Opponents urge government to stop welfare card for poor scheme

BANGKOK, Nov 19 (TNA) -- The group of social activists have urged the government to cease the welfare smart card for poor scheme, arguing that the government-sponsored programme would only help capitalists or goods manufacturers. Sureerat Treemanka, coordinator of the People's Network Moving for Welfare State, asked the government of Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-ocha to scrap the programme because it is unknown that people who had registered under the programme were all poor and money given monthly to these people could end up in the hands of major capitalists or goods manufacturers. Ms Sureerat argued that there are still many people who earn less than 30,000 baht a year and have not joined the programme. Claiming that the programme would not be able to reduce social disparity, Ms Sureerat said the government should instead provide state welfare to every poor people and also support start-up businessmen. Ranong Soonsuwan, an activist campaigning for a better welfare system said the programme would only temporarily help the poor. Mr Ranong said that the programme would further divide the rich and the poor and create social disparity. (TNA)