Without a clear understanding of its own policies, the government has turned an attempt to ensure that assistance reaches the "genuinely disadvantaged" into a bureaucratic weapon -- one that threatens to strain family relationships and pit parents against their children.
Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Ekniti Nitithanprapas bore the brunt of the backlash, ultimately rescinding the controversial rule that would have disqualified elderly citizens from registering for state welfare cards if their children claimed tax deductions for supporting their parents.
