Vested interests block meaningful reforms as government remains too vague: Banthoon

[webfact]

Vested interests block meaningful reforms as government remains too vague: Banthoon

By WICHIT CHAITRONG 
THE NATION

 

 

DO NOT EXPECT major government successes in implementing the next major round of reforms, a banking executive has warned.

Banthoon Lamsam, chief executive officer of Kasikornbank, expects a tough road ahead as vested interests may oppose a series of reforms likely to be advocated by 11 committees recently set up by the government. 

 

“The [proposed] reforms must lead to what have to be changed [to pave the way to allow further reforms],” he said. “If nothing changes, there will be no reform.”

 

 

Serious reforms would inevitably affect the old power structure, he said, adding that powerful people were not likely to make the process easy.

 

Banthoon was recently appointed to a committee tasked with recommending public-sector reforms. The junta government announced members of 11 reform committees and gave them 90 days to recommend changes to the national strategy committee, chaired by Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha.

 

The government also has its “Thailand 4.0 policy”, is a cornerstone of its economic programme. Although the government has said it is developing an economy driven by high technology and innovation, Banthoon said that he did not know what that really meant.

 

 

Regarding foreign direct investment and the impacts of disruptive technology, Banthoon said he was afraid that Thailand would lag behind other regional nations.

 

While Jack Ma, founder of Alibaba Group, and Richard Liu, founder of China’s largest e-commerce company JD.com have promised to invest in Thailand, Banthoon shared concerns about tech giants taking advantage of Thai companies.

 

“What I fear is that we will only be the customers of the technology companies. If so, they will reap most of benefits,” Banthoon said during a talk show interview with Suthichai Yoon, co-founder of Nation Multimedia Group, on “From Steve Jobs to Jack Ma to Thailand 4.0”.

 

Industry Minister Uttama Savanayana argued that collaboration with tech companies would benefit the Thai economy.

“We will not let them sell only their products to Thailand. The collaboration will lead to a creation of a ‘smart city’ in the Eastern Economic Corridor,” said Uttama.

 

 

The EEC does not on focus on industries alone, but rather has social, education and community aspects, he said.

 

He said Japan’s External Trade Organisation plans to send another trade mission to scout out opportunities within the EEC after 570 investors recently visited the east coast.

 

Companies from Germany and the Netherlands have also contacted the Board of Investment as they were looking to invest in the EEC.

 

“The world is fast changing and we do not have much time – we need to move fast,” said Uttama. “The country needs to change its mindset to have a new skill-set and ecosystem.”

 

The large number of obsolete laws are slowing down Thailand’s potential economic growth, said Kitipong Urapeepatanapong, chairman of Bangkok’s office of global law firm BakerMckenzie, during a panel discussion on transforming Thailand. But drafting new laws that create a more business-friendly environment is time consuming, he said.

 

The country needs further de-regulation to help support small companies, said Sethaput Suthiwart-Narueput, managing partner of the Advisor Co.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/business/30327670

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-09-26

[JAG]

Well if the Chief Executive Officer of one of the country's biggest banks doesn't understand Thailand 4.0, I suppose I shouldn't worry too much about not having a clue what it means either.

 

It is possibly just a coffee stain blotting out an important junction on the crumpled often refolded road map tucked into the glove box of this nations future...

[Samui Bodoh]

In order to have public reforms, you must first have public acceptance, public accountability, and public legitimacy for the process.

 

A coup government, with self-given immunity and a 'legislature' full of cronies, combined with an ever-changing 'road map', does not have these things. 

 

If you want to have serious reforms, the reformers have to be acceptable, accountable and legitimate. That is not the case at this moment.

 

 

[Oziex1]

Do I hear a rational voice in an irrational culture.  

Good luck with that sir. 

[Cadbury]

44 minutes ago, JAG said:

Well if the Chief Executive Officer of one of the country's biggest banks doesn't understand Thailand 4.0, I suppose I shouldn't worry too much about not having a clue what it means either.

