FRIDAY, March 29, 2024
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Junta rule plus extreme inequality are ingredients for revolution 

Junta rule plus extreme inequality are ingredients for revolution 

Re: “Report on inequality puts the onus on politicians”, Front page, December 11.

While I certainly commend Wichit Chaitrong and The Nation for some excellent reporting, I find it unlikely that the elites will do anything to correct Thailand’s deep and growing inequalities. Credit Suisse is probably correct in reporting that Thailand is the most inequitable country in the world in terms of wealth.
Recent years have not been very good for Thailand at all. The numbers are simple and undeniable (at least to us common folks). In the past five years, Thailand’s wealth inequality has soared to a point where roughly 1 per cent of the population allegedly owns 66.9 per cent of the wealth. The number of convictions obtained under a weaponised criminal defamation law have also soared against both whistleblowers and members of the media. And then there’s the perennial problem of educational inequality throughout the entire Kingdom.
Meanwhile, Thailand’s economy has only grown by a paltry 4 per cent on average in recent years and reports indicate that Vietnam may overtake our economy in a few short years. And, while these numbers are well known to the rich, it has also become clear that they’ve no intention of resolving them with a tepid election. These problems will probably have to be resolved with a political revolution by the next generation of Thais. The situation makes one wonder if Thailand might be a powder keg waiting to explode?
Jason A 
Bangkok

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