Bangkok: "Thai Helps Thai Plus" has successfully launched, and academics note that the targeted assistance has immediately stimulated spending, indicating public anticipation for such measures. They believe the government has resolved the crisis.
According to Thai News Agency, Associate Professor Dr. Olar Thinbangtiao from the Faculty of Political Science at Burapha University commented on the "Thai Help Thai Plus 60:40" cost of living relief measure, which began on June 1st. He stated that the overall situation for the government and the Bhumjaithai Party is now beginning to stabilize after facing pressure from all sides since taking office.
Associate Professor Dr. Olar emphasized that the current government has assumed power during a challenging period, grappling with economic issues inherited from the previous administration, conflicts with neighboring countries, and the Middle East crisis impacting energy and the global economy-factors beyond the government's control.
Despite these challenges, the situation is seen as a crucial test for the government. Successfully navigating these difficulties would demonstrate their capacity to govern the country. Dr. Olar noted that many issues are showing signs of improvement. He highlighted the energy sector, which, despite initial concerns over a potential oil shortage, is being managed effectively, showcasing a good crisis response.
Dr. Olar believes that, despite ongoing criticism and political maneuvering from the opposition, the government's overall performance is stabilizing, especially with the "Thai Helps Thai Plus 60:40" initiative receiving a positive public response. During his journey from Chonburi to Bangkok, he observed many shops participating in the project, reflecting its effectiveness in stimulating spending and underscoring the need for government support for the grassroots economy.
"This solution addresses the root cause as the money reaches real sales. Small retailers benefit, and the public feels their purchasing power has returned," Dr. Olar said.
He suggested that the government should not become complacent with initial successes but should build upon the project for long-term benefits, particularly by helping SMEs utilize online technology to expand sales channels, create domestic supply chains, and increase the value of community products.
Furthermore, Dr. Olar views that projects like this can be expanded to create a national Big Data system, as spending data reflects people's consumption behavior in detail, including income levels, spending patterns, and popular products. This would be beneficial for formulating future economic policies.
"Today, technology helps the government see what income levels people have, what they spend, how much they spend per day, and what kind of products they prefer. If this data is analyzed seriously, it will help to plan the economic structure more accurately," Dr. Olar said.
He also proposed government support for creating local influencers to help sell community products. In the digital economy era, each sub-district should have young people who can live-stream product sales, create product storylines, and connect producers directly with consumers without intermediaries.
"Some products have unique characteristics, such as organic fruits or local products. If you create a good story for them and use younger generations to help sell them online, it will greatly increase the product's value and generate income for the community," Dr. Olar said.
The Thai Help Thai Plus project is emphasized as a crucial starting point for stimulating the economy, as significant spending occurred immediately after launching the system. In the first three hours, over 170 million baht circulated, reflecting public anticipation for such measures.
"Once the grassroots economy starts to recover and SMEs begin to get back on their feet, criticism of the government will decrease because the public will feel the real results. This is why the opposition aggressively attacks the projects, knowing that their continuation and expansion will lead to tangible economic recovery," Dr. Olar concluded.