Thanathorn points to structural unfairness at campaign rally

PROGRESSIVE MOVEMENT leader Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit pointed to structural unfairness as being the root cause of the country’s problems while assisting the Move Forward electoral campaign in Chonburi and Chachoengsao provinces today (Apr. 21), Matichon newspaper said.

While many people are now of the opinion that no matter how many elections are held, the country does not change, Thanathorn mentioned that this is because the country’s problems are deeply embedded in the structure with previous governments having only tackled them in a perfunctory manner thus not fully resolving these dire issues.

He added that there were many examples of this structural unfairness but a key one is that half of the people in this country still do not have access to clean, sufficient water supply 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and it is incredible that this is the situation in Thailand in 2023.

This is not difficult to resolve and is in fact a fundamental public service that everyone, regardless of where they are born, should have access to, he pointed out.

Another good example is unequal development of road networks nationwide with some of roads in dire need of repair for decades and work still not undertaken.

Thanathorn added that these structural problems are due to the budget being concentrated at the centre. Take road repairs, provincial authorities must send documents to Bangkok and wait many months or years to get the budget approved with the local budget being insufficient for the task.

This means the bureaucratic system had to be reformed, he said, with power decentralised and local people having both the power and the budget to solve problems in their own areas without relying on patronage system, lobbying and connections to get the budget to develop their communities.

CAPTION:

Progressive Movement leader Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit campaigning in Chonburi and Chachoengsao provinces today, April 21, 2023. Photos: Matichon