Thailand, Human Security, Today And Tomorrow

[monkfish]

This is an important document made by the United Nations Development Programme which I believe explains a lot about what is going on in Thailand at the moment.

It's 177 pages long but if you are interested in the future of Thailand I think it is well worth the read and may be even some civilized discussions.

As its quite a large document I recommend right clicking and downloading apposed to viewing in your browser.

http://www.undp.or.th/resources/documents/...ment_Report.pdf

[iwad2010]

Do you think this is the right forum for this?

Who enters a general topic page to read 170 pages.

Please.....

[Tejas]

Do you think this is the right forum for this?

Who enters a general topic page to read 170 pages.

Please.....

Maybe the first few "summary" pages will give readers an idea about what the document is about:

Chapter 1: Introduction: Thailand and human security

The idea of “human security” emerged in the early 1990s. The ending of the cold war saw a global reduction

in armed conflict and political tension. The phrase “human security” was part of a deliberate attempt to switch

attention from the security of states to the security of individuals. The UNDP Human Development Report 1994

offered a simple definition: “Human security can be said to have two main aspects. It means, first, safety from

such chronic threats as hunger, disease and repression. And second, it means protection from sudden and

hurtful disruptions in the patterns of daily life – whether in homes, in jobs or in communities.”

In Thailand in the mid and late 1990s, there was a similar trend to redefine the scope of security. As part of a

major ministerial reorganization in October 2002, the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security

(MSDHS) came into existence. In 2008, the ministry used a participatory process of nationwide seminars and

networking to develop a human security strategy for Thailand with three elements: self-reliance; community

empowerment; and devotion to society.

The human security approach provides a way to survey the whole spectrum of human development. It can

help to redraw attention to old risks and threats that persist despite familiarity, and to identify new risks and

threats that arise with changes. In short, it provides a tool to identify priorities – the old problems that remain

but are ignored because of familiarity, and the new issues that are emerging with changes in economy,

society and the country’s position in the world.

In discussions on human security in the four regions of Thailand, members of civil society and officialdom

showed personal concerns over health and social concerns over politics (corruption and violence), the

environment, increasing numbers of migrant workers, and human trafficking. They were apprehensive that

social disparities created injustice that was the foundation of rising violence.

Chapter 2: Human security today: An audit

This report surveys the state of human security in Thailand today from six dimensions: economic security,

food security, environmental security, health security, personal security and political security. Over recent

decades, as a result of economic growth, an expanded role for government and an active civil society, many of

the harshest threats to human security have been overcome. On any international scale, Thailand should be

considered more than “moderately secure.” But some groups are still at risk, and some problems have defied

solution.

Economic security. Thailand’s sustained growth over the past generation has made most people more secure,

more of the time. But the pattern of that economic growth has increased risks, especially for the large

proportion of the population dependent on the informal economy.

Poverty incidence has declined from 21 percent to 8.5 percent between 2000 and 2007, but pockets remain.

In the rural areas, 1-in-10 people are still in poverty. Some simply have insufficient land. Others face structural

difficulties and fall outside any form of safety net. In the urban areas, many people still face intermittent

poverty due to insecurities of income and unemployment.

The social security net has expanded steadily over the past generation. The recent introduction of a universal

health care scheme has significantly increased health and economic security. However, the large proportion

of the population in the informal economy remains unprotected from other risks.

For economic security in the long term, government must address the two major sources of economic

insecurity, namely the high external dependence, and the high proportion of people employed in the informal

sector.

x

Food security. Thailand is a major food exporting country. Availability of food has improved with both higher

local production and growing imports. Thailand has the capacity to produce both food and fuel crops, but

may face trade-off issues in the future.

Access to food is still a problem for the rural and urban poor. In the rural north and northeast, and in the urban

areas, there are poor households vulnerable to price rises.

Food safety is a growing concern because of risk of contamination during preparation, chemical residues,

low-quality manufacturing, and new diseases. Monitoring is inadequate and controls are poorly enforced.

Despite some problems, the current picture of food security is relatively benign, but there are uncertainties

over the future because of rivalry over water, the decline of the small family farm, and the prospects of climate

change. These issues are addressed in chapter 3.

