Thailand’s new policies for the next step forward

Thailand’s new cabinet, in the hands of Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajeva, now has certain inescapable and important tasks to tackle. As each ministry formulates policies, and old problems remain to be solved, besides Thailand’s heavy economic burden, a plethora of chronic problems also queue for attention, whether issues of crime, poor-quality education or environmental degradation, for example.

Our new cabinet would do well to bear two words in mind however; “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.

The new cabinet’s performance and the truth of the new Prime Minister’s inaugural promise, “I will work on behalf of all Thai people” will depend on every new cabinet minister, with integrity and determination, keeping the humanitarian needs of all Thai people in mind, without recourse to selfishly motivated actions, as has happened before. Hopefully, they will not let the Thai people down.

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