However, economic development in Thailand has been criticized for creating greater
income disparity rather than narrowing the gap between the rich and the poor, Since the
first national economic and social development plan in 1962, the Gini coefficient for
income distribution increased from 0.41 in 1962 to a high point of 0 54 in 1992 and then
fell slightly when the country faced economic crisis in 1997 (Table 2). The share of
income of the poorest 20 per cent (quintile) was 7.9 per cent in 1962 and 4.8 per cent in
2004, while the share of the richest quintile was 49.8 per cent and 51.0 per cent in the
same years. During 2001-2004, income distribution did improve significantly during the
6
time of money-pumping from the populist policies of the government at that time, but
reversed beyond its normal trend later on when no new money was injected. Impacts on
poverty of these populist policies were largely unclear, with only the universal health care
scheme (UCS) has clear benefit to the poor (Siamwala, Jitsuchon 2007).