ID :
181326
Wed, 05/11/2011 - 05:36
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/181326
The shortlink copeid
FREE TABLET COMPUTERS TO WOO VOTERS
BANGKOK, May 11 (Bernama) – Free tablet computers for students, credit cards for taxi drivers and 25 per cent pay rise await voters as the Thai Parliament was dissolved Tuesday, paving the way for the general election on July 3.
Pheu Thai, the main opposition party, and Democrat which leads the coalition government, are the main contenders in the general election and both have made a lot of promises since last month ahead of Parliament's dissolution.
Thaksin Shinawatra, the de facto leader of Pheu Thai, promised to provide a free tablet computer for every primary student if the party is chosen as the next government.
Thaksin was prime minister from 2001 but was ousted in a bloodless military coup on Sept 19, 2006 while he was abroad and now lives in self-imposed exile after the Thai court found him guilty of corruption in 2008 and sentenced him in absentia to two years' imprisonment.
He is also courting motorcycle taxi and taxi drivers with free credit cards if his party wins the general election.
The tablet computers are to help students in their education, while the credit cards can be used as revolving fund to pay for petrol and expenses by the motorcycle taxi and taxi drivers.
In Thailand, motorcycle taxi is a form of public transport, especially for those who seek fast and cheap way of travel in a short distance.
Thaksin also promised to provide a one million Baht (about RM100,000) fund for every village in the country for its development programmes.(US$1=30.09Baht)
On the economic front, he promised to reduce corporate tax from 30 per cent to 23 per cent, and to eradicate poverty within four years.
Fresh graduates will be guaranteed a minimum monthly salary of 15,000 Baht (about RM1,500) and the minimum wage will be set at 300 Baht (about RM30) per day.
In addressing the southern province problem, he proposed the region be turned into a special administrative zone like Bangkok or Pattaya.
The long list of promises made by Thaksin include solving the flood problem in Bangkok by building a megadyke, 10 new electric rail lines in Bangkok with a fixed fee of 20 Baht (RM2), new flats and houses for the poor and students with monthly rental of 1,000 Baht (about RM100), bullet train service from Bangkok to Chiang Mai and other cities, extending the airport rail link, and constructing a
bridge linking the Andaman Sea and Gulf of Thailand.
Among the other promises are eliminating the drug problem within a year, debt moratorium to those owing 500,000 Baht to 1 Million Baht (about RM50,000 to RM100,000) for three to five years, unlimited rice to be guaranteed at 15,000 Baht (about RM1,500) per tonne, 1 billion Baht (about RM100 million) fund to help state and private universities, and tax deduction for those buying their first home or economy car.
He also pledged to amend the Constitution back to the pre-coup situation while Pheu Thai will work for his amnesty should the party wins the next general election.
Thaksin, a former police officer who turned billionaire businessman before entering politics, said he had more ideas on the economy, politics and social aspects in store but declined to reveal them at the moment, fearing they might be copied by the party's rivals.
Pheu Thai, which heavily depends on Thaksin's popularity as well as his financial support, has come up with a slogan, "Thaksin Thinks, Pheu Thai Acts", to attract voters in the general election.
With the 2006 coup and last year's Thai court seizure of 46 billion Baht(about RM4.6 billion) of his 76 billion Baht (about RM7.6 billion) frozen assets after finding him guilty of abnormal wealth back on his mind, Thaksin is surely going all out to ensure Pheu Thai's victory in this election.
The victory will be a passport for his returning home as well as recovering his wealth.
Meanwhile, the Democrat Party has promised, among others, to raise wages by 25 per cent in the next two years due to the rising cost of living.
Democrat leader Abhisit Vejjajiva, the prime minister, has cautioned voters not to use their ballots to solve the problems of certain politicians but the citizens' problems.
Pheu Thai, the main opposition party, and Democrat which leads the coalition government, are the main contenders in the general election and both have made a lot of promises since last month ahead of Parliament's dissolution.
Thaksin Shinawatra, the de facto leader of Pheu Thai, promised to provide a free tablet computer for every primary student if the party is chosen as the next government.
Thaksin was prime minister from 2001 but was ousted in a bloodless military coup on Sept 19, 2006 while he was abroad and now lives in self-imposed exile after the Thai court found him guilty of corruption in 2008 and sentenced him in absentia to two years' imprisonment.
He is also courting motorcycle taxi and taxi drivers with free credit cards if his party wins the general election.
The tablet computers are to help students in their education, while the credit cards can be used as revolving fund to pay for petrol and expenses by the motorcycle taxi and taxi drivers.
In Thailand, motorcycle taxi is a form of public transport, especially for those who seek fast and cheap way of travel in a short distance.
Thaksin also promised to provide a one million Baht (about RM100,000) fund for every village in the country for its development programmes.(US$1=30.09Baht)
On the economic front, he promised to reduce corporate tax from 30 per cent to 23 per cent, and to eradicate poverty within four years.
Fresh graduates will be guaranteed a minimum monthly salary of 15,000 Baht (about RM1,500) and the minimum wage will be set at 300 Baht (about RM30) per day.
In addressing the southern province problem, he proposed the region be turned into a special administrative zone like Bangkok or Pattaya.
The long list of promises made by Thaksin include solving the flood problem in Bangkok by building a megadyke, 10 new electric rail lines in Bangkok with a fixed fee of 20 Baht (RM2), new flats and houses for the poor and students with monthly rental of 1,000 Baht (about RM100), bullet train service from Bangkok to Chiang Mai and other cities, extending the airport rail link, and constructing a
bridge linking the Andaman Sea and Gulf of Thailand.
Among the other promises are eliminating the drug problem within a year, debt moratorium to those owing 500,000 Baht to 1 Million Baht (about RM50,000 to RM100,000) for three to five years, unlimited rice to be guaranteed at 15,000 Baht (about RM1,500) per tonne, 1 billion Baht (about RM100 million) fund to help state and private universities, and tax deduction for those buying their first home or economy car.
He also pledged to amend the Constitution back to the pre-coup situation while Pheu Thai will work for his amnesty should the party wins the next general election.
Thaksin, a former police officer who turned billionaire businessman before entering politics, said he had more ideas on the economy, politics and social aspects in store but declined to reveal them at the moment, fearing they might be copied by the party's rivals.
Pheu Thai, which heavily depends on Thaksin's popularity as well as his financial support, has come up with a slogan, "Thaksin Thinks, Pheu Thai Acts", to attract voters in the general election.
With the 2006 coup and last year's Thai court seizure of 46 billion Baht(about RM4.6 billion) of his 76 billion Baht (about RM7.6 billion) frozen assets after finding him guilty of abnormal wealth back on his mind, Thaksin is surely going all out to ensure Pheu Thai's victory in this election.
The victory will be a passport for his returning home as well as recovering his wealth.
Meanwhile, the Democrat Party has promised, among others, to raise wages by 25 per cent in the next two years due to the rising cost of living.
Democrat leader Abhisit Vejjajiva, the prime minister, has cautioned voters not to use their ballots to solve the problems of certain politicians but the citizens' problems.
