Conflict, Legitimacy and Government Reform: Equitable Allocation of ...
Conflict, Legitimacy and Government Reform: Equitable Allocation of ...
Conflict, Legitimacy and Government Reform: Equitable Allocation of ...
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44 KPI Congress XI<br />
Table 3: Average household income by region in 1962, 2000, 2007 <strong>of</strong><br />
the entire country = 100<br />
Region 1962 2000 2007<br />
Bangkok 253.7 207.8 187.6<br />
Central 131.1 107.1 105.7<br />
South 120.1 92.1 105.7<br />
North 73.7 71.2 72.7<br />
Northeast 53.5 63.9 69.6<br />
National average 100.0 100.0 100.0<br />
Urban 119.9 150.1<br />
Rural 69.9 76.7<br />
Source: Yukio, Ikemoto, Income Distribution in Thail<strong>and</strong>, Tokyo, Institute <strong>of</strong><br />
Developing Economies, 1991; Nuarpear, 2009.<br />
Data in Diagram 1 <strong>and</strong> Table 3 show average household income.<br />
There are also data that reveal personal income disparities in Diagram 2<br />
which reports salaries <strong>and</strong> wages by occupation during 2006-2007.<br />
Again, inequality is evident here.<br />
Regarding income distribution, there are at least four observations.<br />
First, income data <strong>of</strong> the wealthy groups tend to be understated<br />
because data derive from r<strong>and</strong>om sampling. So, there is a tendency that a<br />
small number <strong>of</strong> super rich groups would be left out. (The National<br />
Statistical Office never had access to Shinawatra, Damapong, or<br />
Siriwattanapakdi families among others) Even if these groups could be<br />
reached, respondents would not reveal the whole truth. Aside from that,<br />
collected data would not include various indirect gains, which the rich<br />
tend to have more than the underprivileged, especially from government<br />
spending (such as gains from road construction that transects a piece <strong>of</strong><br />
l<strong>and</strong>, pushing up the l<strong>and</strong> price <strong>and</strong> so forth) or borrowing money for<br />
investment at a special interest rate because they have a better credit<br />
st<strong>and</strong>ing <strong>and</strong> so forth.