Govt tackles the big sector items, but the poor are still waiting

screen me up: Shoppers check out TV prices at a fair held in Bangkok. The FPO says VAT receipts, an indicator of domestic consumption, rose by 7.2% in February from a year ago. (Photo by Somchai Poomlard)

After almost four years in power, the military government may have been successful in some macroeconomic areas and structural changes. In terms of the household economy, however, it still faces the uphill task of easing the plight of the grassroots.

While growth reached 4% in the first quarter, many people, particularly in households and the grassroots economy, have yet to notice much improvement.

The government is prepared to inject 100 billion baht into the grassroots economy via its Thai Niyom Yangyuen scheme in the second half of this year, in the hope things turn around.