Bangkok: TDRI advises political parties to focus on caring for an aging society and addressing structural economic problems. Associate Professor Dr. Nipon Puapongsakorn, an honorary scholar at the Thailand Development Research Institute (TDRI), stated that TDRI is preparing an article advising citizens to exercise their right to vote for political parties that can implement economic and social policies effectively and beneficially for the country in the long term. He noted that Thailand has been experiencing prolonged and complex economic problems, resulting in the lowest GDP growth in ASEAN, except for Myanmar. This is attributed to a weak Thai bureaucracy and political system, characterized by constant infighting, legal warfare, and a political landscape dominated by powerful factions and questionable political structures, with bureaucrats prioritizing their own agency's interests.
According to Thai News Agency, solving Thailand's long-term economic problems requires restructuring the economy and addressing complex regulations that hinder business operations. However, these changes have not been fully implemented. Production relies heavily on cheap labor from neighboring countries, and conflicts with Cambodia negatively impact businesses due to labor shortages. The Value Added Tax (VAT) is legally mandated at 10% for the long term, but currently, no government or political party has dared to increase it; instead, they opt for short-term solutions like distributing money.
The approach of granting BOI tax exemptions to businesses for 7-10 years should be evaluated for its cost-effectiveness. Once factories are established, they create jobs, generate tax revenue from labor, and increase sales through both corporate and VAT taxes. Therefore, economic policies formulated for election campaigns should have a long-term plan to address structural problems.
Regarding social issues, political parties should promote the upgrading and improvement of numerous community funds to provide comprehensive and effective care for their members. These community funds are numerous and should be overseen by the central government to ensure standardized and efficient care, similar to urban welfare programs. Given the large elderly population in rural areas, vocational training is crucial. For example, communities with tourist attractions should offer training in local products and culture to create unique selling points for tourists.
The creation of a welfare system, including referrals and assistance for elderly patients, both from hill tribes and those living in remote areas, to receive online care from specialist doctors, and the organization of activities such as sports and religious studies for the elderly through local administrative organizations, has been implemented effectively and efficiently. It is acknowledged that this does not significantly consume central government funds, but instead improves the welfare system for people in rural areas. Therefore, TDRI is preparing an article recommending that voters consider the policies of political parties.