Showing 1 - 9 of 9
Populist policies: Yingluck's worse than Thaksin
Jon Fernquest, Published on 31/05/2013
» First generation populist policies (universal healthcare, OTOP) better than second generation policies (rice pledging scheme, first car rebate).
Talking is better than fighting
Jon Fernquest, Published on 04/01/2013
» Bangkok Post Person of Year award goes to TDRI research program to replace street protests & fights by well-reasoned research & debate.
Rice policy mainly benefits rich people
Jon Fernquest, Published on 08/08/2012
» Poor farmers get 5% of govt rice program money, merchants & millers get 63%.
"Free education" not really free
Jon Fernquest, Published on 17/02/2012
» Test scores & education quality falling. Lack of accountability the problem, not money, 20% of govt budget to education, more than ASEAN neighbors.
Rice scheme mostly helps rich
Jon Fernquest, Published on 23/09/2011
» Poor stuck buying more expensive rice. Rice exporters, millers, warehousers, richer farmers, the cronies of politicians, the ones who will really benefit.
Rice policy: Govt spending black hole?
Jon Fernquest, Published on 05/09/2011
» Will consumers pay for huge rice price subsidies, far above market prices? Will ignoring the market lead to a vicious cycle of government spending?
Rice policy corruption
Jon Fernquest, Published on 29/06/2011
» Revival of past rice policy will create opportunities for middleman rice millers to profit, not the small farmers who need help.
Should Thailand strive to become a medical tourism hub?
Jon Fernquest, Published on 05/11/2010
» Medical tourism could draw doctors out of an already struggling public health care system and endanger its very existence.
Agricultural price supports
Jon Fernquest, Published on 22/09/2010
» The Abhisit administration has put in place a true system of crop insurance and agricultural price supports. Payments to farmers used to be used as a system of "political booty" to gain voter support in elections.