 

It is possibly just a coffee stain blotting out an important junction on the crumpled often refolded road map tucked into the glove box of this nations future...

It is not only you and the CEO of the Kasikornbank who do not know what Thailand 4.0 is all about. I suspect most of the generals running the country (including the PM who loves spouting it continually) have no idea also. This story took some of the mystery out of it for me. Seems it is the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

http://www.aecom.com/vn/demystifying-4_0/

Vietnam has 4.0, they call it Industry 4.0. I suspect most Asian countries are going down the 4.0 path just as are many Western countries which started some years ago. It's just that PM Prayuth likes to give the impression Thailand invented it and it is all his idea.

 

[RichardColeman]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

 

2 hours ago, webfact said:

too vague

Yep, Thai government !

[JAG]

29 minutes ago, Cadbury said:

It is not only you and the CEO of the Kasikornbank who do not know what Thailand 4.0 is all about. I suspect most of the generals running the country (including the PM who loves spouting it continually) have no idea also. This story took some of the mystery out of it for me. Seems it is the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

http://www.aecom.com/vn/demystifying-4_0/

Vietnam has 4.0, they call it Industry 4.0. I suspect most Asian countries are going down the 4.0 path just as are many Western countries which started some years ago. It's just that PM Prayuth likes to give the impression Thailand invented it and it is all his idea.

 

That is a very interesting article and it makes the (international) concept clear - even to someone like me who regards the Great Western Railway steam locomotive as the epitome of man's technological achievement! Thank you

 

Talk of increased flexibility, data sharing, response to customer demand and planned production and maintenance using digital technology do not really sit well with my understanding of how the old guard who control the economy (and purse strings) react and/or operate.

I do not doubt that the Thais could rise to the challenge, I am constantly amazed at the ingenuity and industry shown by so many, when working for themselves. The dead hand of the powers that be however...

Still, I see that the final paragraph mentions a roadmap, so perhaps all is not lost!

[YetAnother]

1 hour ago, Samui Bodoh said:

In order to have public reforms, you must first have public acceptance, public accountability, and public legitimacy for the process.

 

A coup government, with self-given immunity and a 'legislature' full of cronies, combined with an ever-changing 'road map', does not have these things. 

 

If you want to have serious reforms, the reformers have to be acceptable, accountable and legitimate. That is not the case at this moment.

 

 

agreed and consider momentum. both the current bunch remaining and becoming more emboldened and a concomitant lack of any real opposition (sure the odd academic now and again)

[YetAnother]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

vested interests may oppose a series of reforms

dont they always ?

[mikebell]

'It is possibly just a coffee stain blotting out an important junction on the crumpled often refolded road map tucked into the glove box of this nations future...'

 

Lovely extended metaphor, JAG.  We get some clever people writing on here.

[yellowboat]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

Banthoon said he was afraid that Thailand would lag behind other regional nations.

That is the history and future of technology in Thailand.  1.  Many of the ground breaking things available now are not even legal in Thailand like they are in China and other Asian countries.  2. Computer automation is not seriously embraced.  Still have trouble finding a photo both in Bangkok for taking passport photos. 

Edited September 26, 2017 by yellowboat

[robblok]

2 hours ago, Samui Bodoh said:

In order to have public reforms, you must first have public acceptance, public accountability, and public legitimacy for the process.

 

A coup government, with self-given immunity and a 'legislature' full of cronies, combined with an ever-changing 'road map', does not have these things. 

 

If you want to have serious reforms, the reformers have to be acceptable, accountable and legitimate. That is not the case at this moment.

 

 

Actually i totally disagree (not so strange) a junta could make changes much better faster then any democratic goverment ever could. They could make the hard decisions that need to be made for the greater good. They could do so many things that would take eons here in Thailand normally. However they did not do it is a huge missed chance. 

[Samui Bodoh]

16 minutes ago, robblok said:

Actually i totally disagree (not so strange) a junta could make changes much better faster then any democratic goverment ever could. They could make the hard decisions that need to be made for the greater good. They could do so many things that would take eons here in Thailand normally. However they did not do it is a huge missed chance. 

