Yet, the US$550-billion economy expanded by just 2.5 per cent last year, lagging regional peers, and this year looks even worse. Since launching the scheme last September, after numerous adjustments and delays, the government has distributed just over a third of the earmarked 450 billion baht (US$14 billion). The first tranche of 144.5 billion baht in September went to welfare cardholders and people with disabilities, with a second phase of 29.9 billion baht delivered to senior citizens in late January. The 157 billion baht meant for the scheme's next stages will now go to fund projects to help the economy cope with the impact of proposed US tariffs, on advice from the central bank and a state planning agency. "Both of them asked us to reconsider, to see if this money can be used for something more urgent and necessary than the digital money handout," Paetongtarn said when announcing the delay. Thailand faces a US tariff of 36 per cent if it cannot negotiate a reduction before expiry of a July deadline, until which a rate of 10 per cent prevails. Last month the state planner shaved its economic growth forecast for this year by one percentage point, to a range of 1.3 per cent to 2.3 per cent, warning that the tariff impact would last for two years. The government's mismanaged policies are reflected in GDP growth of just 2 per cent in 2023 and 2.5 per cent in 2024, said Prakit Siriwattanaket, managing director of Merchant Partners Asset Management.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Thailand's stalled cash handout scheme sours voters on ruling party
BANGKOK (Reuters) - Rungthiwa Pimphanit waited months for a long-promised cash handout of 10,000 baht ($307) from Thailand's ruling party, which she backed in 2023 elections, but now the scheme to stimulate a stalling economy has been put on ice. "I'm very disappointed and angry," said the 34-year-old government employee from the northeastern province of Nong Bua Lam Phu, who had counted on the money to pay for her son's school supplies. "There's no way I will vote for them again." Rungthiwa's hopes withered last month after news that the scheme, a key election plank of the ruling Pheu Thai party, would be delayed, fuelling doubt about any recovery in southeast Asia's second largest economy after years of tepid growth. Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra blamed steep tariffs proposed by the United States, but the delay to her government's flagship programme, on which it has already spent 174 billion baht ($5.3 billion), poses a major political risk, say analysts. "No one will believe anything they say," said Thanaporn Sriyakul, director of the independent Political and Policy Analysis Institute. "The government must keep its promises to the people during the campaign. If they can't do what they said, it's over." The government still has time left in its term, said spokesperson Jirayu Houngsub, reiterating that the scheme had only been postponed. The next polls are two years away. "By that time, if the economy is good, there may even be something more than this programme," he told Reuters. The handout scheme is popular across Thailand, with its continuation backed by about 60% of 1,310 respondents in a May survey by the National Institute of Development Administration, while about 46% said they would be angered if it was scrapped. "I'm upset," said 52-year-old Sathanee Siriphonchaikul in Bangkok, who had planned to use the funds to buy a washing machine. "I don't think they'll do it again. The economy is bad." The Pheu Thai party's failure to fully implement the scheme had damaged its credibility, said political analyst Sukhum Nuansakul. "The digital wallet project hasn't worked," he added. "People hoped they would get it and they waited for it, but didn't get it." The remaining 16 million people registered for handouts should be notified, said Thirachai Phuvanatnaranubala, deputy leader of the opposition Palang Pracharath Party. "The government should tell the truth to these people that it actually won't be able to continue the programme due to budget and technical problems," he said in a statement. GROWTH AND DEBT Three months after its launch, the stimulus plan had been unable to boost consumption, mainly because the handouts were sometimes used to pay down debt, central bank Governor Sethaput Suthiwartnarueput told Reuters this year. Thailand's household debt is among Asia's highest, at 88.4% of gross domestic product. On the campaign trail, the party floated the scheme as a multibillion-dollar initiative to kick-start Thailand's pandemic-hit economy and reach annual growth of about 5%. Yet, the $550-billion economy expanded by just 2.5% last year, lagging regional peers, and this year looks even worse. Since launching the scheme last September, after numerous adjustments and delays, the government has distributed just over a third of the earmarked 450 billion baht ($14 billion). The first tranche of 144.5 billion baht in September went to welfare cardholders and people with disabilities, with a second phase of 29.9 billion baht delivered to senior citizens in late January. The 157 billion baht meant for the scheme's next