From the Sufficiency Economy Philosophy to Sustainable Development Goals March 9, 2018

A very good evening to you.

In reality, we cannot deny that our eyes are on the front of our body, which indicates that the nature wants us to look forward, move forward. This means that nature would like us to keep improving ourselves. The nature also gives us instinct to protect ourselves against threats from left and right. However, moving forward will have ups and downs. Thus, we cannot just solve problems by only looking at the problems.  We have to work on how to solve them with our brain.

In order to lift the potential of our nation and mobilize all sectors in a sustainable fashion, it is vital that we understand the problems and challenges the country faces and will face in the future, so that we can make preparations accordingly. We must prepare solutions to every problem and learn to manage them appropriately. The drafting of the 20-year strategic plan which is in progress takes into consideration future challenges.

One of the challenges we will encounter is the fact that Thailand is becoming an aging society. In 2020, 20% of all population or 1 out of every 10 people will be senior citizens. The proportion of the working group will be smaller. Consequently, there will be a number of problems.

1) The working-age population will have to work even harder to shoulder the burdens and maintain the country’s competitiveness.

2) The government will have to spend more budget on the elderly whereas taxes collected from the working group are relatively lower.

3) The number of workers in the production, agricultural, industrial, and service sectors will be insufficient to sustain our economic growth.

And 4) alien workers will return home after having acquired professional skills necessary for employment in their growing home nations. Thailand will then be challenged with possible shortages of alien workers and the working population. Although technology will play a major role in improving convenience, economic enhancement, cost reduction, and human replacement, it could be a double-edged sword because some people, especially those who cannot adapt to the change, might lose their jobs.

Another major challenge is global warming which causes severe climate change around the globe in the past years. Consequently, humans have to suffer natural disasters like floods and drought, causing damage to several lives, properties, agricultural produces, ecosystems, and natural resources.

The world may be faced with new viral diseases. The government has to allocate budget for these unexpected incidents. When looking ahead, we can foresee more international frameworks to push cooperation in more specific areas such as a more integrated economic partnership as well as the shift in power around the globe.

Asia is likely to play a more important role in international arenas. International organizations will have more power and influence. There will be more trade activities and agreements that change according to economic situation.

This is a new challenge. Even though it is not too difficult to tackle but it would be a time-consuming task. The most important thing is that we recognize these changes and make appropriate adjustments. We have to improve ourselves on a consistent basis regardless of our age, education and skills, so that we can be able to support ourselves and our family.

We have to be a part of the supply chain by creating new innovations to add more value to what we have to offer to make sure our products are needed by the consumers in terms of quantity and quality. We must keep updated ourselves of new technologies and apply them in daily operations in order to reduce risks and costs. Those who are not able to update themselves will not be able to catch up with others and their income might not be enough to support their family.  Please also keep in mind the sufficiency economy philosophy of the King Rama IX.

Under the Pracharat mechanism, the private sector has to make preparation and apply technology in order to reduce cost and add more value to their products. The government has to focus on building a mechanism to support both private firms and the public, allowing them to lift themselves up. Their ability to improve will lift the burden off the state’s shoulders and will be a key to attaining stability, prosperity, and sustainability. In this connection, there are many factors that will be taken into consideration.

The first one is economic growth. The country’s revenue will have to be well-distributed to all sectors in various forms. In order to do so, the government has to understand people’s needs and potential, as opposed to rolling out measures and policies that are politically motivated and only result in fake demand. These policies fail to uphold self-sufficiency principle.

Next, public services must be easily accessible, efficient, transparent, and corruption free. Such traits will build confidence in the country’s stability and growth. Another important factor is human resource development which needs close and continuous attention with a focus on lifelong learning from the early ages to young learners and adult learners.

People of all professions should be able to support themselves as well as their family and should also be able to contribute to the society. They must learn to be flexible to changes and challenges. Apart from education and skills development, individuals should encourage schools and families to cultivate a sense of responsibility and cultural identity among to our touth. Children must be kind, have a service mind, and be loyal to the country.