Environmental security. The tsunami tragedy of 2004 has led to greatly increased awareness of natural

disasters, and led to several projects for monitoring and prevention. Major typhoons occur rarely but are

highly devastating.

Each year on average around 4 million households are affected by drought and 1 million by flood. In bad

years the numbers can rise to 7 or 8 million. The climate is already becoming more erratic, and the issue of

water management more critical.

Growing population and economic activity exert relentless pressure on the stock of natural resources,

particularly forests, water, and marine resources. Communities dependent on these resources are most

vulnerable to the impact. Just enforcing existing laws (e.g., on marine equipment), and completing proposed

legislation (e.g., the community forestry bill) would improve their security.

Management of pollution and waste is generally weak. Better zoning would assist communities who find

themselves beside industrial zones, quarries, and power plants. More investment is needed in facilities to

process and recycle the growing volumes of domestic and industrial waste.

In recent years, 19 activists have been murdered for their part in campaigns to protect natural resources.

These deaths dramatize the vulnerability of natural resources. Government agencies have been active in

attempts to reduce conflict over natural resources through more participation, attention to local wisdom,

area-based management, and other strategies. But overall, environmental management still remains weak.

Health security. Major infectious diseases have become less threatening. The vulnerability to HIV/AIDS has

lessened somewhat owing to medical advances, public awareness, and social campaigns, but vigilance is still

required. The rising health threats are the diseases of lifestyle and environment – cancer, heart disease,

stress – and international epidemics.

By international standards, Thai people are at high risk from motor accidents. Young male motorcyclists are

the most imperilled. Public campaigns have limited success in denting the rising trend of accidents. Abuse of

alcohol is a major factor.

The Universal Health Care scheme has made a major difference in access to health care. But challenges lie

ahead in sustaining the scheme at affordable levels, and retaining physicians tempted by alternative

employment in the private sector. The Thai Health Promotion Foundation hopes to make prevention a much

larger element in health care.

Personal security. Thai people run a relatively high risk of being victims of crime, especially violent crimes

against the person. Thailand has been slow at implementing clearance of landmines. In the far south, the

population faces daily violence from insurgency.

Drug use is again rising. The availability of cheap methamphetamine allows drugs to reach a wide market.

Advances in rehabilitation and treatment have been significant, but attempts to disrupt the trade are

ineffective, largely because it is so lucrative.

xi

Domestic and sexual violence, disguised by a culture of non-exposure, are significant issues that need more

campaigns for raising public awareness.

Thailand is a source, destination, and transit country for human trafficking. The problem now has a high profile,

and is the subject of cooperation with neighbouring states. Government has passed legislation and established

an institutional framework for tackling this problem in a more concerted fashion.

Political security. Over much of the past generation, most Thais would probably have judged that their

political security was improving. Over the last five years, that judgment has almost certainly changed.

Throughout the country, frustration with the practical operation of the political system is prompting rising

levels of conflict and polarization among the people.

Thais have had extensive civic and political rights formally guaranteed by a constitution since 1997.In practice,

the embedding of democratic systems has been repeatedly disrupted by military coups.

Parliament is heavily dominated by male business people, a small fraction of the population, while most

other groups are under-represented. Political parties do not serve as channels for people to affect

policy-making. Decision-making remains highly centralized with limited opportunities for participation.

Corruption is perceived to be a major barrier to efficient and responsive government. Decentralization

has helped only very partially in making government more accessible and responsive. Recently, the judiciary

has taken a more active political role, but faces accusations of bias.

Overall. The major threats to human security from poverty and disease have significantly retreated. But Thai

citizens in general are still unduly at risk from crime, traffic accidents, food safety, and pollution, and specific

groups are vulnerable to human trafficking, drugs, domestic and sexual violence, destruction of natural

resources, and political disorder. In most cases, solutions to these problems are known, but there are failures

of implementation.

Chapter 3: Emerging issues for a secure tomorrow

By and large the big problems now facing Thailand are not those of meeting basic needs. The emerging

problems are the result of the country’s relative success at becoming a semi-industrialized country in a

globalized world.

This chapter highlights five human security issues which are all in different ways a product of this transition.

None of these problems is unknown. Indeed, they are widely discussed. Yet none of these has the prominence

on the national agenda that it deserves. All five issues pose multiple problems for human security in the

present, and these problems promise to grow worse in the future if they are not addressed. This chapter also

sketches how the prospect of climate change is likely to exacerbate human insecurities in the future.

