FORMER Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra said in a Clubhouse chat, where he uses the alias Tony Woodsome, that both the government’s 50:50 co-payment scheme and the Phuket Sandbox tourism project have shortcomings, Siam Rath newspaper said this morning (June 16). Thai Newsroom

Thaksin slams 50:50 co-payment, Phuket sandbox schemes

June 16, 2021 TNR Staff

FORMER Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra said in a Clubhouse chat, where he uses the alias Tony Woodsome, that both the government's 50:50 co-payment scheme and the Phuket Sandbox tourism project have shortcomings, Siam Rath newspaper said this morning (June 16).

Joining the discussion at CARE ClubHouse x CARE Talk on the topic, "Tony wants to ask when will the confusion end? Why has something easy turned into something difficult?" he said the government is only half right with the co-payment scheme.

He wondered whether the government listened to his previous Clubhouse chats where he had mentioned that the people's debts have to be restructured because the authorities actually did it and has signed up approximately 130 million accounts. But he pointed out that they had only got it half right with there being many other issues that have to be studied along with this project.

"With the economy shut like this, paying 1 percent interest is a burden, half a percent is a burden, because people don't have income. 

"To put it simply, the 50:50 co-payment scheme, 31 million people have been given the right but it turns out people aren't using this right.

"This shows that 1. the scheme might not have reached the people 2.People don't have money to spend, even half, no one wants to spend it.

"You have to understand that today there are lots of people who don't have anything to eat. Today can't stay calm and go along steadily," he said.

Where the Phuket sandbox project is concerned, the former premier said he does not know whether sand is being put in the box or will be flowing out. From having to spend seven days in Phuket before being allowed to travel elsewhere in the country this has gone up to 14 days and they also have to report to the authorities two to three times, the tourists are saying bye-bye, not coming, he said.