Thailand can be the Asean headquarters of Belt and Road plan

[webfact]

Thailand can be the Asean headquarters of Belt and Road plan 

By Feng Da Hsuan, Liang Hai Ming 
Special to The Nation

 

Technological know-how, financial sophistication and solid higher education put Kingdom on track for central role   

Over the past year we have visited Thailand several times, both for field studies and to attend forums. One of us (FDH) recently delivered a speech about the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) at Bangkok’s Asia Institute of Technology. What we discovered was that among all member-countries of the Association of Southeast Asia Nations, Thailand is unique. We believed that if it can collaborate with China under the rubric of the BRI, Thailand can emerge as Asean’s manufacturing centre and regional headquarters and play a pivotal role in defining Asia financial protocol. 

 

Here’s why:

 

First, historically, Thailand is a unique in Southeast Asia. It is well positioned geographically, has international expertise and has a highly developed and creative skill set in geopolitical manoeuvring. As a small nation, it successfully avoided the devastation of colonisation by foreign powers. As such, Thailand became a stabilising force in a region that had known centuries of bitter conflicts. The people of a nation which was neither conquered nor colonised surely possess inherent self-confidence, a quality that is in great demand in our globalised era. With such remarkable and successful experiences under its belt, Thailand today is clearly best equipped in terms of ability and mindset to flourish amid the presence of major powers in 21st-century Asia. 

 

Second, although Thailand is famous for its tourism, it also possesses one of the strongest manufacturing sectors among Asean nations. For example, the popularity of Thailand’s electronic products is second only to those of Japan in this part of the world. That strength spurred Mark Carroll and Janna De Vos of the Australian–Thai Chamber of Commerce to write an article for the East Asia Forum in 2013 titled “Thailand to become the Germany of Asia?”, citing economic data that demonstrated this was no farfetched idea.

 

Third, Thailand boasts one of the oldest, most well-balanced and significant systems of higher education in Southeast Asia today. One of its flagship research institutions, Chulalongkorn University, has a high reputation among its peers in Asia. It was founded exactly a century ago and currently has some 37,000 students.

 

Thailand’s higher education is no doubt one of the region’s strongest, probably second only to Singapore. Thai education has benefited from centuries of development unhindered by any colonial interference. Over the past few decades, the system has consistently pumped out the talents necessary for Thailand to demonstrate prowess in many arenas of human activity, especially in science and technology. 

 

But it’s worth emphasising that the Thai higher-education system also possesses strength in a broad range of intellectual disciplines that would allow it to become a “breeding ground” for Thai experts who understand the history, culture, economic and other aspects of China. Such an understanding would place Thailand in a unique and prominent position among its Asean partners in dealing with China.

 

Fourth, Thailand can and should proactively participate in the Asia Financial Cooperation Association (AFCA) with the goal of stabilising regional finance as well as development. Under the rubric of the BRI, China created the AFCA with the aim of ensuring that Asian nations can collectively maintain regional financial stability via interconnection and collaboration. 

 

As the first nation to be hit by the 1997 Asian financial crisis, Thailand today has both the experience and the responsibility to be a pivotal point in the AFCA. 

 

Indeed, as Asia’s economy continues to flourish and regional banking systems rise, financial activities are sure to multiply impressively. As well as enhancing traditional commercial finance, Bangkok’s efforts to grow cross-border syndicated loans, insurance management businesses, anti-financial-fraud measures and high-end business education and training could make Thailand central to AFCA’s platform and China’s most important partner in pushing emerging technologies, innovation industries and Internet finance. Finally, Thailand has the potential to be a driver of the global trend in financial digitisation. 

 

Asean is a bloc of 10 nations with a population of 640 million – which represents both a strength and a weakness. Its economies are of diverse levels and types. To become a unified force and be reckoned with in the global economy, the interaction of financial systems of different countries should and must be seamless. 

Thailand, thanks to its relative size and strength, is in an ideal position to drive this process.