Managing water. Of all the natural resources that are under pressure, water is the most critical for human

security. Water is vital for human life. Water is key to the rice agriculture that provides food security for the

country and economic security for a large proportion of the population. The industries and urban centres that

have emerged over the past generation not only compete for the inelastic supply of water, but threaten it

with various forms of contamination, creating issues of health security. On top of this, the supply of water is

becoming more erratic because of climate shifts.

The variety of the issues surrounding water signals the complexity of the problem. Talk of a “water crisis” has

been around for almost two decades. Many plans have been laid. Relatively little has been done. Much of this

inertia is a function of the sheer complexity of the problem, magnified by the competing interests of different

water users, and fragmentation of responsibility within government. Water is a big problem that needs to be

dealt with in a big and integrated way.

xii

How to move towards a new era of water management in Thailand? The first step is to accept that there is a

problem, that it is an immense problem, and that it needs to be confronted in an integrated manner.

Government should consider unifying the management of water under a single umbrella agency with real

authority. There is a need for a National Water Plan, covering issues of supply, allocation, and quality. The plan

should draw on the best technical expertise, as well as involve the participation of all stakeholders. Government

will need to commit larger resources to the management of water, including larger budgets and more skilled

personnel.

Deciding the future of the small farmer. As Thailand has switched its attention towards industrialization and

urbanization, agriculture has suffered from neglect. Investment has been low. Public resources devoted to the

sector have been minimal. The natural resource base on which agriculture depends has deteriorated. Because

the system of small-scale family farming that prevails in Thailand is so resilient, this steady deterioration can

go almost unnoticed. But there are signs that the process is approaching a critical point.

Small-scale farms are often uneconomic and survive only because they are subsidized by family members

working elsewhere, and by inappropriate government policies. The spread of contract farming and plantations

of fuel crops are beginning to compete for land. Government support for sustainable small-scale farming has

been inadequate. Family farms are failing to reproduce themselves. The average age of the farmers is now

above 50 years. A major change looms.

The implications for human security are manifold. Food security may be at risk. The “informal social security”

provided by the village household will disappear. There is a national decision ahead over whether to allow this

decline to continue, or whether the costs are too high.

If any public effort is to be made to sustain the family farm, several changes will be needed. A fair distribution of

land is critical. Many governments have promised action, but none has delivered. More investment is needed

in water management given its critical importance for small-scale agricultural production. Better systems are

needed for managing agricultural prices. In 2009, the government introduced a farmer’s income guarantee

system to replace the old system of pledging that benefited the trader and the larger farmer. More research

and extension work is needed to develop crop strains and other technologies appropriate for the small farm.

A rethink is needed on the role of education in the country’s agricultural future. Government should continue

to take a precautionary attitude towards GMOs, and show more commitment to the support of sustainable

and organic agriculture.

Accommodating non-citizens. Across the world, globalization has reduced the effectiveness of national

borders as barriers to movements of people. Thailand is now home to a large number of people of other

nationalities. Some are displaced persons left over from conflicts which have racked the region in the past

half-century. Some are economic migrants attracted by Thailand’s relative economic success. Some are people

who have failed to acquire nationality because of their own incompetence or official failure. The numbers are

now large; the best estimate is around 3.5 million people, but the exact magnitude is unknown.

These “non-citizens” themselves suffer from severe human insecurity. Moreover, they are now present in

sufficient measures to provoke feelings of insecurity among citizens. At present there is little apparent

awareness of the scale of the issue, and very limited debate on what needs to be done.

The presence of many of these peoples is testament to an underlying humanitarianism in Thai policy making.

This humanitarianism should guide a new look at the issue of non-citizens in the light of changing international

circumstances.

Many of the long-resident ethnic minorities have been granted rights to full citizenship by cabinet orders, but

the implementation of these orders is slow. To ensure that problems of statelessness are not passed down to

future generations, the rights to citizenship of those born within the borders should be properly implemented.

