BANGKOK (Reuters) – Thailand’s main political parties have differing ideologies and support bases but are proposing many similar policies ahead of a May 14 general election, focusing on winning over the rural poor and millions shackled by household debt.
Below are some of their pledges.
PHEU THAI PARTY
– Target economic growth of 5% each year.
– Offer 10,000 baht ($295) handouts via digital wallets for those aged 16 and over to spend in their communities, a scheme worth 560 billion baht ($16.55 billion).
– Raise daily minimum wages to 600 baht (from an average of 337 baht) and minimum monthly salaries for university graduates to 25,000 baht by 2027.
– Help every family earn at least 20,000 baht per month.
– Triple average income of farmers to 30,000 baht per rai (0.16 hectare) per year by 2027.
– Three-year debt moratorium on capital and interest for farmers and one-year debt moratorium for smaller businesses hit by COVID-19, plus debt restructuring.
– Upgrade universal healthcare programme.
– Welfare package for the elderly, worth 300 billion baht.
– Train 20 million high-skilled workers and create 20 million jobs.
– Reduce urban rail fares, energy, electricity and gas costs, support clean and alternative energy.
– One tablet computer per student and per teacher with free internet.
MOVE FORWARD PARTY
– Raise daily minimum wage to 450 baht, with yearly revisions.
– Increase monthly allowance for elderly to 3,000 baht by 2027.
– Reduce electricity costs, renegotiate power purchasing contracts with concessionaires.
– Debt relief for elderly farmers who can pay half of their debt, with the government paying the rest.
– Fixed bus and urban rail fares.
– Subsidise housing loans and rent payments for limited groups.
– 10,000 baht funeral grant.
– Fee internet of 1 GB per month.
– Legalise casinos and online betting run by the state.
– New constitution law, reform armed forces.
UNITED THAI NATION PARTY
– Increase monthly grants via state welfare cards to 1,000 baht per person and offer emergency loans of up to 10,000 baht.
– Monthly allowance for elderly of 1,000 baht.
– Reduce electricity bills for low-income earners and farmers.
– Emergency fund of 30 billion baht ($886.26 million) for vulnerable groups.
– Subsidies for domestic travel, co-payment scheme to buy goods or services.
– Allow borrowers to repay some state loans, such as student loans, by working for the public sector.
– Crop harvesting subsidy.
PALANG PRACHARAT PARTY
– Offer 30,000 baht to 7.5 million farming households for cultivation, 2,000 baht per rai for rice harvesting and cheaper fertiliser.
– Increase monthly grants for state welfare card holders to 700 baht per person from 300 baht and free life insurance.
– Raise monthly allowance for people aged 60 and over to 3,000-5,000 baht, from 600-1,000 baht.
– Reduce price of petrol, diesel and cooking gas.
– Lower electricity bills.
– Set up 300 billion baht ($8.86 billion) state fund to tackle debt and support economy.
– Free education to university level, tax exemption for those earning less than 500,000 baht per year.
– Develop infrastructure in the northeast, including rail projects, industrial estates and land ports.
– Offer monthly grants of 10,000 baht for pregnant women and 3,000 baht per month for raising children until they are six years old.
BHUMJAITHAI PARTY
– Three-year debt moratorium on principal and interest for loans up to one million baht.
– 50,000 baht emergency loan each for persons aged 20 years and above.
– Life insurance fund for peopled aged 60 and above with a 100,000 baht payout in case of death.
– Solar panel projects for households to reduce electricity bills and cheap electric motorcycles at 6,000 baht with 60-month instalments.
– One-day pass for urban public transport fares.
– Use of cannabis for medical treatment, health and economy.
– 100 million baht tourism fund for each province.
– Interest-free student loans, without collateral.
– Contract farming on crop prices, payments and insurance.
– Free cancer treatment machines in every province and dialysis centres in every district.
DEMOCRAT PARTY
– Set up 2 million baht village and urban community banks nationwide, with estimated cost of 160 billion baht.
– Free education to university level.
– Introduce mandatory savings policy, extend retirement age from 60.
– Income guarantees for farmers worth 70 billion baht.
– One-day fixed price for urban rail travel.
– Offer farmers 30,000 baht per household.
– Give 1 million land deeds within four years to help farmers.
(Compiled by Orathai Sriring, Satawasin Staporncharnchai and Pasit Kongkunakornkul; Editing by Martin Petty, Robert Birsel)
