News Forum - PM Prayut suggests studying Buddhism to cope with rising electricity bills in Thailand

[Thaiger]

Thailand’s electricity authorities approved record high electricity prices on Monday to offset rising prices of imported gas. Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha’s suggestion of studying Buddhism to cope with expensive bills is a slap in the face to Thailand’s poorest people, who will disproportionately suffer the most due to the price hike. “Go and study the Dharma. Study the Four Noble Truths and ask yourself, what is suffering? How can it be solved? Then look at the methods to end suffering,” suggested PM Prayut after a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday. Phra Phayom Kalayano, abbot of Wat Suan Kaew temple in Nonthaburi […]

The story PM Prayut suggests studying Buddhism to cope with rising electricity bills in Thailand as seen on Thaiger News.

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[DoUKnowWhoIAm]

1 hour ago, Thaiger said:

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha’s suggestion of studying Buddhism to cope with expensive bills is a slap in the face to Thailand’s poorest people,

Clearly out of touch with reality.

[Davelee]

The master troll at work!

[Giltee]

An unbelievable comment. Perhaps he could best help poor people by paying their power bill for them out of his own pocket. 

[longwood50]

I should have suggested that to a neighbor.  He had not paid his electric bill in two months and they came and took out his meter and shut his power off.  Had he only known he could have prayed to Buddah to stop that. 

[HolyCowCm]

What a rich Regime out of touch with Thai people cocky whack job. These idiots are the ones who contracted rights away. You can bet they are invested some way in the matter and making money off the gas both ways whether imported or exported. Offsetthe imported gas prices by cancellling the export contract. It is after all Thailand gas whcih should be the people's gas and not the regime's personal money toy.

[HolyCowCm]

38 minutes ago, longwood50 said:

I should have suggested that to a neighbor.  He had not paid his electric bill in two months and they came and took out his meter and shut his power off.  Had he only known he could have prayed to Buddah to stop that. 

If no amulet or wooden phallus, praying won't help him. Gonna be more Thai folk having their power cut off. But what does he or his regime care. His electricity is free as he lives on a military base.

[Graham]

Another F/Wit statement from a sham government who care nothing for the ordinary Thai people, they only care about the Hi-so. 

[DoUKnowWhoIAm]

What does he suggest one should do in order to avoid traffic accidents, buy an amulet I suppose.

[Manu]

Perhaps he should himself "study Buddhism", an illumination of what the vast majority of Thai people wish from him might enlightened him: to go away.

[palooka]

When monks choose to cross this line to speak out about the impossible cost of living, the situation is not good.

You've stepped over a big line Pnut, you now pissed off the monks too.

[Chatogaster]

 

I guess he's primarily addressing households (accounting for quite a lot but still <25% of the total electricity consumption) and indirectly telling them to offset the increase in the rate by a decrease of consumption. 

Sad fact is that many (no numbers here, just a feeling) are already at a minimum level of consumption. Throwing religion/philosophy at them doesn't help them one iota (if anything, it's only offensive towards that group, as in: "Hungry? … Just stop graving food!"). 

It's typical Thai politics: a general, all-encompassing rule that will be patched up numerous times in various ways as time progresses, with many sacrifices along the way. BTW: I'm not saying that Thailand has a monopoly on this approach, but I am worried that Thailand doesn't have the infrastructure to quickly react to the negative fall-out.

Addendum (because it's easy to complain but harder to offer solutions): different rates depending on monthly consumption. Low-consumers wouldn't be affected. 

Edited August 18, 2022 by Chatogaster
addendum

[Bluesofa]

6 hours ago, Thaiger said:

studying Buddhism to cope with expensive bills

Seems obvious to me:
Our illustrious leader is assuming they will gain enlightenment, thus reducing their electricity usage.

[DiJoDavO]

6 hours ago, Thaiger said:

 

Well, at least right before the deadline he made sure that no one is gonna vote for him or anyone connected to him anymore. 

[DiJoDavO]

3 hours ago, DoUKnowWhoIAm said:

What does he suggest one should do in order to avoid traffic accidents, buy an amulet I suppose.

If I remember it right, he literally said: then don't drive the car. 

[Dmitrii]

I really enjoy it when rich people of Hi-So remind the poorest about being stoic in suffering.

What a hypocritical jerk...

[Mazz11]

What a disgraceful thing to say.

It reminds me of Marie Antoinette's alleged comment when told that her subjects had no bread to eat she replied 'let them eat cake'.

Things didn't go very well for her after this.

[Skip]

He would have been more politically correct to have said..."stick your heads in the sand!"

[Paulw]

A very inappropriate & thoughtless comment, I guess that sums up Thai leadership!! It will be interesting to see if the PM honours the constitution and steps down after 2 x 4 year terms!!!

[Manu]

5 hours ago, Mazz11 said:

What a disgraceful thing to say.

It reminds me of Marie Antoinette's alleged comment when told that her subjects had no bread to eat she replied 'let them eat cake'.

Things didn't go very well for her after this.

Your comment reminds me of another one from a popular stand up comedian in France in the 80s who once said: "God said, I will share amongst people: the rich people will have food, the poors an appetite". I guess this is what the PM meant by "studying buddhism".

[TSS]

what an self entitled d- wad

[Viggen8408]

22 hours ago, Paulw said:

A very inappropriate & thoughtless comment, I guess that sums up Thai leadership!! It will be interesting to see if the PM honours the constitution and steps down after 2 x 4 year terms!!!

Why should he honour the constitution and step down? He hasn't honoured anything else since being in office - he or his cohort of corruption 

[Viggen8408]

On 8/18/2022 at 9:18 PM, DiJoDavO said:

Well, at least right before the deadline he made sure that no one is gonna vote for him or anyone connected to him anymore. 

Not vote for him? Since when has that made a difference to the generals?

[Viggen8408]

On 8/18/2022 at 5:30 PM, HolyCowCm said:

What a rich Regime out of touch with Thai people cocky whack job. These idiots are the ones who contracted rights away. You can bet they are invested some way in the matter and making money off the gas both ways whether imported or exported. Offsetthe imported gas prices by cancellling the export contract. It is after all Thailand gas whcih should be the people's gas and not the regime's personal money toy.

This is the same the world over: profit-driven export before the (lower-priced) internal market... every time.

[HolyCowCm]

3 hours ago, Viggen8408 said:

This is the same the world over: profit-driven export before the (lower-priced) internal market... every time.

Power, Greed and Money. In their eyes corruption doesn't exist.