Author: gqSbgCfmna

The proposal to raise value-added tax from 7% to 8.5% in 2028, and to 10% in 2030, by Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Ekniti Nitithanprapas is a display of political courage rarely seen in a political landscape where politicians are quick to spend money in the name of “economic stimulus” but stay mum when asked how to finance the schemes.

Public debt reached 64.8% of GDP at the end of September and is expected to exceed 65% next year, only a short distance from the 70% permitted ceiling.

At the same time, recurrent expenditure, including salaries and the fast-rising cost of state welfare programmes, now accounts for roughly 70% of the budget and is still expanding. This places growing pressure on Thailand’s competitiveness and sovereign credit rating. Moody’s has already assigned a Baa1 rating with a negative outlook, while Fitch maintains BBB+ with a stable outlook. These warnings cannot be dismissed.

Although Thailand’s VAT legislation already allows for a ceiling of 10%, no government over the past three decades has dared to raise the rate, fearing an electoral backlash. Mr Ekniti’s proposal shows the need to confront reality instead of evading it.

A VAT increase indeed is inevitable as Thailand cannot sustain a tax-to-GDP ratio of around 16% while public debt edges closer to the legal limit and essential services face mounting long-term obligations. Without new and dependable revenue, the alternatives would be deeper borrowing or cuts to vital social programmes.

But support for a VAT rise must be conditional. Public reluctance does not stem from the tax itself but from years of watching public money diverted into political giveaways, wasteful projects and inefficient spending.

Examples abound. One recent case concerns the National Health Security Office’s questionable allocation of taxpayer funds to NGO projects while some state hospitals under the scheme complain of delays in allocations.

Before hiking VAT, the government must show how it intends to correct these failures.

The government needs to raise more money from VAT collections, to be sure, but it must be used for public benefit, and under transparent regulatory monitoring.

For example, the government must specify how the extra funds will be used and limit spending to essentials. Priority areas should include education and reskilling, healthcare, infrastructure that raises competitiveness, and research and innovation.

But raising VAT alone is not enough. The government must find a way to tax informal business and the underground economy which is thought to represent as much as 40% of total economic activity. VAT is an efficient and broadly fair tax, as people who consume more pay more. But it is not perfectly equitable because the same rate applies to both rich and poor.

Measures to cushion low-income households from the impact of higher prices will be even more necessary, especially given the steep rise in food costs despite low headline inflation, and the burden of essential goods such as medicines. If these safeguards are honoured, the public can accept that a VAT increase serves the country’s future, not political convenience.

So, if VAT is to increase, it must be raised for the right reasons: to secure Thailand’s long-term fiscal stability and competitiveness, not to finance electoral calculations or sustain a bureaucracy resistant to reform. The government has a choice, and the public is watching.

TV Girl, an American indie pop band, will give their Bangkok debut concert “TV Girl Perform Their Hits Live” at the Samyan Mitrtown Hall of Samyan Mitrtown, Rama IV Road, on Dec 1 at 8pm.

Formed in San Diego in 2010 as an outlet to blend a love of Spector-esque girl group pop with hip-hop, TV Girl consists of lead vocalist Brad Petering, drummer Jason Wyman and keyboardist Wyatt Harmon.

Featuring shimmering vocals and sampled beats, their self-titled debut mini album of the same year turned heads immediately. They released two more mini albums before their first full-length album French Exit was launched in 2014.

The album kept true to the TV Girl charm with a bevy of electronic samplings infused throughout light and airy guitars, whirring organs and ethereal vocals that tell the tale of moody characters fuelled by revenge as often as love, underpinned by a desperation and deep yearning to connect.

Their second album Who Really Cares followed in 2016, finding the band doubling down on their heavy use of samples. The record saw TV Girl combine the aesthetic of 90s hip-hop with modern psychedelic pop, offering a glimpse into the psyche of a love-scorned 20-something.

The band released their latest record Grapes Upon The Vine in 2023. Their most mature effort yet, the album features extensive use of gospel samples as it explores themes of commitment, God and the afterlife, not without TV Girl’s cynicism and biting wit.

Backed by gospel singers and a live band, TV Girl has performed around the world in theatres, arenas and festivals. After Bangkok, the trio will be gracing stages in Singapore, Taipei and Tokyo.

Surveys conducted between Jan 1, 2020, and Feb 20 this year by the Department of Mental Health revealed that over 6 million Thai people suffer from mental health issues. Of these, 560,000 or 9.1% are at risk of depression, while 480,000 or 7.9% face high stress, and 310,000 or 5.2% are at risk of suicide.

People aged 20 to 29 are at high risk in all areas — 29.5% at risk of depression, 26.2% at risk of stress and 17.5% at risk of suicide. In 2024, the survey discovered that over 5,000 Thai people committed suicide and it is estimated that there are 1.3 million people aged 15 and over with depression.

