Such a huge debt just for fresh veg?

Social-media users have been very busy since Thursday, when the House of Representatives debate on the government's Bt2-trillion loan bill kicked off.

In fact, things heated up further when Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra began explaining how necessary this bill was for Thailand's development and for the delivery of fresh vegetables. Huh? This probably explains why she's now being called "Madam Fresh Veg".

Twitter and Facebook have been filled with amusing messages and illustrations, all referring to one very serious point - this government will put Thailand and its citizens under debt for the next 50 years. As for the high-speed train, many say it will be far too expensive for humans, never mind those "fresh" veg.

Users Sai Trong Pak Sanam and Seri Thai have launched a Facebook campaign calling on users to post a logo showing a man being crushed by the word "debt" with the message: "Bt5.16 trillion will be our burden."

Du Tuan Dib posted an illustration of a child and an old man, captioned: "Today's child will be a debt payer in the future and a servant for his entire life." At the bottom, there are blue, red and yellow bars saying: "People of all colours will have to pay."

Watchdog Operation listed 16 points gathered from the debate, with the first point saying the Bt2-trillion loan will be the first time that Thailand has borrowed such a huge amount. With this comes a picture of Yingluck towering over Transport Minister Chadchart Sittipunt and Finance Minister Kittiratt Na-Ranong, with the headline: "Putting the country under debt - Bt5 trillion in 50 years".

There's another picture of Yingluck captioned: "No rotten vegetables if we use a high-speed train to transport them".

Facebook user Robert Pattinzon went one step further by doctoring an advert of the government's three-year moratorium on debts, saying "debt moratorium for three years, debt added for 50".

Khanoon Khunjonto, said: "If you have a high-speed train but no fresh produce to deliver, what is the use of this high-speed train? Wouldn't it just be like a roller-coaster in a theme park?"

Zum Wong said, "I want to earn money and use it on myself, not on paying national debts."

Chutiphum Wichunharaj said: "It would be better to borrow money to buy weapons for rangers like me ... Bt2 trillion is a huge sum. My friends and I still use the M16-A1, which dates back to the World War II era. In the future, I guess Thailand will no longer be on the map, just these trains to transport vegetables. Maybe nothing will remain ... considering the situation."

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Article source: http://www.thethailandlinks.com/2013/03/30/such-a-huge-debt-just-for-fresh-veg/