Migrant labourers should be properly registered and allowed the same access to legal and social protection

as Thai nationals. More positive efforts are needed to meet the needs of migrant workers who benefit the

national economy, including language training and other forms of socialization.

xiii

Confronting the threat of persistent inequality. Social and economic inequality often tends to worsen at

certain stages of development. In the era of neoliberal globalization, inequality has deepened both within

countries and across countries. Thailand has been prey to these trends. It also appears to have grown more

unequal than neighbouring countries. Inequality has large implications for human security because it means

differentiated access to resources and facilities of all kinds. Inequality has special significance for political

security. Although there is no simple match between inequality and political conflict, it is hard to deny that

Thailand’s deep inequality has underlain the growing social and political conflict of recent years.

Putting inequality on the national agenda sounds easy but in practice is very difficult. The fact that several

national plans have enshrined the goal of combating inequality yet virtually no policies have emerged

suggests that there are powerful forces against acceptance of this goal. An important beginning is the

realization that the degree of equality and inequality in society is a matter of social choice, not the result of

the operation of market forces. Countries such as Japan, Norway, and Sweden self-consciously value the

benefits of social cohesion that come from greater equality.

Perhaps what is needed first of all is more prominence for the issue in national debate, and more open

discussion of the costs and benefits of trying to move towards a more egalitarian society.

Removing regressive features of government taxation and spending, improving the quality of education,

rectifying the distribution of land, legislating against monopolies, and increasing the overall amount of public

goods – all these will help moderate inequality to some extent. There are more complex issues involved in

combating the political and social structures that underpin inequality. The pervasive role of “influence” to gain

preferential access to resources of all kinds is a major cause of inequality. This will only be undermined by

more open participatory politics, better mechanisms for enforcing rights, an overhaul of the police force,

easier access to judicial process, and other measure to strengthen the rule of law.

Managing the rapid transition to an ageing society. Thailand has begun the transition to an ageing society.

Because of the age profile, this transition will be rather quick.

The responsibility of children to look after parents in old age is deeply embedded in the culture. Most elderly

are still cared for by children or grandchildren. But this arrangement is coming under strain as the society

becomes more urbanized, families fragment into nuclear units, and more women are working in jobs that

make it difficult to provide care for the elderly. The proportion of the elderly living alone is still small, but

doubled from 3.6 to 7.8 percent over 1994 to 2007.

Government has made good preparations. Data has been collected, legislation passed, and policies put in

place. The aim is to preserve and prolong the traditional family responsibility for the elderly. Family and

community are designated as the primary providers of care, with government agencies offering support. At

present only 15 percent of the elderly are supported by a pension. These numbers will increase as a result of

a provident fund scheme launched in 1997, and a pension component of state social security begun in 1999.

But 24 million people working in the informal sector are not covered by any scheme. Government is currently

considering a voluntary scheme for these people.

The rapid transition will put special pressure on the health services, especially community hospitals. Better

provisions are needed for home-based care. More needs to be done to keep the elderly active and productive.

In many sectors, the retirement age could be extended, and more flexible working arrangements

introduced.

Understanding the prospect of climate change. Besides these five above issues that have emerged as part

of Thailand’s growth and social change, another global issue with large consequences for human security is

climate change.

Thailand’s carbon emissions are high compared to the level of its economic development, and have grown

very rapidly in recent decades, largely because of inefficiency in power generation. Thailand is now an average

world citizen in terms of carbon emissions – with roughly 1 percent of global population, and responsible for

roughly 1 percent of emissions. In the near future, Thailand may have to conform to global targets for reducing

emissions, and this may be difficult given the recent record. More preparation is needed.

xiv

Climate change is already affecting human security through more erratic patterns of flood and drought.

Recent research and modelling predict rising temperatures that will affect crop yields and patterns of disease,

more erratic rainfall patterns which will exacerbate water issues, and rising sea levels that will inundate large

stretches of Thailand’s coastline. More research is needed on ways to prepare for these changes.

Besides these direct physical effects, climate change will have other indirect impacts. The markets will

anticipate the future effects of climate change, leading to shifts and panics presaged by the food food-price

spike of 2008. Thailand is surrounded by areas with large populations that are highly at risk from climate

change – particularly in Bangladesh and the Mekong Delta. Thailand may be affected by large population

shifts in neighbouring areas.

These six issues will have an impact on human security in the years ahead. They are big issues that require

correspondingly big solutions, drawing on the resources of government and civil society. They deserve more

attention, and higher priority on the national agenda.