Life’s not fair

Re “Report: Thailand most unequal country in 2018”, (Online, Dec 7).

Credit to Banyong Pongpanich for bringing this to the public’s attention. Unfortunately he then suggests neoliberalism and welfare are the solutions to this extremely disturbing state of affairs.

Neoliberalism combined with the patronage system, a military dictatorship, stifled public education, limited credit facilities, farm price controls, a state enterprise system, massive corruption, and a failing justice system will not make any difference at all. Welfare is a short-term bandaid that only exacerbates income disparity.

Thailand desperately needs reform from the ground up — literally. The poorest 10% of Thais have less than zero money. And most of these are rural farmers, yet successive governments enact the exact policies over and over again that confines the poor to their destitution for generation after generation. Debt absolution programmes, farm subsidies, handouts, a soul-crushing education system and dreadful healthcare are the cage that confines poor Thais to a marginalised life of little hope and much despair.

The current government, whose promise of reform was their cause celebre, has only made things worse while enriching themselves in public view. Thailand urgently needs new, young, courageous leadership with a different vision for this great country. The junta should simply step aside and let it happen. MICHAEL SETTER Bang Saray