Good morning Mr Robblok!

 

As always, you are almost correct.

 

It is true that a Junta can write a law much more quickly, and can enact a law much more quickly. 

 

However, if no one is willing to follow that law, the speed of the matter is irrelevant. Look around Thailand; motorcycle riders must wear helmets but few do, prostitution is illegal but available everywhere, there are strict laws against public corruption but few follow them, Monks should be poor but fly on jets, alcohol cannot be sold during school hours but getting a beer is easy, etc, etc, etc, etc, etc...

 

The only way that a Junta can enforce their speed-written laws is through massive coercion and force. And the more that a Junta uses coercion and force, the more resentment is built up, leading to even more resentment and then even more coercion, and so on. 

 

Thailand is a society that doesn't really respect the rule of law, so no matter how quickly a Junta makes a law, it doesn't matter unless the general population agrees with it.

 

However, if a government has credibility, has a mandate, is accountable, and is legitimate, there is a MUCH better chance of those reforms being implemented BECAUSE society agrees with them.

 

It is that simple.

 

Juntas talk a lot, but as soon as their threat is removed (and it always is), then their "accomplishments" are removed as well. The only thing that has happened is time was wasted so that Junta leaders could help themselves to what ever they want.

 

And the country is worse off...

 

 

[robblok]

5 minutes ago, Samui Bodoh said:

Good morning Mr Robblok!

 

As always, you are almost correct.

 

It is true that a Junta can write a law much more quickly, and can enact a law much more quickly. 

 

However, if no one is willing to follow that law, the speed of the matter is irrelevant. Look around Thailand; motorcycle riders must wear helmets but few do, prostitution is illegal but available everywhere, there are strict laws against public corruption but few follow them, Monks should be poor but fly on jets, alcohol cannot be sold during school hours but getting a beer is easy, etc, etc, etc, etc, etc...

 

The only way that a Junta can enforce their speed-written laws is through massive coercion and force. And the more that a Junta uses coercion and force, the more resentment is built up, leading to even more resentment and then even more coercion, and so on. 

 

Thailand is a society that doesn't really respect the rule of law, so no matter how quickly a Junta makes a law, it doesn't matter unless the general population agrees with it.

 

However, if a government has credibility, has a mandate, is accountable, and is legitimate, there is a MUCH better chance of those reforms being implemented BECAUSE society agrees with them.

 

It is that simple.

 

Juntas talk a lot, but as soon as their threat is removed (and it always is), then their "accomplishments" are removed as well. The only thing that has happened is time was wasted so that Junta leaders could help themselves to what ever they want.

 

And the country is worse off...

 

 

Your a funny guy because you torpedo your own arguments. Have the helmet laws not been setup by democratic governments they are also not followed. So it does not really matter who makes the laws, all laws need to be enforced. So your wrong as usual.

 

You can't be that naive to think that all the laws will be agreed upon even if done by a credible government. Because governments seldom can make decisions that make everyone happy, also some unpopular measures will always have to be taken for the greater good. It works that way in any country. So it does not really matter who does it not everyone will agree with the laws and then they would not obey them... your points..

 

So it all boils down to enforcement and the junta could set up the laws faster and better as any democratic goverment ever could. They did not and its a missed chance. You automatically assume the junta laws would be bad. I was talking about good change.. not repressive change. If you gave them both the same (junta and democratic goverment) goals and they both wanted to do the same thing for the greater good a junta would always be faster and could make the tough decisions better. That was my point

[retarius]

Look this isn't rocket science....continuous changes to the constitution do not produce 'reform'. One has to agree on an objective of the reform. The objective seems to be to remove any possibility of anyone remotely related to Thaksin or the majority (the poor) ever gaining power. Why not just come out and admit it and the corrupt feral elite can still nosh at the public trough.

[Srikcir]

12 hours ago, webfact said:

Although the government has said it is developing an economy driven by high technology and innovation, Banthoon said that he did not know what that really meant.

Sausage in a waffle.