webfact Posted May 24, 2015 Share Posted May 24, 2015 'Democracy is best for our economy'THE NATIONBANGKOK: -- THE FUTURE of Thailand's economy lies in stable democracy, which helps promote sustainable and fair economic development, businessmen and academics said yesterday."Democracy allows freedom of thought, which is necessary for the development of innovations," they said.At a seminar entitled "Thai economy, hope and future" at Thammasat University, a group of businessmen and academics voiced concern over the dismal economic outlook.Wiroj Alee, a Thammasat lecturer, said the current situation had prolonged the poor economy. Foreign diplomats and investors were not confident due to the military coup last year and current economic structural problems.The latest human trafficking issue had compounded the economic problems, he said.The country depended heavily on exports and foreign organisations were more compromising with elected governments when it comes to human trafficking. He said foreign investment had shrunk since 2010.The main contributing factor to the decline in exports was that Thai companies had relocated their bases to foreign countries because of poor domestic growth and lower consumption.The economic slowdown was caused by poor income distribution and political problems, he said. The country also faced heavy competition from Vietnam, Cambodia and Indonesia, whose economies were growing fast.As the Asean Economic Community looms, foreign companies had more investment choices, Wiroj said.He said the Prayut government lacked policies to support economic expansion or clear policies to boost the agricultural sector."What it did was to pay farmers for their pledged rice and provide production factors. However, it has not tackled the structural issues."The country's industrial sector had not been able to improve production efficiency either. The government blamed the previous government, despite the fact a democratic system gives opportunities for people to access natural resources, he said."The government is just busy trying to do PR for what it has achieved, like regulating vans when the country's tourism has fallen to number three in Asean,'' he said.He cited the success of Malaysia's "Malaysia Second Home" policy, which allows foreigners to own property and land for 99 years, which has helped to boost its economy because of income from foreigners.Pichit Likhitkijsomboon, another Thammasat lecturer, said the economy was trapped by political instability. Thailand lacks basic infrastructure investment, causing it to lose comparative advantages as foreign investors relocate to places like Vietnam.The country's GDP may not reach 3 per cent this year because growth relies on exports, which is unlikely to pick up in the second half of this year because trading partners want to buy the same quality products at cheaper prices.Pichit said the coup brought peace but it failed to stem structural woes. Thailand's household debts rank near the top of the world list. The country must solve the problem of income distribution, he said."The problem is not creating debt. Everyone wants a better quality of life," he said."Democracy boosts the economy better than an authoritative ruling system. None of the developed countries are run by dictatorships. Freedom of thought and expression help add value to products. People in democratic countries enjoy income equality and equal opportunities. Unobstructed communications reduce conflicts and provide a good base for the economy, as proven by the European and Scandinavian countries."Thanathorn Jungrungruangkij, president of the Nakhon Nayok Provincial Industrial Council, said Thailand's economic crisis began in 2006 and it was now chronic."We have prime ministers who stay in power one year and five months on average. If we cannot establish sustainable democracy, the country's economy will continue to perform poorly.The nation needs to have a clear decentralisation system, he said."Local administrations must be able to depend on income from locals without depending on central government. They must be allowed to manage tax and justice procedures," he said.Decentralisation would help locals stay in their hometowns without having to seek jobs in Bangkok, he said."Competing in the age of globalisation, people must be creative but the 12 values may not go well with capitalism," Thanakorn said.Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/politics/Democracy-is-best-for-our-economy-30260856.html-- The Nation 2015-05-25 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trogers Posted May 25, 2015 Share Posted May 25, 2015 (edited) From financial events that happened in the past two decades, there is a strong correlation between rising debts and economic growth. Seen from the US to Iceland to the EU. And they are all democracies. Is it still desirable? Edited May 25, 2015 by trogers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chainarong Posted May 25, 2015 Share Posted May 25, 2015 Democracy is the only way forward in Thailand's case , no one with an ounce of brains will invest in a country where risk is dealing with an unpredictable Junta , you could at the whim of a section - article 44 type law lose the lot , no , Thailand must return back to Democracy , you are going to have a bumpy ride as Democracy shakes off its shackles and freedom of speech , better education , better political representation , better laws , better people minded projects and humanitarian programs start to kick in, this could take decades , but hey Thailand has the nounce and the gumption to get there, just go for it, and if you need a hand along the way, all you've gotta do is call. . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
