We're still repaying price of Thaksinite populism
The only populist policy of any worth initiated under Thaksin Shinawatra's government was the Bt30 healthcare programme, which gave the poor access to healthcare at minimal cost. The rest of Thaksin's populist schemes served only to widen the income gap a
Among these were the “One Tambon One Product” programme, the Bt1-million-per-village loan scheme, and the distribution of credit cards to farmers – despite the fact that few had income sufficient to support the debt they would incur.
These are just a few schemes among many that resulted in a doubling of household debt among the rural poor, to more than 80 per cent of GDP, over the past decade. And nobody can deny that fact.
Worse, these populist policies have left the poor addicted to Thaksinite populism and its “free lunches” – and yearning for even more of it.
Vint Chavala
