The line stretched from the main building inside the temple complex all the way to the temple gate. Luang Por Methana said he had never seen anything like in his 30 years of ordination.
The people had come to Wat Phra Roy in Suphanburi for food handouts, unable to provide for themselves as the government shutdown continues and livelihoods remain on hold.
“We do not have food for them every day,” said Luang Por Methana, the abbot of the temple. “But when we do, we let them know and then they come.”
The site has become all too common across Thailand with monks and temples acting as emergency relief shelters for poor grassroots Thais left behind by the government’s policies.
Government efforts
Much has been made about the government’s 5,000 baht per month subsidies for workers outside of the country’s social security program. Many people have been unable to register or failed to qualify for the handouts because of technicalities. Working-class Thais have remonstrated, demonstrated and felt injustice at the government’s inability to roll out this unprecedented program.
The government for its part said that it would introduce an audit system for those Thais unable to register for the program. It is due to begin later this week but for many Thais that have been out of work for over a month, that is too little, too late.
The government has also said that it would help Thais in other aspects, not just handouts but utilities and bills as well.
On Tuesday, Energy Minister Sonthirat Sonthijirawong said that he will subsidize the energy bill to low income households for three months to the tune of 23 billion baht (where he will get the money remains to be seen). Free energy will be provided to 10 million households that have 5 amp energy meters that use no more than 150 units per month.
The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission will also partner up with the country’s top five providers to provide 100 free minutes to all Thais per month. The providers refused to lower phone bills, which the NBTC had initially been trying to do.
“This measure would help people who have been affected the most as 70 per cent of prepaid customers are living in cities and they have to call back to their family members in the provinces which is normally being done via voice call,” said Takorn Tantasith, Secretary-General of the NBTC.
Yet like the 5,000 baht handout program, government plans have not always met successful implementation. The NBTC had earlier in March provided 10 gigabits of date to 30 million mobile users for free. Those that registered for the program say it was not usable with low speeds and poor connections hampering the good intent.
Necessity of now
“The government has good ideas but we never see them,” said Janejira Jakkumping. Like many people waiting at the temple for food, Janejira has been unable to work for a month.
“My family lives here in the central region and some of them can still work like those that are farming or those that work selling groceries but I am a custodian and they shut down the office where I work,” she said.
Unlike the majority of people that work at the office who have begun telecommuting or working from home, Janejira does not have that luxury. She said she was unable to qualify for the 5,000 baht handout programs but does not know why.
“My son is a motorcycle taxi driver in Bangkok. Now he is back here in Suphan using his motorcycle to do deliveries for the factory owners,” she said. According to Janejira it is not enough for them to get by.
“I don’t care about internet or phone bill, why would I care when I don’t have enough to eat for the next day?”
(Additional Reporting by: Erich Parpart)
