Impoverished go hungry

[reader]

From Bangkok Post

Already reeling from shutdowns brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic, the poor have found themselves facing increasing economic hardship since the government enforced social distancing measures and travel restrictions to flatten the curve of transmission three weeks ago.

There have been numerous media reports depicting the depressing state of Thailand's poor. One such report concerned an electrician from Songkhla who deliberately walked towards police officers in Phuket with a methamphetamine pill in his hand, asking them to charge him and send him to jail for illicit drug possession because he had nothing to eat.

The man said he was laid off but couldn't return to his family because Phuket was locked down not long after he lost his job. He was charged but it has not been reported whether he was jailed as he hoped.

The government's measures to lock down cities, shut down businesses, restrict travel and impose curfews have resulted in the loss of jobs. Without income, food has become scarce among the poor -- many of whom can hardly afford to eat, let alone fill their stomachs.

One such incident was that of a 25-year-old motorcycle taxi driver who was arrested last week for stealing 6,000 baht cash from a grocery store owner in Sathon district. Several reporters visited his home and found out he was the sole breadwinner for a family of six.

There have been several reports of theft and burglaries in the past two weeks. The motives of many cases are linked to rising poverty and food shortages.

Their plight is in stark contrast to how the middle-class, including white-collar workers, have been living during the outbreak. For them, food is not a problem.

They can get food at department stores, supermarkets, grocery shops and convenience stores. They can even have food delivered without having to leave their houses.

But for the poor, these are luxuries they can't afford. They survive off cheap food from street vendors, street stalls at markets or mobile food trucks -- many of which have suspended operations or closed down because of the government's restrictions on activities and movement.

Recent news stories have proved that leaving the poor to deal with food scarcity by themselves can lead to social problems, such as increased crime, poverty and inequality. Without state aid, ultimately it won't just be their problem.

https://www.bangkokpost.com/opinion/opinion/1898460/virus-fight-sees-impoverished-go-hungry

[TotallyOz]

This is what happens worldwide when people can't take care of their families. As a frequent visitor to Brazil, I have seen the rise in crime during economic hard time. It is sad for sure and it is the government's responsibility to take care of this. If they do not, things will get worse.

[Guest]

Whilst I haven't been to Brazil, the GDP per capita is ahead of Thailand, so one would think a responsible government would be able to take care of it's people as well as the Thai government does.   Which might not be a very tough benchmark.

 

Of course, there are at least 100 countries poorer than Brazil and I'm not at all sure that the quarantine model is best for some of the poorer countries in the world.

1 For a start, in many of the people earn the money for the food on the day they buy the food.  When the money dries up, they have a problem.  

2 We also have very high population density in places like Manila, so with many people in a house and a need to go out to get food, how effective would quarantine be ?

3 Finally, on the positive side, some of the poorest countries have a low median age, so the percentage who suffer heavily from Covid should be lower.

I guess some governments will have difficult decisions to make.

 

In comparison, some of us are quite lucky to have quarantine in a house, with a well stocked fridge and sometimes even a garden.     We should remember that it could be a lot worse.

[TotallyOz]

I think it will get a lot worse. Not sure how responsible the government will be in taking care of those that are hardest hit. I have heard some very poor areas are being locked down. I don't know if this is true or not. Where I live, it is easy to go out and buy things and travel to the store if I wanted to. If this changes, we are in trouble. However, I think the poor are in trouble now. What is the government doing now for those that need help?

[DivineMadman]

8 hours ago, Michael said:

I think it will get a lot worse. Not sure how responsible the government will be in taking care of those that are hardest hit. I have heard some very poor areas are being locked down. I don't know if this is true or not. Where I live, it is easy to go out and buy things and travel to the store if I wanted to. If this changes, we are in trouble. However, I think the poor are in trouble now. What is the government doing now for those that need help?

I think that for the most part in the M-T-L-C-V countries, the governments don't stand in the "take care" position with the people.  Thaksin Shinawatra certainly took steps in that direction in Thailand (for his own reasons), but the conservative/royalist/military/bloc seems to have accepted those steps only begrudgingly (witness the current junta's shitty first steps towards universal income payments to help ease the COVID-19 crisis, finding only 9 million people eligible).  I think there was a headline where some government agency was boasting it had created 300 jobs for people displaced by COVID-19.  Big f***ing whoop.

What these countries do have are the underlying social structures that have been in place long before the rise and fall of "mere" governments: the family, the village (or local communities) and the temple.   (I'm less confident of this start as far as VN is concerned, because I think perhaps during the more oppressive communist years there may have been more damage to these sorts of undergoing structures.)  Sometimes people here question the idea of the guys sending so much of their earnings home to "mom", but the flip side is that there is a home for them to go to and, out in the countryside, plenty of food.  Temples are arranging food distribution - and in the non-urban areas temples have always played that role with the "excess" daily offerings.

Also, in Bangkok and I read Pattaya, bars and NGOs are stepping up.  SWING Foundation in Bangkok has been providing food and supplies and has stayed open to provide medical services to the gay/trans "service worker" (sex worker) community.  Patpong Museum has been helping out also, but I assume their focus is the bar girls.  COVID Thailand Aid - I've posted about them before - is providing food and supplies to the elderly and at risk community in the Khlong Toey slums and more recently throughout much of Thailand.  Another organization based in Klong Toey that has been stepping up is the marvelous Duang Prateep Foundation.  I am sure all through would welcome donations.  

