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Published on November 1, 2007

But given that farming is the sector that employs the largest number of people, politicians who want to win votes from those poor people offer them a debt-relief programme.

I don't know if they really believe that debt relief will make the farmers better off. As they are still resorting to the same farming techniques and resources, they soon build up new debts.

Teachers are in the same poor situation as farmers. They complain that they earn so little for their great responsibilities. Whenever students are found in trouble, people point their fingers at teachers. When our kids' academic standards drop, teachers are the first to be blamed, not their parents or the changing social environment.

The 400,000 teachers nationwide have also become the target of politicians. Winning their support can be easy, given that teachers are also building up huge debts.

Many teachers whom I know buy consumer products in instalments. And as they don't buy just one item at a time, each month they are left with just a few thousand baht to live on while the rest goes to repaying the instalment plan.

Would they be better off with a debt-relief programme?

Definitely not, said one official who joined the civil service eight years ago.

He believes that teachers are like other civil servants subject to a distorted pay-rise system which is not in line with their individual performance.

One year, they might be entitled to a two-step pay increase, but the next year, though their performance is outstanding, they receive no reward.

"I remember one year when there was a special bonus," he said. "This bonus was distributed equally to all and I received only Bt800. Even if someone stepped in to clear their debts today, the next day they would do it all over again. And this has nothing to do with their efficiency as long as the payment system is distorted."

Luckily for taxpayers, no politician has come up with such an offer. But if they do, please make sure that the pay system has been corrected or else taxpayers' money will only be wasted, again.

achara_d@nationgroup.com

The Nation