 

In a nutshell, we believe that Thailand, with its financial and technological prowess, coupled with its historical strength, can and should view China both as a “client” – as was the case in recent high-speed rail negotiations – and as customers. After all, the China-led BRI has to be a “two way street”. 

 

In this tenor, Thai businesses, in particular those from the manufacturing sectors, should be working in tandem with Thai universities to explore the 1.4-billion-people Chinese market. We believe that the BRI interactions in Thailand can not only serve Thailand well in the short and long run, but also become an important “case study” for China in its dealings with foreign countries.

 

Feng Da Hsuan and Liang Hai Ming are senior fellows at the Institute for Advanced Studies, Nanyang Technological University. They also work at the China Silk Road iValley Research Institute, where Feng is senior adviser and Liang is chairman and chief economist.

 

Full story: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/opinion/30326109

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-09-08

[Ricardo]

Honeyed words  ...

 

"a stabilising force"  which  "was neither conquered nor colonised" ? 

 

" Thai education has benefited from centuries of development unhindered by any colonial interference. Over the past few decades, the system has consistently pumped out the talents necessary for Thailand to demonstrate prowess in many arenas of human activity,"  yet many Thais from better-off families head overseas to study ?

 

"Thai experts  ...   understand the history, culture, economic and other aspects of China" 

 

"Thailand can and should proactively participate in the Asia Financial Cooperation Association (AFCA) with the goal of stabilising regional finance as well as development"

 

...  but consider for one moment the source, Thailand's future as-viewed from China, it sees Thailand becoming ever-closer to the regional (soon-to-be global)  super-power, but this would surely mean abandoning Thailand's tradional strategy of balancing-off such powers with one another.  Would Thailand continue to remain free  ...  I'm not so sure ?

[cloudhopper]

Translation - we want to be China's bitch.

[canuckamuck]

Between the lines the real point is that Thailand is a non democratic entity with a ruling class strongly connected to China. Officials are easily bought, and the education of the masses becomes more irrelevant by the day. A ripe plum in a great location

[Dexlowe]

16 minutes ago, Ricardo said:

...  but consider for one moment the source, Thailand's future as-viewed from China,

Exactly. This is the inscrutable Chinese at play here, buttering up the gullible and seducing with sweet words.

 

9 minutes ago, canuckamuck said:

Between the lines the real point is that Thailand is a non democratic entity with a ruling class strongly connected to China. Officials are easily bought, and the education of the masses becomes more irrelevant by the day. A ripe plum in a great location

Never a truer word was spoken.

[Samui Bodoh]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

Thailand can be the Asean headquarters of Belt and Road plan 

 

Perhaps a better headline would be;

 

"Thailand can be the capital of the new province of "New South East China"

 

 

Edited September 8, 2017 by Samui Bodoh

[Ricardo]

31 minutes ago, cloudhopper said:

Translation - we want to be China's bitch.

 

The article appears to be written by Chinese academics  ...  although published in the Thai-media

 

" Feng Da Hsuan and Liang Hai Ming are senior fellows at the Institute for Advanced Studies, Nanyang Technological University. They also work at the China Silk Road iValley Research Institute, where Feng is senior adviser and Liang is chairman and chief economist. "

 

So perhaps  "Translation - we want you to be China's bitch" might be closer ?

 

 

Not that stronger economic-ties with China would IMO necessarily be a bad thing, so long as Thailand maintains its tradional freedom and independence, too.  Others may hold different views, of China's long-term intentions.

[yellowboat]

Given these two gentleman's connection to the project, this article looks to be a bit patronizing.  Flattery will get you everywhere with today's government. 

 

China's railway diplomacy could lift millions out of poverty and do other great things.  Laos, Vietnam and Myanmar will want to make their own deals with China. 

[Khun Paul]

Sorry do not understand Solid Higher Education ............................where ?????????????????

[Machiavelli]

3 hours ago, cloudhopper said:

Translation - we want to be China's bitch.

Translation - we want to change from being America's bitch to being China's bitch. Fixed it for you.

