Making Thailand an Asean-friendly country

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REGIONAL PERSPECTIVE
Making Thailand an Asean-friendly country
Kavi Chongkittavorn
The Nation

Gone are the days when merely mentioning the acronym AEC

BANGKOK: -- The Asean agenda has been on top of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha's must do list since the very first day. A few weeks after his power seizure, the Preparation Centre for Asean Community (PCAC) was set up to show he meant business on Asean matters.

Now nearly a year has been wasted propagating what the country needs to do, but without tangible action. The National Reform Council, tasked to reform the legislation and bureaucracies to turn the country into an Asean-friendly member, has remained a mere talk shop.

In recent months, due to increased external pressure, the government has put all effort into rectifying headline-making rotten parts of Thai society — modern slave traders, mafia fishing bosses and overbearing traders. Apart from the immediate challenges emanating from political reform, constitutional drafting and a myriad of issues on national reconciliation, Prayut still has pin-picked human trafficking as a national priority — a formidable task.

During earlier meetings on this topic, he lost his temper due to the high level of denials and indifference of concerned officials. He has threatened them, especially those in uniform, with reshuffles and severe punishment in cases of negligence.

As a result, some progress has been made with arrests and prosecution of culprits. Last year, police filed 280 charges, which led to prosecution of 155 cases. As of today, the court has passed verdicts on 47 cases, while another 108 await decisions. By international standards, it is still insufficient given the long history of abuses and human rights violations.

Worse still, the recent discovery of over two-dozen graves of Rohingya refugees along the Thai-Malaysian border in the Sadao district, Songkhla, could further tarnish the country's record on human smuggling and ruin the upcoming Trafficking In Persons report, to be released in June by the US. Currently, Thailand is requesting assistance from Malaysia's Special Branch with the case as Malaysian human smuggling syndicates are also involved in the cross-border activity. The victims were waiting along the border hoping to cross over to Malaysia for jobs.

Human trafficking, slave labour and the plight of the Rohingya are international issues that attract the scrutiny of the international community. Within Asean, the leaders of Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia want to find a regional resolution but Myanmar remains recalcitrant. The Bali Process should be an appropriate forum to find a sustainable solution.

Recently, Prayut caused a hoo-ha when he used his big stick - Section 44 — in a desperate effort to eliminate the overpriced lottery cartels. It is still a work in progress. Now, with exactly 233 days remaining before the Asean Community deadline, the frequently asked question is whether he would deploy a similar strategy to get all concerned agencies and authorities to implement all the AC action plans. Or, he could just ignore and be satisfied with bogus make-believe scorecards over economic, political and security as well as, socio-cultur?al pillars.

Truth be told, after the 26th summit in Malaysia last month, Prayut suddenly realised that Thailand had not done much to fulfill pledges to make it the hub of Asean economic integration, connectivity and digital-driven growth. Last Friday, he restructured the one-year old PCAC by heading the organisation himself and co-chaired by deputy prime ministers. However, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Tanasak Patimapragorn, who presided over the PCAC chair previously, had not been given any specific assignment.

Prayut, who will now oversee the Asean-related schemes himself, instructed the Foreign Ministry to prepare a five-year plan, instead of 10-year plan, for Thailand's integra?tion with the Asean Community. "He wants to see what kind of progress Thailand has accomplished in the medium term," said a senior Cabinet official attending the meeting on Friday.

Throughout its 48-year history, before the Asean documents and decisions were agreed upon and made public, they were thoroughly discussed and changed before adoption by consensus. So, Thailand and Asean members have no excuse to backslide on the implementation. Even with the current lowest denomination on action plans, quite a few Asean members are still to be found wanting over the culture of compliance.

Despite all the hype and huge money spent, the Thai authorities and their agencies are still thinking in silos over the Asean community building. Their work often stands alone without reference to other organisations. Whenever there are cross-cutting issues requiring collective approaches and impossible decisions, the whole process gets bogged down. For instance, Thailand has the highest number of restrictions on certain imported commodities in Asean.

As Asean becomes more integrated, crosscutting issues from the Asean three pillars are becoming more common. As such, competition and jealousy could also come into play and quickly turn the whole endeavour into political bickering between agencies causing further delay and procrastination.

The time has come for all ministries and state enterprises to assign an official who understands the AC and its implications to coordinate and synergise their activities. These "Sherpa" people will connect all the dots within the government's labyrinth networks. That way, the whole country will know where it is headed, as bureaucrats would be able to update their work.

Finally, more public signposts should bear the Asean emblem and related information to increase the awareness and sense of belonging to the AC inside the country and beyond.

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration should take the lead. Past efforts trying to make the capital an international city must be more mindful of Asean components, which were sadly missing.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/opinion/Making-Thailand-an-Asean-friendly-country-30259765.html


-- The Nation 2015-05-11

[ExPratt]

Its hotting up now in the South China sea with China , Vietnam and Philippines all reclaiming land to build what are thought to be airstrips or Army bases. China already acting like a spoiled 6 years old accusing Vietnam and Philippines of illegally constructing in "Their" waters.

Not going to be easy to maintain a relationship with China and ASEAN in the future I would imagine

[NongKhaiKid]

Its hotting up now in the South China sea with China , Vietnam and Philippines all reclaiming land to build what are thought to be airstrips or Army bases. China already acting like a spoiled 6 years old accusing Vietnam and Philippines of illegally constructing in "Their" waters.

