Months after watching the Prayut Chan-o-cha government launch a series of relief packages to ease the plight of the people, such as businesses that were closed as part of lockdown measures, Bangkok governor Aswin Kwanmuang might feel inclined to do the same. Last Monday, he pointedly forked out one billion baht from city coffers as part of a Covid-inspired cash handout.
Here is the most contentious part. The big relief cake is to be shared among city officials and workers.
The first question that came to my mind is: how are those officials and city workers affected by Covid restraints deserving of state assistance? Do they face mandatory unpaid leave -- a tacit form of pay cut? Or are any sections of the administration closed down as a result of economic hardship? No.
Like other state officials, it's business as usual for those at the City Hall during first or second outbreak.
Not to mention that with same, steady salaries, these officials are able to enjoy lower costs for food and services as most traders need to make the best offer they can during times of hardship. Some shops or brands have held promotion campaigns.
Yet the governor still went ahead with the cash handout. From local news reports, each recipient is to get a big sum, 12,000 baht. The money, categorised under the "reward and assistance fund," is to be diverted from the 14.2 billion baht general budget.
It's well known that this type of state budget, with altogether 13 categories, can be used with little scrutiny. It's also reported that each department can immediately disburse the sum.
For readers who, like me, are sceptical about such payments, the following is the city's explanation: it is because BMA officials and employees missed out on their annual "reward" at the end of last year.
The fund is probably in line with the prime minister's policy to help civil servants during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Ministry of Finance had actually come up with the same initiative, and the eligible are 137,000 state employees earning less than 15,000 baht.
But last week, the ministry decided to delay its decision because it's not yet finalised.
I don't have to say any more about the hardships of Thai people during the lockdown.
Among those hit hardest are have been freelancers and those in the non-formal sector who don't have a fixed income.
Businesses, big and small, have tightened their belt, a large number of office workers have been forced to accept a smaller pay cheque, while others became jobless. For many, even the idea of a bonus is just a dream.
So, it's hard to accept payments in this case where state officials appear to be receiving what many consider to be an unjustifiable "bonus".
Some may argue that as state officers, these people have a low income. I don't think it's the case here because these people have access to other benefits and as I earlier mentioned, there was no cut in their monthly salaries.
Not to mention that some may have already enjoyed the fruits of various relief/stimulus packages, like the "Khon La Krueng" 50-50 co-payment scheme that began last year.
They are able to enjoy 12,000-baht bonus without difficulties, compared to assistance schemes for the public at large who are required to undertake a labyrinthine registration process.
Millions of applicants had to go through a plethora of questions to prove they are poor and deserve state mercy.
Often the money goes to those more equipped to deal with the online system, while those in the lower rungs of the tech-savvy ladder miss out.
Again and again, swathes of deserving citizens are portrayed like beggars with their caps out, hoping for their pittance with which to feed their families.
I understand the government may want to establish a cashless society and keep track of people's spending for a future database, but this was the wrong time to implement it.
Similar hurdles, whether well-intentioned or not, led to suicides last year.
So, this week, a number of city officials will get extra payments without doing anything extra. Isn't that too easy?
It is a saga that highlights flaws in general budget disbursement.
I just hope state comptrollers will take action to fix them.
Sirinya Wattanasukchai is a Bangkok Post columnist.