Train people where skills are needed

Yet, the more important question is the long-term one raised by Wilaiwan Sae-tia, Thai Labour Solidarity Committee leader, who asked, "How can the government ensure that the people who join its scheme do not go back to the loan sharks?"

Micro-financing, which is part of the government's plan, is one way. However, breaking the debt cycle requires far more than micro-financing. I suggest that we focus not on giving out money, but on giving opportunities for the disadvantaged to train themselves in areas where their skills are needed, including:

Teaching the disadvantaged to budget their income. Here, the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) already has an excellent programme, which many schools will be teaching, and there are doubtless other courses. Both those receiving government assistance and those so poor that they've had to default on loans before (and so would not qualify for government refinancing) should be given first priority to participate in budgeting classes, to be offered first in regions where there are the most poor.

Teaching graduates from these budgeting classes how to invest, including in their own businesses, e.g. through micro-financing.

Giving incentives so that state-run and private banks find it advantageous to offer micro-financing, with rigorous safeguards so that all banks lend prudently. For example, the state might share part (but not all) of non-performing loans.

Giving the disadvantaged vouchers for training in fields where there is a need for skills. For example, I understand that there's a severe lack of vocational school graduates, and employer surveys regularly report that their employees need IT and English skill improvements. These vouchers would be used in any participating private/public institution, to put market mechanisms to work.

Burin Kantabutra

Bangkok

Pheu Thai can gain an advantage

The red-shirt rally in Chiang Mai will be a great opportunity for Pheu Thai MPs to tell the people about the new "populist" measures that are being introduced. They can tell how the efforts of the Pheu Thai Party in Parliament have brought these measures about. The MPs can then elaborate on other measures they are pressing for and will introduce in their new Parliament next year. From this superior position, they should be able to encourage the red shirts toward reconciliation and desist from acts likely to widen divisions.

RICHARD BOWLER

Bangkok

Political protests must be endured

Re: "Bring the yellow shirts to trial now", Letters, August 17.

Although I feel nothing but suspicion for the PAD led by Sondhi Limthongkul, I cannot agree with Burin Kantabutra, who calls for prosecution of those involved with the yellow-shirts' closure of Suvarnabhumi Airport more than two years ago. The PAD was careful to skirt the law but not cross the line in its protest, and, as irritating as the PAD-niks are, there has already been enough vindictiveness in Thailand.

It is time to realise that the pain of political protests must be endured, forgiven and forgotten, and that realisation can begin with the PAD-niks and then, it is hoped, can be applied to red-shirt leaders and their supporters.

The PAD-niks were not terrorists, and I cannot accept the red-shirts being labelled terrorists either, so please show some mercy in large measures to the mindless, braindead PAD-niks and then apply some to the red-shirts also.

Guy Baker

Bangkok