Thai Govt Not Doing Enough For Creative Economy: Poll

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Govt not doing enough for creative economy: poll

THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- Almost half of the economists surveyed see the Yingluck government as less active in pushing a creative economy while almost one-third of them said the present and previous governments were both similar on the issue.

Bangkok University's Research Centre surveyed the opinions of 66 economists from 29 leading agencies on "Yingluck government and the moving the creative economy forward". The survey was conducted from February 15-21.

Three per cent of the respondents said the current government gave more priority to a creative economy than the Abhisit Vejjajiva government.

About 98 per cent of the respondents said Thailand should promote the creative economy more as part of the national economy. Almost 94 per cent of respondents said the product most suitable for the Thai economy would be Thai food while 83.3 per cent called for promoting cultural tourism and biodiversity as well as handicrafts and skilled arts. More than 65 per cent said Thai traditional medicine should be promoted.

On the factors supporting a creative economy, 95.5 per cent believed Thailand has favourable local natural resources, 74.2 per cent said Thailand has many groups of people and activities related to a creative economy, 72.7 per cent said that the main industries and the creative economy can support each other.

However, 50 per cent of respondents said Thailand has no social factor that promotes a creative economy.

On whether the creative economy will be able to help promote competitiveness of the Thai economy, products and business operators in the Asean Economic Community, which comes into effect in 2015, about 62 per cent said they believed so.

Regarding hindrances, almost 44 per cent of respondents said political problems led to disruption of policies and a lack clarity, details and vision, while administrators and government officials lack knowledge about the creative economy and the media did not pay as much attention as it should. About one-fifth of the respondents pointed to an outdated education system that is not healthy for creative thinking. More than 17 per cent said Thailand still lacked serious research and development as well as the proper protection of intellectual property.

-- The Nation 2012-02-23

[noitom]

This "creative economy" is back again. It seemed to have died a natural death and now it rises up. Many senior classes at Thammasat two, three, and four years ago had a lot of difficulty explaining what this was all about. Most of them didn't have a clue. The explanation that it meant "one tambon, one product" similar to OTOP seemed to be the only consensus. The university students had a hard time differentiating OTOP from "creative economy" except that creative economy meant bigger enterprises, fashion, entertainment, etc... Even explaining how OTOP could hope for any economic success was virtually impossible or any kind of documented statements of direction on creative economy. It's pretty clear that no Thai business leadership can effectively articulate this strategy. The Thai stumbling and bumbling around some notion like "creative economy" without a plausible business and value proposition and without clearing up their roadblock issues like corruption and education make schemes like this preposterous.

[thaicbr]

I think this government has been very creative with the economy.

they have created lots of opportunities for back handers. a perfect shinawatra government.

[BigJohnnyBKK]

Yes this is a content-free concept. And the basic requirements for enabling such a thing are fundamentally missing here, unlikely ever to appear.

Creativity is fostered at a personal and cultural level where free thinking is encouraged, not rote memorization and blind obedience to your "betters". That's why most of the so-called artists you see here are hiso trust-fund baby wanke_rs educated overseas.

At a political-economic level, creative businesses require proper rule of law, particularly effective IP enforcement, and as that is on the decline worldwide, will probably never make an appearance here. Can you imagine investing in a business based on traditional proprietary software development models here?