Children will one day become good citizens who respect the law, rights, responsibilities, and duties. They have responsibilities as Thai citizens. With that said, the government must have a supporting mechanism and help people understand the principle of public administration so that they can work with the Government, contributing to the country development as well as protecting the environment.

In conclusion, the “Thai Niyom” and “Pracharat” policies aim to address the need of people and community and help people from all walks of life to be able to stand on their own feet. This is growth from the inside as provided in the Royal Guidance.

We are not going to push for projects that are not addressing the need of the people. We will not favor capitalists or political groups over the public interest as it will lead to conflict not development.

Public Administration based on the interest of the public is driven by civil servants under the democratic system with His Majesty the King as the Head of State.

State and people have a very strong connection and cannot be separated. State must take care and support the people. People shall be provided with equal opportunity for self-improvement and career enhancement as well as appropriate social welfare.

Investments and taxes will ensure national development. The poor, as listed in the well-updated database, will be looked after. This move does not aim to win popularity among the public because we do not want to put more financial burdens on the Government.

When it comes to politics, I would like to encourage you to be reasonable in the political process.      You should help ethical and capable candidates to be able to form a good governance government to run the country. The next government must have a long term vision for country management, not just a group of people who can manage only provide a short term solution especially on the problems in the agricultural sector.  This problem must be tackled from all angles. Impacts may be slow, but long-lasting.

Initial coin offering (ICO) is still very new in Thailand. I urged that potential investors be cautious when making decisions. The Government is in the process of drafting a law to regulate ICO. Regulations to be issued are meant to ensure transparency and close loopholes for corruption and criminal activities.

Please make sure you have studied it enough before investing. Don’t forget to take into consideration the risks you have to take especially in a period where there is no existing laws to regulate it. I do not want people to waste their money on something that is still uncertain. I do not want to see people get into debt, without a thorough consideration.

My fellow Thais, the ultimate goal of human development under the 20-year strategy is that citizens will have physical and mental strengths, along with good conscience, wisdom, and a will to learn. But today, that is hardly the case.

Many fail to look after themselves, lack morality and creativity, suffer from health problems, lack the ability to distinguish good from bad, become too sensitive, and lack the quality to foster ethics among youth, become irrational, use emotions rather than logic. These attributes make people vulnerable.

Such vulnerable attributes may be the result of the former generation’s failure to cultivate ethics and morality. Human development is important to the mobilization of national strategies. The heart of human development is a paradigm and a guiding principle that are compatible with the nature of Thai people.
A sub-committee in charge of human preparation in the 21st century in cooperation with its allies – state agencies, the private sector, and civic groups – hosted an event on March 1st at the Thailand Cultural Centre to foster a positive thinking process and mindset for Thai people.

It was meant to integrate efforts from related networks whose goal was to cultivate 5 specific mindsets that are compatible with the nature of Thailand, including self-sufficiency, self-discipline, honesty, service mind, and responsibility.

Awareness will be raised in all areas. These values must be instilled in Thai people. They are part of the Thai Niyom scheme which aims to promote the value of public interest over self-interest.

The event was considered the first stage of commitment of concerned parties to promote positive thinking process and mindset for Thai people.  More than 500 individuals from 300 organizations took part in the event. Participants vowed to work together on the matter.

Similar events will take place in the near future in order to create a bigger network of allies across the country. His Majesty the King attaches great importance to how one can contribute to the nation with the right attitude, have a good quality of life, and continue to be a good citizen of the country.

My fellow Thais, the Cabinet and I had the opportunity to visit Samut Sakhon, Phetchaburi, and Prachuap Khiri Khan during the beginning of the week to follow up on the progress of many policies, such as foreign labor, caring for the victims of human trafficking, and ensuring that the rights and welfare of workers are guaranteed.