stages will now go to fund projects to help the economy cope with the impact of proposed U.S. tariffs, on advice from the central bank and a state planning agency. "Both of them asked us to reconsider, to see if this money can be used for something more urgent and necessary than the digital money handout," Paetongtarn said when announcing the delay. Thailand faces a U.S. tariff of 36% if it cannot negotiate a reduction before expiry of a July deadline, until which a rate of 10% prevails. Last month the state planner shaved its economic growth forecast for this year by one percentage point, to a range of 1.3% to 2.3%, warning that the tariff impact would last for two years. The government's mismanaged policies are reflected in GDP growth of just 2% in 2023 and 2.5% in 2024, said Prakit Siriwattanaket, managing director of Merchant Partners Asset Management. "The downside of the digital wallet is that it didn't stimulate the economy as they thought," he said. "It's an extremely wasteful handout." ($1=32.55 baht)
Voice of America
14-03-2025
- Politics
- Voice of America
Author says ban on her book reflects Taliban's repression of women
When Naveeda Khoshbo published her book of political analysis in 2019, she received widespread praise and recognition. For many, "it was the first time that they were reading a book written by a young woman," she said. So, when she received a text message from a friend and fellow journalist in November 2024, telling her the Taliban had banned her book, she was shocked. Khoshbo, 33, said she can't figure out why the book, "Siyasi Jaj" or "Political Analysis," was banned, saying "it did not address any sensitive topics." Published by the Peace Publish Center in Kabul, her book covers political events and processes from 2001 to 2019. But last year it was included in a list circulated on social media of more than 400 books banned by the Taliban. The list covers a range of topics: democracy, the arts, literature, poetry, history, religion, governance, rights and freedoms. The Taliban's deputy minister for the Ministry of Information and Culture, Zia-ul Haq Haqmal, told media his department had identified 400 books deemed "against Afghanistan's national interest and Islamic values." 'Hostility is directed at women' Khoshbo believes her book also was banned because it was written by a woman. She is now based in London. "I believe their hostility is directed at women, and for them, the books written by women are the first to be targeted, regardless of their content," she said. About a dozen titles in the book ban are by women, or they were translated by women. Other titles include the book by Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai, "I am Malala: The Story of the Girl Who Stood Up for Education." The Taliban, who seized power in August 2021, have imposed strict measures against women in Afghanistan, barring them from education, work, long-distance travel and participating in public life. Afghan writer Nazeer Ahmad Sahaar told VOA the Taliban jettison anything they see as contrary to their ideology. "Anything that is against the Taliban's political and religious beliefs and narrative is banned under the Taliban," said Sahaar. The author has written more than a dozen books. One of those, "Waziristan: The Last Stand" is also on the list of banned publications. Sahaar sees the book ban as part of a larger crackdown on "women, the press and freedom of expression." Sahaar said the ban on books, though, is of little surprise. "It was evident that they would impose restrictions in many areas," he said. Alongside the book ban and restrictions imposed on women, the Taliban return has led to restrictions on freedom of expression. Media outlets work under rules that are not always clear about what can and cannot be covered, and in some cases must submit coverage for review before publication. The Taliban also imposed restrictions on printing books. An owner of a printing press in the eastern province of Nangarhar, who requested anonymity for fear of reprisal, told VOA that the provincial Directorate of Information and Culture instructed publishers not to print anything without prior permission. "In a meeting with publishers, the Taliban officials said that 'if you are publishing any book, you must first obtain permission from the directorate,'" said the business owner. The owner said that businesses are struggling under the Taliban, but there is an increased demand for books, particularly ones that are banned. "The Taliban's restrictions have sparked social and cultural resistance," he said, with people seeking ways to oppose the limitations, including by reading prohibited books. 'It reflects the fear' Abdul Ghafoor Lewal, an Afghan writer and former diplomat, told VOA the Taliban's actions reveal fear of any opposition. "It reflects the fear authoritarian regimes have of freedom of expression, books and knowledge," said Lewal. Khoshbo said the Taliban's ban would not stop her and other women from writing and participating in social and political life. "The Taliban can't suppress our voices by "banning books," said Khoshbo, but "women can't be erased from society and politics."
