Car scheme can only lead to repossesions

Let me explain how the system works. First, the American, Japanese and Korean car companies pay off specific government people in cash. Then the government people allot taxpayers’ money to the “scheme”, which is exactly what it is, and then the people go out and buy automobiles that they might have been able to negotiate some price off of at a fixed price because of the “scheme”.

What they are not aware of is that, the minute they drive the car off of the lot, it has depreciated by at least Bt100,000. I don’t believe that Thai people fail to understand depreciation in automobiles, because everyone here seems to believe it’s a crime to buy a used car, other than a farmer looking for a beat-up pickup.

And all of this occurs not only in Bangkok, which at least has freeways, but also in towns like Yasothon, which has never had adequate parking, while its second-largest street has inadequate lighting and no centre line.

If someone can explain how the scheme improved the lot of anyone other than politicians and car manufacturers, I would appreciate it. However, Thailand’s “amazing” status is now going to be redefined by its number of cars and accidents, as opposed to its number of trees. Its air will be less fit to breathe and it will inherit a new phenomenon: road rage.

Well done, Yingluck.

John Arnone

Yasothon