A policy recommendation for the new cabinet… For Thailand’s next step forward

As you read this article you will notice that Thailand is now in the hands of its new cabinet, led by Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajeva. While a variety of different attitudes to this new cabinet will inevitably lead the Thai people in their reaction to the new lineup, certain inescapable and important tasks now press on cabinet agenda and to these crucial tasks, attention must be given. Policies are to be formulated for each ministry and old problems remain to be solved. Thailand must even be protected from an inflowing barrage of problems; not only economic in nature – though this will very soon be a back-breaking burden for the government, but a plethora of other chronic problems also queue for the attention of Thailand’s new cabinet, whether the serious issues of crime, poor-quality education, or environmental degradation, to name a few.

To find success in the pressing tasks, there are two words which our new cabinet would do well to bear in mind; these are “Alacrity” and “Integration.” The new cabinet must not adopt a “wait and see” approach in order to solve the problems. They should also be careful not to work individually, but by collating world resourced knowledge, vital connections should be made that can drive Thailand harmoniously forward, without conflicts of interest. If the new cabinet can succeed to achieve such a goal, Thailand’s old image of evil politics may be effaced from the people’s nightmare of memories.

In keeping with a truly collaborative approach, the favorable direction for the new cabinet should be to utilize each minister’s capacity completely; not to let any ministers “stand out” just because they hold positions of more responsibility and are due to receive a greater portion of budget. I believe that to “put heads together” will yield the overall optimal output, both short-run and long-run.

Let me exemplify what I mean by integration. Supposing the Ministry of Energy’s vision is to promote alternative energy production, the Ministry of Energy would cooperate with the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives to plan an agricultural area systematically. They can cooperate in exploring an appropriate area for alternative energy plants and can protect agricultural product prices from being lowered by middlemen. Moreover, by cooperating with the Ministry of Science and Technology they can conduct research and thus accumulate new knowledge about alternative energy that is compatible with Thailand’s resources.

While the case of illegal deforestation in Kao Yai National Park stands testimony to the bureaucratic sluggishness of the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment, this Ministry must instead actively plan and then act out its role to revive natural resources throughout Thailand, instead of merely inspecting received complaints, as it does now. The Ministry should promote the participation of the people to protect their farmland and surrounding areas. It should develop community eco-tourism, which goes hand in hand with environmental conservation.

Local people can also become the “eyes & ears” of civil servants far removed from their areas of responsibility by reporting illegal deforestation and other illegal activities. The new cabinet should therefore grant rewards as incentives for reporting. Should public participation grow well, the government will save administration costs and the public participation programme itself will be stronger.

How well the new cabinet will perform and the evident truth of the new Prime Minister’s inaugural promise, “I will work on behalf of all Thai people” will depend on the integrity and determination of every minister in the new cabinet. Please don’t let the Thai people down by running your en masse megaprojects sponsored for selfish reasons without recourse to the humanitarian needs of all Thais, as has happened before.

Dr Kriengsak Chareonwongsak
Senior Fellow, Harvard Kennedy School , Harvard University
kriengsak@kriengsak.com, kriengsak.com, drdancando.com