selftaopath Posted May 25, 2015 Share Posted May 25, 2015 From financial events that happened in the past two decades, there is a strong correlation between rising debts and economic growth. Seen from the US to Iceland to the EU. And they are all democracies. Is it still desirable? YES. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JOC Posted May 25, 2015 Share Posted May 25, 2015 "Competing in the age of globalisation, people must be creative but the 12 values may not go well with capitalism," Thanakorn said. Finally someone brave enough to question Moses................. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toknarok Posted May 25, 2015 Share Posted May 25, 2015 Yet only yesterday some senior Thai businessmen stated that they were happy with the Junta and the way that the economy was performing under them. Now we get this. Just whom are we supposed to believe? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cumgranosalum Posted May 25, 2015 Share Posted May 25, 2015 they should be on Mastermind - "Specialist subject: The bleedin' Obvious" - JC - BBC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cumgranosalum Posted May 25, 2015 Share Posted May 25, 2015 From financial events that happened in the past two decades, there is a strong correlation between rising debts and economic growth. Seen from the US to Iceland to the EU. And they are all democracies. Is it still desirable? Absolutely! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cumgranosalum Posted May 25, 2015 Share Posted May 25, 2015 From financial events that happened in the past two decades, there is a strong correlation between rising debts and economic growth. Seen from the US to Iceland to the EU. And they are all democracies. Is it still desirable? Absolutely! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cumgranosalum Posted May 25, 2015 Share Posted May 25, 2015 From financial events that happened in the past two decades, there is a strong correlation between rising debts and economic growth. Seen from the US to Iceland to the EU. And they are all democracies. Is it still desirable? Absolutely - you are making a false dichotomy here - i.e. - Democracies have problems in their economies there fore undemocratic economies are better" - this is a false dichotomy. The truth is that ALL economy have problems but they are best solved by ope debate - it is very unlikely that one person or a junta or single party state can have a healthy debate of how to handle economics of a state...in the long run they usually implode. No economy is isolated of the rest of the world and all are subject to outside forces that are usually unstoppable, but it is certainly ill-advised to listen to one barely qualified person for a solution - take a look at the stock market crash in Thailand under the previous junta - these elementary mistakes are more likely to be avoided when there is a free an open debate as opposed to hastily conceived dictums. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 25, 2015 Share Posted May 25, 2015 (edited) Isn't it fascinating that the Rice Scheme dreamed up by a democratically elected Puppet set the Thai Rice Market in the most uncompetitive footing (artificially higher prices) and opened the door for rice producing neighbors to (pardon the pun) eat Thailand's lunch. The number one export, shot in the arse. It is pathetic to see these article coming out that are written in the following way "Create a headline that is absurd" then ramble on with ridiculous "proof" that says "Things that happened before the coup, are now all the coup's fault."Don't get me wrong, I like democracy. I also like handguns. I just would not give a handgun to a person who did not understand "safety on, safety off" and even though you can use one as a hammer to drive nails .. I would strongly advise against it. Edited May 25, 2015 by Guest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
selftaopath Posted May 25, 2015 Share Posted May 25, 2015 From financial events that happened in the past two decades, there is a strong correlation between rising debts and economic growth. Seen from the US to Iceland to the EU. And they are all democracies. Is it still desirable? Absolutely - you are making a false dichotomy here - i.e. - Democracies have problems in their economies there fore undemocratic economies are better" - this is a false dichotomy. The truth is that ALL economy have problems but they are best solved by ope debate - it is very unlikely that one person or a junta or single party state can have a healthy debate of how to handle economics of a state...in the long run they usually implode. No economy is isolated of the rest of the world and all are subject to outside forces that are usually unstoppable, but it is certainly ill-advised to listen to one barely qualified person for a solution - take a look at the stock market crash in Thailand under the previous junta - these elementary mistakes are more likely to be avoided when there is a free an open debate as opposed to hastily conceived dictums. I know very little a/b economics. It appears that free market and without monopolies enhance many nations growth. Of course there is a great positive correlation between disastrous economies and corruption. Thailand is rife with corruption. Does Thailand have a "free market" mentality? lol I think not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