Due to the high rate of mental health issues and suicide incidents in shopping malls, mental health is a serious issue. To raise awareness, Sati, a mental health service application, collaborated with Thailand Institute for Mental Health Sustainability, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration and many private sectors to hold the event “Better Mind Better Bangkok 2025” at Samyan Mitrtown last month.

The event provided information regarding activities that can increase energy, self-compassion, acceptance and gratitude. The information, shared on Oct 4, revealed that the Sati app has 64,297 users and the app took 33,744 calls. The average duration of a call was 18 minutes and six seconds. Users stated that their negative feelings and thought of self-harm decreased after the call.

In addition to activities at the event, there were also other forums including “Possibility: Dare To Dream Of Mental Health Policies That Address The Needs Of Urban Society”.

Dr Varoth Chotpitayasunondh, a psychiatrist and spokesperson with the Ministry of Public Health, kicked off the forum by answering the question, is it possible to dream of mental health policies that address the needs of urban society?

“I can’t say for sure how feasible it is, but we believe in our potential as an organisation that focuses on mental health,” Dr Varoth said. “Mental health care in Thailand will not focus solely on treatment or on increasing mental health professionals and hospitals. If that happens, many people will still suffer from mental health issues. We may try new projects that focus instead on prevention and public awareness which could lead to a reduction in the number of people experiencing mental health issues.”

Dr Suthee Saritsiri, director of the Health Promotion Division at the Health Department, Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, said it already has some mental health services that people can access. Dr Suthee mentioned that the Urban Medicine Service Center in 11 hospitals under BMA provides medical services in the form of a one-stop service. Patients can ask for information about health problems, schedule an appointment for a checkup and consult doctors online via telemedicine.

The BMA also has a mental health screening system. Dr Suthee gave an example of a case she experienced.

“The team was called to the scene of a student who had jumped from the 7th floor of a school. Following the incident, students, teachers and other people who had experienced the event were given mental health screenings, as the experience could contribute to stress, depression and panic attacks.

“We learned that some students knew how to relieve stress, such as by exercising, singing or hanging out with friends, while some had no idea what to do,” explained Dr Suthee.

“We also learned that most students tend to discuss problems with their peers, so we encourage students to have leaders who coordinate with teachers. These leaders can help their peers with learning and academic activities. The school also organised meetings with parents, as their expectations can cause pressure on students. Parents should allow their children to learn what interests them.”

When asked what a mental health policy would look like, Dr Varoth said policies can be driven two ways — top-down or bottom-up. He gave the example of declaring May each year as a mental health month being a top-down policy.

For the bottom-up policy, Dr Varoth mentioned Sati’s Bench With Ears project which provides a safe space without charge for Bangkokians. Volunteers will be available to listen to participants without being judged for 40 minutes. Another project is Jood Pak Jai (A Resting Place For Your Heart) created by Pataradanai Setsuwan, a psychotherapist. Participants can speak with Pataradanai for five or 50 minutes without charge.

According to Dr Varoth, the number of patients with mental health problems has increased since 1990. However, Thailand still has a stigma around mental health.

“While the stigma surrounding mental health patients has improved, I noticed that many people still view mental health issues as not their own concern and so ignore them. Those people only pay attention when the issues affect themselves or their family members. If everyone realises that mental health issues are not solely the responsibility of the Ministry of Public Health or medical schools, more mental issues will be addressed,” explained Dr Varoth.

“An event like ‘Better Mind Better Bangkok 2025’ is a great example as it is a collaborative effort between multiple organisations that pool their resources. This helps people realise that mental health issues are related to everyone.”

Pataradanai, who worked as a volunteer psychotherapist in the UK for a couple of years, agreed that Thai people still have stigma about mental issues. Pataradanai said people in the UK have easy access to a psychotherapist or psychiatrist.

“Thai people have an attitude that mental health issues are like bacteria or a virus that needs to be treated. Seeing a psychiatrist in a private hospital is still a luxury service that not everyone can access. Therefore, I created Jood Pak Jai, so that people can relieve stress. Projects like ‘Bench With Ears’ help people feel they can be heard by others who are not psychotherapists or psychiatrists. They will feel that mental issues are not shameful and get access to mental health services,” said Pataradanai.

Dr Suthee pointed out that many mental health issues are caused by family since parents focus on the financial issues of making a living rather than building a relationship with their children.

“Many people, who are stressed and depressed, are from rural areas because they feel isolated and do not have anyone to turn to. Having someone to listen to them can help them feel better. Additionally, children should be taught life skills, including social skills, forgiveness and sharing. This will gradually improve society,” said Dr Suthee.

Dr Varoth encouraged people to start by appreciating themselves and pay it forward for a better society.

“If you can appreciate yourself, you will be able to appreciate those around you and others. If everyone does this, the positive feeling will spread to others. I believe that mental health is not just one person’s business, but everyone’s business. I hope everyone will work together to cope with mental health issues.”