Although Thai Average Income Rises, Gap Between the Rich and Everyone Else Grows by Phairath Khampha 9 June 2000 Average incomes rose for most Thais in 1999, but more people suffered from poverty and the gap between rich and poor continued to grow, according to official statistics. The average monthly income of Thai households nationwide rose by 1.9 per cent to 12,729 Baht (1 US Dollar = 38.93 Thai Baht), the Office of National Statistics reported. However, the gap between the richest and poorest Thais continued to widen, according to a report to the Council of Economic Ministers. The economic crisis was to blame, Pan Puengsucharit, deputy government spokesman, said. The report showed the top 20 percent of households had an income 9.7 times higher than the bottom 20 percent. In 1998, the top 20 percent earned 8.4 times more than the bottom 20 percent – down from 9.6 times more in 1992. The number of poor people – those living on less than 911 Baht a month – increased by 12.9 per cent to 7.9 million in 1998, the National Economic and Social Development Board said. The economic crisis also was blamed for the rise in poverty. The number of poor had dropped from 17.9 million in 1988 and to 6.8 million in 1996. Bangkok residents enjoyed higher incomes than those in the rest of the country. Average income in Bangkok and greater Bangkok (Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani and Samut Prakan provinces) rose to 26,742 Baht in 1999, an increase of 7.3 percent. However, incomes also rose in central and northern Thailand. Residents of central Thailand earned 12,786 Baht a month, an increase of 1.1 percent. Those in the North earned an average of 10,253 Baht, an increase of 4.8 percent. Incomes in the South and the Northeast, however, declined. The average household income in the South fell by 4.4 percent to 10,953 Baht. People in the Northeast experienced a 4.8 percent decline in average income to 8,138 Baht. Declines in the South and Northeast were attributed to falls in the price of farm products, Pan said. Households in the central region and in the North, on the other hand, gained from the recovery of the manufacturing sector which began last year, Pan said. Income distribution in the North and Northeast was worse in 1999, while it was better in the Centre and the South. The Gini Coefficient measure of income distribution nationwide was up to 0.444 in 1999, from 0.421 in 1998, marking a deterioration of income distribution. The Gini Coefficient was 0.445 in 1992. The latest income figures were likely to bring more criticism to the Chuan administration, which was accused of helping the rich at the expense of the poor. Of course, this is nothing new in Thailand where greed and venality is the order of the day and people will enrich themselves in any way, including impoverishing everyone else. Average household income was higher than average expenditure, but the figures for expenditure did not include instalment payments for houses and land or the purchase of high-value assets. Average household expenditure nationwide accounted for 75.9 to 85.9 percent of income. The Northeast had the highest ratio, while the Bangkok area had the lowest.