metisdead Posted May 25, 2015 Share Posted May 25, 2015 Off topic deflection posts and replies have been removed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trogers Posted May 25, 2015 Share Posted May 25, 2015 From financial events that happened in the past two decades, there is a strong correlation between rising debts and economic growth. Seen from the US to Iceland to the EU. And they are all democracies. Is it still desirable? Absolutely - you are making a false dichotomy here - i.e. - Democracies have problems in their economies there fore undemocratic economies are better" - this is a false dichotomy. The truth is that ALL economy have problems but they are best solved by ope debate - it is very unlikely that one person or a junta or single party state can have a healthy debate of how to handle economics of a state...in the long run they usually implode. No economy is isolated of the rest of the world and all are subject to outside forces that are usually unstoppable, but it is certainly ill-advised to listen to one barely qualified person for a solution - take a look at the stock market crash in Thailand under the previous junta - these elementary mistakes are more likely to be avoided when there is a free an open debate as opposed to hastily conceived dictums. Stock market crash under a Junta? How does that compare with the Tom Yum Kung crisis under elected governments? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 25, 2015 Share Posted May 25, 2015 From financial events that happened in the past two decades, there is a strong correlation between rising debts and economic growth. Seen from the US to Iceland to the EU. And they are all democracies. Is it still desirable? Absolutely - you are making a false dichotomy here - i.e. - Democracies have problems in their economies there fore undemocratic economies are better" - this is a false dichotomy. The truth is that ALL economy have problems but they are best solved by ope debate - it is very unlikely that one person or a junta or single party state can have a healthy debate of how to handle economics of a state...in the long run they usually implode. No economy is isolated of the rest of the world and all are subject to outside forces that are usually unstoppable, but it is certainly ill-advised to listen to one barely qualified person for a solution - take a look at the stock market crash in Thailand under the previous junta - these elementary mistakes are more likely to be avoided when there is a free an open debate as opposed to hastily conceived dictums. I am saying, Democracy does not mean the people are getting a government for the people. Americans are now finding out. Their government is for bankers and Wall Street financiers. Well actually now you are charging tack and debating whether or not USA is a "democracy" - I would have to say this is a concept you'd have to bck up with a serious amount of debate - you firstly would have to define "democracy" - again it isn't really to do with the OP either is it? It's just one person's perception of what is or isn't a democracy in regards to one country - the USA. No, actually you are now enjoying a few moments in the sun .. and a conversation with yourself. No one"changed tack" and there is no need to "define democracy" .. if that is a struggle, you may want to bow out of the conversation. They were questioning the Kabuki Theater of elections and officials who wrap themselves in the flag and the "greater good" .. but only serve their masters .. the 1%. To me, there is little changed in America since day one. It was a country founded by the most elite and wealthy, to allow those Elite to retain and control even more wealth. It rolled on for hundreds of years, a history peppered with pogroms against the Native Americans, the enslavement of Africans who built the agricultural empire, and the Chinese, who built the mighty railroads. We can even point to the economic enslavement of the Welsh and Irish coal miners and on and on and on. Today, the USA "enjoys" the cheap labor of Mexicans trapped between a rock and a hard place "You can come here and work for low wages with no safety net, and we reserve the right to deport you if you complain about it." Sorry to rant there .. I am just saying .. this is what the writer meant .. not to question what "democracy" is. People who debate that, have a political process confused with Madison Avenue advertising that says "Democracy equals happiness and flowers and free unicorn rides." No, it only says "People get to vote." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimHuaHin Posted May 25, 2015 Share Posted May 25, 2015 Ummm .... But you forgot the correlation between increased democracy and incraesed corruption in Thailand. See ... http://kyotoreview.org/issue-1/provincializing-thai-politics/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheAppletons Posted May 25, 2015 Share Posted May 25, 2015 No, actually you are now enjoying a few moments in the sun .. and a conversation with yourself. No one"changed tack" and there is no need to "define democracy" .. if that is a struggle, you may want to bow out of the conversation. They were questioning the Kabuki Theater of elections and officials who wrap themselves in the flag and the "greater good" .. but only serve their masters .. the 1%. To me, there is little changed in America since day one. It was