So, for the most part,  I don't expect the government to do much.  But I think the local people in the community will make the difference.  

On a side note, the guys I worry about are the guys who for one reason or another, don't have a family situation where they can go back home, and have stayed in BKK.  

[reader]

From Khaosod English

‘Not Enough Money,’ Prayut Slashes 3-Month Relief Program

BANGKOK — Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha on Wednesday said the government may be able to pay only one month of the promised three-month cash relief package for workers affected by the coronavirus epidemic.

The government had earlier planned to give 5,000 baht cash handout to temporary, contract, and self-employed workers who are not covered by the social security system for three consecutive months, beginning this April. Officials also said the program might even be extended for six months, if the pandemic does not subside.

But speaking to the media after the Cabinet meeting this afternoon, Prayut said the government is struggling to secure funding for the next round of handouts.

“I feel sympathetic and sorry for the people,” Prayut said. “I have to admit that the government had initially planned to allocate the 50 billion baht budget to help three million people for three months.”

He went on, “But since more than 9 million people signed up for the program, the government could only give it for one month to cover all affected people.”

PM Prayut said he will propose slashing 10 percent of each ministerial budget and pushing a 1 trillion baht loan bill into the parliament to help top up funding for the program. 

However, he does not expect these solutions to arrive any time soon.

Continues at

https://www.khaosodenglish.com/politics/2020/04/15/not-enough-money-prayut-slashes-3-month-relief-program/

[reader]

From Bangkok Post

Prayut: B5,000 to be paid for three months

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has made an about-turn, saying the government will hand out the 5,000-baht aid for three months as planned earlier.

The premier apologised on Thursday for the “miscommunication” on the previous day. On Wednesday he said the government would have money for only a month’s worth of the handout, leading to an uproar among applicants.

On Thursday, he said the government would make sure the aid was paid for three months.

“If the situation improves after that period, there’s no need for the government to find more money since people could work normally.

“But if the situation drags on, we will have to consider finding more money.”

[Guest]

On 4/15/2020 at 1:14 PM, DivineMadman said:

I think that for the most part in the M-T-L-C-V countries, the governments don't stand in the "take care" position with the people. 

I presume you have M for Myanmar, on the basis that Malaysia has a GDP per capita at almost 7x that of Cambodia ?

The median age in these countries is under 30, everywhere except Thailand, which is 37.7.    In Laos, it's only 23.   

Obviously a low age is good for Covid survival prospects, so with that and the general poverty, these countries will probably be more inclined to get their populations back to work quickly.  

[reader]

Some of these photos are hard to look at. But they show that you don't have to travel too far outside of Pattaya to find poverty and life on the edge.

From Pattaya Mail

Thai villagers receive care and benevolence during extremely difficult times

Anucha Intasorn, chief of Sattahip District, 30 kms from Pattaya, reached into his own pocket to buy rice, eggs, water and dried food for 300 families struggling to make ends meet during the coronavirus shutdown.

Teams spread out across the district to distribute the food to grateful families, many of whom are suffering from all the closures due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Continues with photos

https://www.pattayamail.com/featured/thai-villagers-receive-care-and-benevolence-during-extremely-difficult-times-295897

[Vessey]

On 4/20/2020 at 1:48 AM, reader said:

Some of these photos are hard to look at. But they show that you don't have to travel too far outside of Pattaya to find poverty and life on the edge.

From Pattaya Mail

Thai villagers receive care and benevolence during extremely difficult times

Anucha Intasorn, chief of Sattahip District, 30 kms from Pattaya, reached into his own pocket to buy rice, eggs, water and dried food for 300 families struggling to make ends meet during the coronavirus shutdown.

Teams spread out across the district to distribute the food to grateful families, many of whom are suffering from all the closures due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Continues with photos

https://www.pattayamail.com/featured/thai-villagers-receive-care-and-benevolence-during-extremely-difficult-times-295897

This is good in several respects, people would have been grateful for the food and it was important that the District Boss saw for himself the problems that his people are currently under.

But next week, and the week after, and the week after that, how will these people cope?

Closing the bars of Pattaya will now be having more profound impacts up country as the girls and boys who worked in those bars are no longer sending money back to the villages. 

[reader]

From Bangkok Post

Jobless queue for food in Bangkok

Bangkok saw long lines of unemployed people waiting for free food as the pandemic destroys the economy and the government struggles to respond.

Some 27 million workers -- who lost their jobs in the tourism, entertainment, food and service sectors -- have applied for a monthly cash handout from the government, though only half have received approval.

Premier Prayut Chan-o-cha has also issued conflicting information on how long the government can afford to give people 5,000 baht a month.

Volunteers and charity groups have been collecting and distributing food around the city.

"The government hasn't helped me with anything," said Chare Kunwong, a 46-year-old masseur.

He stood in line alongside hundreds on Wednesday in Bangkok, waiting to receive food donations of rice, noodles, milk and curry packets.

"If I wait for the government's aid then I'll be dead first," he told AFP.

An hour north of Bangkok in Pathum Thani province, a growing number of locals are fishing in a canal in the hopes of easing food shortages, Thai media reported.

Angry scenes have erupted at the finance ministry in recent days, as protesters demanded answers on being shut out of the government's cash handout scheme.

Thailand's export- and tourism-reliant economy is forecast to see a contraction of 6.7% this year, its lowest GDP figures since 1998.