An urgent agenda for the country

[webfact]

EDITORIAL

An urgent agenda for the country

By The Nation

 

These real national missions must have zero politicisation

 

When Thais and foreign observers consider 2018, a vaguely promised general election comes to mind. The issue is likely to keep everyone occupied – from the media and grassroots movements to the military rulers and politicians seeking a return to power.

 

Real national issues for the new year, however, are not who is going to win the election and who will remain in power, but the fast-changing way of life that requires a visionary leadership willing to make sacrifices.

 

First and foremost, “education” has changed, thanks to the fast evolution of technology. The importance of “classrooms” in their conventional sense is dwindling. Adults and children are learning from the multiple screens that offer any lesson or any kind of information they want.

 

This new way of learning is being hampered by business interests, old-fashioned ways to protect them, and misguided “responsibilities” of the powers-that-be or their opponents, both of whom seemingly don’t consider facilitating the new form of education to be the very top of their agenda.

 

Education is the most important thing in the fast-changing world, so the state’s investment in digital infrastructure will bear far greater fruits than, say, buying military equipment, building tall landmarks or even constructing super-fast railroads.

 

However, Internet fees remain high, sending all platform operators laughing to the bank, and the government’s education portfolio is there to pacify rebellious political factions.

 

Next on the “must-do” list for 2018 is visionary manpower and labour management. This has to be done along with the education revamp, which, if executed properly, will upend the labour landscape, especially in terms of domestic skills and the need for foreign work forces.

 

Already, the fledgling existence of the Asean Economic Community has led to more fluid labour movement, something that can cause international friction if not handled with good planning.

 

Then there is the urgent need to clean up corruption in Thailand. The issue has been too politicised and that has prevented a totally transparent and responsible Thailand from happening.

 

The military rulers have been accused of being hypocrites, who go after their opponents but spare their own people. Politicians, meanwhile, cite the “hypocrisy” as an excuse for their own deplorable deeds. But Thailand has been stuck in this vicious circle for too long, meaning genuine development is impossible.

 

Next is the realisation that the three main tasks – education reform, visionary manpower management, and graft eradication – must be drilled into every inch of the national psyche, and everyone must keep the mission in mind regardless of ideology or what state the country is in. The military must hold dear the agendas no matter how much time it has left.

 

The politicians must give the three main issues the utmost priority – whether they are preparing for an election race, sit in the government, or work in the opposition bloc. And both the military and politicians cannot do it without help from the rest of Thailand.

 

The must-do list concerns real issues for the common person on the street. It has nothing to do with what political system is good or what is bad. If those kind of questions come into play, real national progress can be disrupted as we all have learned the hard way.

 

Those kind of questions also have the illusory quality of tricking us into thinking about how to move forward while in fact keeping us entrenched in a Catch-22 situation.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/opinion/30336236

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-01-15

[Dave67]

".... But Thailand has been stuck in this vicious circle for too long, meaning genuine development is impossible."

 

Very true, anytime  a party has tried some social reform they are stepped on by the military and the elite protecting their own interests

[Samui Bodoh]

If the Nation believes that these are the three priorities, lets have a look...

 

Education reform. There are many viewpoints regarding exactly what reforms are needed in education, but I think all can agree on one aspect; everything starts at the Ministry of Education. I have posted on this a few times, so the short version is to blow up the place (figuratively, not literally). The Ministry created the current system which causes stagnation and stultification across the education system in Thailand, and if reforms are needed (and they are), new people are needed. Identify the top one hundred people at the ministry headquarters and the top twenty people at each provincial headquarters and fire them. Today. This hour. It won't fix everything right away, but it is a good start.

 

Manpower management. The editorial doesn't mention much in the way of solutions, but I can offer one. The Junta undertook a process of registering millions of foreign workers (mostly Burmese, Cambodian and Laotian), but created a bureaucratic mess by not consulting stakeholders in advance, not simplifying the procedures, and not allocating enough resources to implement the policy changes in time (and thus had to suspend the law). Why not try governing in a logical, process-orientated manner without these sudden "brain-storms" masquerading as policy?

 

Corruption. A serious and long-standing problem that will require generations to eradicate fully. Step one is fire Prawit for his watches. As long as he ignores the law, all other measures are a waste of time. Second, wipe out the NACC and start again. Thailand desperately needs an effective anti-corruption agency, but the NACC is so flawed that it cannot be saved. 

 

There we go, everything solved. 

 

[Somtamnication]

The military is not going anywhere; with our without so called 'elections".

[Dave67]

21 minutes ago, Samui Bodoh said:

If the Nation believes that these are the three priorities, lets have a look...

 

Education reform. There are many viewpoints regarding exactly what reforms are needed in education, but I think all can agree on one aspect; everything starts at the Ministry of Education. I have posted on this a few times, so the short version is to blow up the place (figuratively, not literally). The Ministry created the current system which causes stagnation and stultification across the education system in Thailand, and if reforms are needed (and they are), new people are needed. Identify the top one hundred people at the ministry headquarters and the top twenty people at each provincial headquarters and fire them. Today. This hour. It won't fix everything right away, but it is a good start.

 

Manpower management. The editorial doesn't mention much in the way of solutions, but I can offer one. The Junta undertook a process of registering millions of foreign workers (mostly Burmese, Cambodian and Laotian), but created a bureaucratic mess by not consulting stakeholders in advance, not simplifying the procedures, and not allocating enough resources to implement the policy changes in time (and thus had to suspend the law). Why not try governing in a logical, process-orientated manner without these sudden "brain-storms" masquerading as policy?

 

Corruption. A serious and long-standing problem that will require generations to eradicate fully. Step one is fire Prawit for his watches. As long as he ignores the law, all other measures are a waste of time. Second, wipe out the NACC and start again. Thailand desperately needs an effective anti-corruption agency, but the NACC is so flawed that it cannot be saved. 

 

There we go, everything solved. 

 

 Good work, not as difficult as I first thought. If need any help give me a shout

[Ossy]

An urgent agenda for the country

Talk about stating the obvious. The Nation, it seems, expects a news drought this week, unless the real Prayut dare show his face . . . and who on earth would want that?

[Srikcir]

8 hours ago, webfact said:

Real national issues for the new year, however, are not who is going to win the election and who will remain in power,

True but not in the manner presented.

The real national issue is, has been since 1932 and shall  continue to be that regardless who wins any election, there will be the minority who will still remain in power contrary to the interests of the majority of the electorate. The Thai people's sovereignty has been and shall continue to be secondary to those minority who claim for themselves the moral authority over the Thai people's sovereignty.

One can refine over and over the education, manpower and law enforcement systems. But without addressing directly and altering the inherent flaws of the so-called Thai-Style Democratic system, political chaos and public discord will continue to defy meaningful reforms in Thai society.