[silent]

1 hour ago, yellowboat said:

Given these two gentleman's connection to the project, this article looks to be a bit patronizing.  Flattery will get you everywhere with today's government. 

 

China's railway diplomacy could lift millions out of poverty and do other great things.  Laos, Vietnam and Myanmar will want to make their own deals with China. 

HUB of Belt and Road plan  

[trainman34014]

These people are clearly not living in the same Thailand as i am !

[Srikcir]

8 hours ago, webfact said:

As a small nation, it successfully avoided the devastation of colonisation by foreign powers.

Being a small nation didn't work well for Tibet, did it?

[CantSpell]

3 hours ago, trainman34014 said:

These people are clearly not living in the same Thailand as i am !

Totally, until the end of the read, I thought it was an article from Not The Nation...

 

Though, as the article is from Chinese Academics (@Ricardo), might just be a good way to boost Thai ego and to get the deal signed faster...

back rubbing style..

[Reigntax]

3 hours ago, trainman34014 said:

These people are clearly not living in the same Thailand as i am !

 

They just dont know any better and are unaware how the world left them behind.

[Ricardo]

3 hours ago, trainman34014 said:

These people are clearly not living in the same Thailand as i am !

 

No, as they're living in China, see post #7.

[djayz]

17 hours ago, webfact said:

solid higher education

Which country are they talking about here? 

[djayz]

17 hours ago, webfact said:

people of a nation which was neither conquered nor colonised

Maybe the former powers didn't think it was worth colonising... not exactly something to boast about... ? All in jest. 

[wow64]

Just make it the ASEAN hub and be done with it.  I forgot Japan never colonised Thailand.. thailand serendered quicker then the French could eat cheese.

[plachon]

Ignoring the many other problematic, propagandist statements in this aritcle, the third point of their argument for Thailand's supposed uniqueness and suitability to be a key part of the OBOR project stood out:

 

"Third, Thailand boasts one of the oldest, most well-balanced and significant systems of higher education in Southeast Asia today. One of its flagship research institutions, Chulalongkorn University, has a high reputation among its peers in Asia. It was founded exactly a century ago and currently has some 37,000 students.

 

Thailand’s higher education is no doubt one of the region’s strongest, probably second only to Singapore. Thai education has benefited from centuries of development unhindered by any colonial interference. Over the past few decades, the system has consistently pumped out the talents necessary for Thailand to demonstrate prowess in many arenas of human activity, especially in science and technology."

 

Well,  while Thailand does have some half decent universities that turn out some reasonably well educated alumni, the best educated people in Thailand are invariably those that have studied abroad, as the homeland universities are generally lacking in many regards, especially in terms of foreign language support. 

 

Chula is ranked first in Thailand, but globally it is ranked 245th, according to its Wikipedia entry:

"According to QS university ranking 2017. CU is placed 245th in the world, 45th in Asia, 1st in Thailand, and 151-200 in the graduate employability ranking."

 

But, I would rank Malaysia's, Indonesia's, and possibly the Philippines' university system as superior to Thailand's, as well as Singapore within ASEAN, and before too long, I suspect Vietnam's system will out-perform Thailand's. The lack of "colonial interference" has probably been a hindrance to the development of a decent education system and the intransigence and sheer pig-headedness of the Min of Education in reforming the Thai system is legendary, both for those that have followed the criticism in the Thai media over the years, but also for those of us who have had the misfortune to work in the system at one time or another in the past.

 

So much money and resources have been spent on "study tours" to other nations (mostly in the West) with the stated intention of educational reform over the years, that if it has remained so unreformed and stuck in a nationalistic, backwards looking worldview as it does today, I doubt very much if it will ever reform, and will continue to fall back compared to some of its ASEAN neighbours' who have a far more outward and forwards looking perspective on education. But I suspect that this situation is preferred for the new Chinese overlords, who would prefer a cowed nation of obedient citizens not trained to think laterally or holistically, that can be moulded into useful producers, middle managers and servants for future exploitation, within a Sino-centric world.