a country founded by the most elite and wealthy, to allow those Elite to retain and control even more wealth. It rolled on for hundreds of years, a history peppered with pogroms against the Native Americans, the enslavement of Africans who built the agricultural empire, and the Chinese, who built the mighty railroads. We can even point to the economic enslavement of the Welsh and Irish coal miners and on and on and on. Today, the USA "enjoys" the cheap labor of Mexicans trapped between a rock and a hard place "You can come here and work for low wages with no safety net, and we reserve the right to deport you if you complain about it." Sorry to rant there .. I am just saying .. this is what the writer meant .. not to question what "democracy" is. People who debate that, have a political process confused with Madison Avenue advertising that says "Democracy equals happiness and flowers and free unicorn rides." No, it only says "People get to vote." Pot meet kettle.....kettle, pot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trogers Posted May 25, 2015 Share Posted May 25, 2015 Ummm .... But you forgot the correlation between increased democracy and incraesed corruption in Thailand. See ... http://kyotoreview.org/issue-1/provincializing-thai-politics/ I hold the belief that increase in corruption equals decrease in Democracy, as corruption kills Justice and Equality. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazykopite Posted May 25, 2015 Share Posted May 25, 2015 How can Thailand have democracy when an ex general installs himself as Thailands self elected PM ??????? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robby nz Posted May 25, 2015 Share Posted May 25, 2015 The country depended heavily on exports and foreign organisations were more compromising with elected governments when it comes to human trafficking. He said foreign investment had shrunk since 2010. There we have 3 statements in one which might explain some things. With a world economy in decline exports are down. So could that be why nothing was done about human trafficking under successive democratic govts ? Foreign investment has been down since 2010 most of that time under democratic govts yet it is somehow expected to have been fixed in one year. Lets have a democratic govt as soon as possible but one which will work for the country and the people and not for themselves and their patron. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toscano Posted May 25, 2015 Share Posted May 25, 2015 Since 2006 Thailand has not had a leader with business and entrepreneurial skills !!! The downward economic trend will continue until a semblance of true democracy returns , with a leader who is an astute businessman . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lupatria Posted May 25, 2015 Share Posted May 25, 2015 So they give 'thumps up' for the recently discovered trap? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Veeke Posted May 25, 2015 Share Posted May 25, 2015 From financial events that happened in the past two decades, there is a strong correlation between rising debts and economic growth. Seen from the US to Iceland to the EU. And they are all democracies. Is it still desirable? Unfortunately, the current understanding of the concept of democracy is very limited- "a little more votes than the runner up in an election". The 'democratically' elected person or party need not even get 50% of those who went for the voting. Politician is successful when able to manipulate public opinion in an election. Most people really do not have a real choice in an election. Some people believe that it is their 'duty' to vote and votes even when they do not have a real choice. In most countries - developed or developing - winning an election means a lot of power to a group of people to increase and further their groups' and personal power, wealth and economic interests against another through 'fair' and unfair means. For the Global Monitor (the USA) democracy of another country becomes a problem to be attacked immediately only if that country has a self- respecting political leadership - whose economic interests are not "suitable" to one country that is the USA and their friendly countries in Europe. Still maybe this "democracy" is better than rule of the individual dictator families (Kings, Rajahs, Emperors) thriving even in the 'modern' era - at least there is a namesake option for the people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
selftaopath Posted May 25, 2015 Share Posted May 25, 2015 Since 2006 Thailand has not had a leader with business and entrepreneurial skills !!! The downward economic trend will continue until a semblance of true democracy returns , with a leader who is an astute businessman . "until... true democracy returns" Seriously? Returns? Is there democracy without rule of law? From what I've observed Thailand is closer to anarchy than democracy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Homeropec Posted May 25, 2015 Share Posted May 25, 2015 Absolutely agree with the Thamasat lecturers... however, I am afraid they will be called for ATTITUDE ADJUSTMENT by the Junta. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kareona Posted May 25, 2015 Share Posted May 25, 2015 (edited) Toscano, on 25 May 2015 - 09:48, said: Since 2006 Thailand has not had a leader with business and entrepreneurial skills !!! The downward economic trend will continue until a semblance of true democracy returns , with a leader who is an astute businessman . Does it have to be a businessman or could it be a businesswoman? This is what the FT (The Financial Times) said about Yingluck Shinawatra on July 3, 2011 She was the chief executive of Advanced Info Service, the telecoms company he (Thaksin() founded and built into the country’s biggest mobile carrier; she was also a director of Manchester City, the British Premier League soccer club that her brother bought in 2007 and sold the following year; and most recently she has been the CEO of SC Asset Corp, a listed property developer majority owned by Mr Thaksin’s two children. But, despite her gilded rise to the top, she commands respect in the business world. SC Asset Corp’s share price has more than doubled in the five years she has been at the helm, compared with a 45 per cent increase in the broader SET Index. She also has a master's degree in public administration from Kentucky State University. “She was very well armed with all the available facts and statistics, and certainly very professional,” said one businessman who has travelled on international conferences with Ms Yingluck. But, he adds, “She was certainly less approachable then than she seems now.” Ms Yingluck has proved to be a fast learner. In May, at the start of the election campaign, she was a halting public speaker who tended to sound shrill and who avoided in-depth interviews. Last Friday night, she stood on a stage in the pouring rain working the crowd at Puea Thai’s final campaign event like a seasoned pro. Edited May 25, 2015 by kareona Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cumgranosalum Posted May 25, 2015 Share Posted May 25, 2015 Isn't it fascinating that the Rice Scheme dreamed up by a democratically elected Puppet set the Thai Rice Market in the most uncompetitive footing (artificially higher prices) and opened the door for rice producing neighbors to (pardon the pun) eat Thailand's lunch. The number one export, shot in the arse. It is pathetic to see these article coming out that are written in the following way "Create a headline that is absurd" then ramble on with ridiculous "proof" that says "Things that happened before the coup, are now all the coup's fault." Don't get me wrong, I like democracy. I also like handguns. I just would not give a handgun to a person who did not understand "safety on, safety off" and even though you can use one as a hammer to drive nails .. I would strongly advise against it. See above for why this is a totally irrelevant or fallacious argument Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IMA_FARANG Posted May 25, 2015 Share Posted May 25, 2015 From financial events that happened in the past two decades, there is a strong correlation between rising debts and economic growth. Seen from the US to Iceland to the EU. And they are all democracies. Is it still desirable? YES. ------------------------ Sorry, I must say NO When I was in school we had a required subject called "Contemporary Problems of Democracy". It began with the assumption that Democracy was probably the best form of government for an educated population, free to constructively criticize their government, and with an economic system that allowed all parts of the working population equal freedom of access to profit from their labors. In my opinion in many "democratic" countries today there are problems with all three of these necessary assumptions. They are: The general population does not have or does not get the required education. The freedom to constructively criticize the government is not adequate. And especially, the distribution of profits from their labor is skewed to the disadvantage of the general working population and in favor of a elite wealthy and economically advantaged class. Those three problems make democracy less than perfect in Thailand and other countries today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cumgranosalum Posted May 25, 2015 Share Posted May 25, 2015 From financial events that happened in the past two decades, there is a strong correlation between rising debts and economic growth. Seen from the US to Iceland to the EU. And they are all democracies. Is it still desirable? YES. ------------------------Sorry, I must say NO When I was in school we had a required subject called "Contemporary Problems of Democracy". It began with the assumption that Democracy was probably the best form of government for an educated population, free to constructively criticize their government, and with an economic system that allowed all parts of the working population equal freedom of access to profit from their labors. In my opinion in many "democratic" countries today there are problems with all three of these necessary assumptions. They are: The general population does not have or does not get the required education. The freedom to constructively criticize the government is not adequate. And especially, the distribution of profits from their labor is skewed to the disadvantage of the general working population and in favor of a elite wealthy and economically advantaged class. Those three problems make democracy less than perfect in Thailand and other countries today. The OP suggests that democracy is BEST.... Not perfect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonysilly Posted May 25, 2015 Share Posted May 25, 2015 If the econy grows, who will do the work? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.png.3b3332cc2256ad0edbc2fe9404feeef0.png)
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now