BANGKOK, May 10 (Reuters) – Thailand’s main political parties have differing ideologies and support bases but are proposing many similar policies ahead of a May 14 general election, focusing on winning over the rural poor and millions shackled by household debt.

Below are some of their pledges.

PHEU THAI PARTY

– Target economic growth of 5% each year.

– Offer 10,000 Baht ($295) handouts via digital wallets for those aged 16 and over to spend in their communities, a scheme worth 560 billion baht ($16.55 billion).

– Raise daily minimum wages to 600 baht (from an average of 337 baht) and minimum monthly salaries for university graduates to 25,000 baht by 2027.

– Help every family earn at least 20,000 baht per month.

– Triple average income of farmers to 30,000 baht per rai (0.16 hectare) per year by 2027.

– Three-year debt moratorium on capital and interest for farmers and one-year debt moratorium for smaller businesses hit by COVID-19, plus debt restructuring.

– Upgrade universal healthcare programme.

– Welfare package for the elderly, worth 300 billion baht.

– Train 20 million high-skilled workers and create 20 million jobs.

– Reduce urban rail fares, energy, electricity and gas costs, support clean and alternative energy.

– One tablet computer per student and per teacher with free internet.

MOVE FORWARD PARTY

– Raise daily minimum wage to 450 baht, with yearly revisions.

– Increase monthly allowance for elderly to 3,000 baht by 2027.

– Reduce electricity costs, renegotiate power purchasing contracts with concessionaires.

– Debt relief for elderly farmers who can pay half of their debt, with the government paying the rest.

– Fixed bus and urban rail fares.

– Subsidise housing loans and rent payments for limited groups.

– 10,000 baht funeral grant.

– Fee internet of 1 GB per month.

– Legalise casinos and online betting run by the state.

– New constitution law, reform armed forces.

UNITED THAI NATION PARTY

– Increase monthly grants via state welfare cards to 1,000 baht per person and offer emergency loans of up to 10,000 baht.

– Monthly allowance for elderly of 1,000 baht.

– Reduce electricity bills for low-income earners and farmers.

– Emergency fund of 30 billion baht ($886.26 million) for vulnerable groups.

– Subsidies for domestic travel, co-payment scheme to buy goods or services.

– Allow borrowers to repay some state loans, such as student loans, by working for the public sector.

– Crop harvesting subsidy.

PALANG PRACHARAT PARTY

– Offer 30,000 baht to 7.5 million farming households for cultivation, 2,000 baht per rai for rice harvesting and cheaper fertiliser.

– Increase monthly grants for state welfare card holders to 700 baht per person from 300 baht and free life insurance.

– Raise monthly allowance for people aged 60 and over to 3,000-5,000 baht, from 600-1,000 baht.

– Reduce price of petrol, diesel and cooking gas.

– Lower electricity bills.

– Set up 300 billion baht ($8.86 billion) state fund to tackle debt and support economy.

– Free education to university level, tax exemption for those earning less than 500,000 baht per year.

– Develop infrastructure in the northeast, including rail projects, industrial estates and land ports.

– Offer monthly grants of 10,000 baht for pregnant women and 3,000 baht per month for raising children until they are six years old.

BHUMJAITHAI PARTY

– Three-year debt moratorium on principal and interest for loans up to one million baht.

– 50,000 baht emergency loan each for persons aged 20 years and above.

– Life insurance fund for peopled aged 60 and above with a 100,000 baht payout in case of death.

– Solar panel projects for households to reduce electricity bills and cheap electric motorcycles at 6,000 baht with 60-month instalments.

– One-day pass for urban public transport fares.

– Use of cannabis for medical treatment, health and economy.

– 100 million baht tourism fund for each province.

– Interest-free student loans, without collateral.

– Contract farming on crop prices, payments and insurance.

– Free cancer treatment machines in every province and dialysis centres in every district.

DEMOCRAT PARTY

– Set up 2 million baht village and urban community banks nationwide, with estimated cost of 160 billion baht.

– Free education to university level.

– Introduce mandatory savings policy, extend retirement age from 60.

– Income guarantees for farmers worth 70 billion baht.

– One-day fixed price for urban rail travel.

– Offer farmers 30,000 baht per household.

– Give 1 million land deeds within four years to help farmers.

Compiled by Orathai Sriring, Satawasin Staporncharnchai and Pasit Kongkunakornkul; Editing by Martin Petty, Robert Birsel

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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