Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has denied t he government’s new l ocal development scheme is aimed at helping the administration cling to power, saying it is intended to help people overcome hardship.
People should not interpret the Thai Niyom Yangyuen (Sustainable Thainess) programme the wrong way, he said.
“[It] was not formulated to make it possible for the government or the National Council for Peace and Order [NCPO] to cling to power. I do not want it to be that way. I intend to help people improve their financial status,” the prime minister said yesterday.
Past governments have carried out similar programmes. However, they were hampered by problems stemming from the fact that the assistance did not reach areas where help was needed, he said.
The assistance should have been provided equally where needed, he added.
The premier was speaking to members of a steering committee for national development, consisting of provincial governors, chiefs of local state agencies, district chiefs and personnel assigned to boost public understanding of the scheme. The Interior Ministry was assigned to consolidate efforts by government agencies to proceed with projects under the scheme, which targets over 83,000 villages in relevant districts.
A budget will be set aside in areas to help tackle social, economic and security problems as well as increase public recognition of their role in helping develop the country, the premier said, adding all government agencies will begin implementing plans under the scheme this month.
He said the project will give the help required for improving people’s livelihood through job security which can generate a steady income for them.
It will be carried out at district, tambon and local levels, which are better suited to reaching out to local residents.
“What we are doing today is to [provide a concrete] response to two words – equality and fairness,” Gen Prayut said.
“No matter who they are, people deserve equal opportunities in life.”
According to the prime minister, 7,600 teams will be deployed to local areas to listen to people’s problems and demands.
“Thai Niyom is not a populist policy,” Gen Prayut insisted.
The prime minister said the cabinet has approved in principle the so-called People’s Financial Institution Act, which he said ranks high on the national agenda. The government wants to support the setting up of small financial institutions which will function as a lending arm for people needing money to invest at the community level.
“This law will benefit to 20-30 million people both in cities and rural areas who do not have access to commercial banks. They might live too far from the banks or do not have the necessary documents, credit history or proper collateral,” he said.
Gen Prayut noted that the people-centric policy must serve all without preferential treatment.
Members of parliament have to propose projects which reflect the demands of ordinary people in their constituencies, and budget allocations by the government must be made fairly.
He said the country is currently running a deficit as the government’s income does not match its expenditure and investment expenses.
Under a deficit budget, several investment projects have been either dropped or put on hold because of limited funds available, he said.
In a liberal democracy, investors are high-income people and those without capital serve as employees or workers, and it is important to make sure these people can work together efficiently and productively, the prime minister added.
Of the 70 million population, only 10 million pay income tax. It is important to find ways to obtain more tax to boost the national coffers, Gen Prayut said, adding government revenue only comes from taxes and earnings from state enterprises.