Not going to be easy to maintain a relationship with China and ASEAN in the future I would imagine

With a large paint pot in hand LoS will mange to sandwich itself between the friends in ASEAN and the new best friend.

[ExPratt]

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Its hotting up now in the South China sea with China , Vietnam and Philippines all reclaiming land to build what are thought to be airstrips or Army bases. China already acting like a spoiled 6 years old accusing Vietnam and Philippines of illegally constructing in "Their" waters.

Not going to be easy to maintain a relationship with China and ASEAN in the future I would imagine

With a large paint pot in hand LoS will mange to sandwich itself between the friends in ASEAN and the new best friend.

Yes they are masters of tact and diplomacy. Allowing the Japanese back in to finish off their Railway was a masterstroke

[Bluespunk]

"Throughout its 48-year history, before the Asean documents and decisions were agreed upon and made public, they were thoroughly discussed and changed before adoption by consensus. So, Thailand and Asean members have no excuse to backslide on the implementation."

Wanna bet on that?

[Lupatria]

Sisyphos comes to mind. However, he was only carrying water up the hill and not a huge bag of corruption, protectionism, greed and Thainess.

[NongKhaiKid]

Psst, China we really are on your side but tell don't ASEAN.

Psst, ASEAN we really are on your side but don't tell China.

[Jeremy50]

Ah yes, ASEAN. 2015 was going to be the year of big changes for the better. Free trade, less restrictions and tax on certain imports, open borders where folk can pass from one country to another easily, like in Europe.

None of this has happened, nor ever will. What is ASEAN, except a club for some of the most corrupt and protectionist nations on earth.

[Just1Voice]

Personally, I think Thailand is going to be in for a major shock, and loss of all important face, once ASEAN fully kicks in, and they realizes they are not the "Superior Race" and Top Dog the way they have believed for far too long.

Thai Uni grads won't look outside of Thailand for jobs for one major reason - they have no English skills - which would be needed.

And ASEAN will eventually force Thailand to knock down the ignorant and racist "reserved for Thai only" job signs.

The list is endless.

Bottom Line: Thailand was once the diamond in the mud of S.E. Asia. But now they are nothing more that a cheap qubic zirconia.

[FangFerang]

"For instance, Thailand has the highest number of restrictions on certain imported commodities in Asean."

No shit Sherlock.

And add, the lowest public and private integration of English in ASEAN, except Myanmar, though English was chosen as the ASEAN lingua franca many years ago. One [psoter said he thought Thailand was imagining ASEAN being a "Thailand First" organization, and I am starting to agree with that assessment.

[Nick167]

Lol!

Thailand Asean Friendly??????? Lol! Change these attititude of these non-English speaking Xenophobic lowly educated things that who love scamming first. By the way, the rest of Asean countries are not stupid na!

[fgmr]

After 26 Summits and countless sub-committee meetings on a variety of topics is there a published roadmap of progress and achievement on the agreed agendas; not just Thailand but all members of ASEAN?

Which member country has shown the greatest transparency.

When we know this we will be better able to judge likely outcomes. Or, as I suspect, most of these meetings have become mere talking shops and an excuse for a jolly in a foreign country at the expense of the taxpayer. Perhaps someone in reply can make my cynicism disappear.

[Srikcir]

It will be a challenge for both Thailand's elected government and a monarchy-led parallel state with the Military as its self-appointed protector with their own extra-constitutional powers to mesh with a diversity of different political systems in the other ASEAN countries.

If the Thai elite cannot respect the soverneignty and constitution of its own people, what success will they have with partnering with the soverneignty of the other ASEAN countries' peoples? The end of 2015 will not see an intergrated ASEAN Community but rather a fragmented region of conflicting political and economic agendas.

[Thaddeus]

After 26 Summits and countless sub-committee meetings on a variety of topics is there a published roadmap of progress and achievement on the agreed agendas; not just Thailand but all members of ASEAN?

It's been called Thai way or the highway.

[wabothai]

As long as xenophobia plays an important roll in Thailand, there will not be any ASEAN, possibly only for a "happy" few.

[connda]

Its hotting up now in the South China sea with China , Vietnam and Philippines all reclaiming land to build what are thought to be airstrips or Army bases. China already acting like a spoiled 6 years old accusing Vietnam and Philippines of illegally constructing in "Their" waters.

Not going to be easy to maintain a relationship with China and ASEAN in the future I would imagine

Lemme check my geography book. Let's see...West Philippines Sea? Nope. Southwest Japanese Sea? Nope. East Vietnamese Sea? Nope. North Indonesian Sea. Nope.

Ahh Hah! Here it is. South China Sea.

...and it's called the South China Sea for what reason?

Edited May 11, 2015 by connda

[MobileContent]

ASEAN stands in Thailand we don't like the Burmese, Cambodian, Vietnamese and Lao people. On top of that they are afraid of the Muslims in Indonesia and Malaysia and as well in the South. Whats left of ASEAN? They do like to go shopping in Singapore but they surely do not know how to spell the Philippines.

Besides flags the normal Somchai or Wassana don't have a clue what it is.

[willyumiii]

ASEAN kicks into gear in November of this year.

Not much time to clean up your act!

And where does Thailand rate on ability to speak and understand English with other ASEAN countries?

On the bottom...

Thailand has had since August of 1967 to prepare for ASEAN.

It's time to get started!

Choke dee Thailand!