A commotion at the Finance Ministry on Tuesday by those who missed out on the 5,000 baht handout packages reveal mammoth loopholes in the state relief process that need to be fixed quickly.
The protesters are among those hit hard by the lockdown measures to curb the spread of coronavirus, such as vendors, workers, small-scale entrepreneurs.
Yet due to technicalities, the registration system via AI branded them as ineligible. In fact, the state had underestimated the number of those who need help, with a target of nine million people, one third of the total number of registrants who applied, which surpassed 27 million.
It's reported that over two million received the 5,000 baht cash after the first payment on April 8. The government planned to extend the assistance period from the initial three to six months, but at this stage it appears the state can do little to widen the base of the recipients to reach those in real trouble, especially people who have to pay rent and those with debts.
The Finance Ministry said those rejected by the system can appeal, if they fill in an online form by April 20. It's unclear how many more will be eligible as the shortcomings stemmed from the lack of a people's career database in the state system.
Some of the applicants, mostly those in the so-called informal sector, have made suicide attempts. One trader who missed out on the relief programme threatened to set herself on fire at Government House if the state ignored her plight. In Ubon Ratchathani, rescue workers saved a disabled man who tried to kill himself by jumping into a reservoir. All five members in the family who earned a daily wage were rejected by the system.
Authorities should bear in mind that the bigger the delay in the relief system, the harsher the impact. And there are no signs the government will ease lockdown measures any time soon, despite its relative success in slowing down the spread with the number of cases capped at two digits, as there are concerns about a new wave of infections such as that which has occurred in Japan. It's possible the government will maintain strict measures for another 2-3 months, and the people's plight will intensify.
It's true that to reach all in need is next to impossible, but the state must do its best to close the loopholes, extending assistance to as many as possible, especially those in the informal sector. It has made the right decision in easing social security fund (SSF) regulations to ease the plight of a large group of workers who have lost income as their workplaces suspended business or closed down because of anti-virus measures.
The revised regulations will see workers covered by the SSF receive compensation, 62% of their monthly salary calculated from the daily wage for a maximum of 90 days. It should also extend help for those whose salaries are cut during this difficult time.
The government must help those in need, fixing regulations that hinder or delay the relief process. A recommendation by the Thailand Development and Research Institute that it use people's assets and land-holding data, instead of data relate to their careers, as a deciding factor for eligibility is worth considering. Or it could adopt a proposal by politicians that all people should be entitled to cash handouts.
The government should also prepare for a post-coronavirus world. The lockdown measures have caused an economic recession, with some 7-10 million losing their jobs. It should be prepared to deal with a higher suicide rates and rise in crimes as a result of poverty that could set off another social timebomb.