Thailand yet to fulfill ASEAN blueprints

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REGIONAL PERSPECTIVE
Thailand yet to fulfill ASEAN blueprints
Kavi Chongkittavorn
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- As the chair of the Preparedness Centre for the Asean Community (PCAC), Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha must be accountable for any delay or ineffective implementation of all Asean blueprints.

Although Thailand has done very well on the political-security and social-cultural pillars, the implementation of economic action plans has been incomplete.

The prime minister must save the day and push further concerned ministries and agencies to review and amend existing laws to integrate the country fully with the 625 million community in the next 23 days, before the December 31 deadline.

At the recent Asean Summit in Malaysia on November 22, along with the other nine leaders, the PM happily signed the Kuala Lumpur Declaration for the Establishment of Asean Community and the Asean Community Vision 2025. His signature will not only serve as a testimony of the level of his commitment and sincerity but that of the country as well.

It must be noted that Prayut is the first Thai military leader who has shown serious interest in Asean, wishing to see Thailand as the hub of everything Asean — be it in trade, investment, logistics, tourism et al.

Since he seized power last May, he has been occupied with key tasks of making Thailand more accessible for Asean members and dialogue partners so the Thai economy can fully integrate with the regional and global economy. Early this year, he replaced General Tanasak Patimapragorn as the PCAC chair because he was not happy with the lack of Thailand's overall progress on Asean.

Unless Prayut hits the turbo charger on the economic pathway before the year-end, he could also suffer from a similar setback. His scorecard as the PCAC chair will continue to be at the dismal level C only. However, he can easily score an "A" if he can pick on the so-called "high-hanging fruit" - non-tariff barriers such as improving skills mobility for other Asean professionals, increasing Asean investment to a 70 per cent ratio, expanding positive lists on progressive liberation on services, to name a few.

For example, among the founding Asean members, Thailand has the most disappointing record on compliance with the Mutual Recognition Arrangements (MRAs). At present, the Asean Chartered Professional Engineers Register has recorded more than 1,250 engineers and 250 architects. As of November 2014, Thailand issued only three licences for architects and nil for engineers from Asean, Meanwhile, Singapore and Malaysia issued 218 and 199 for the former and 58 and 32 for the latter, respectively. This simply shows that Thailand is not really serious about implementing the MRAs. As of last year, even Myanmar showed a healthy statistic, authorising 72 architects and 12 engineers from Asean members.

At least seven pieces of legislature related to copyright, engineering, immigration, trademarks, extradition, foreign business and foreign workers need to be pressed for further progress due to bureaucratic red tape and lack of coordination. Indeed, most of these laws do not need any amendment. Only the trademark protection requires new legislative action, as Thailand is still not a signatory to the Madrid Protocol. Under the current economic blueprint, all Asean members are encouraged to accede to this protocol whenever possible.

Under the new Asean Economic Blueprint 2025, Thailand must work harder to deepen economic integration with Asean. So far, each ministry and agency is still working in a silo. Very little attempt has been made to synergise with one another. It is a shame that this government has not been able to fulfil its Asean pledges in time by year-end, even though there was no political meddling involved.

At this juncture, Thailand has a great opportunity to come up with a comprehensive structural transformation that can maximise use of the AC. From now on, it must be clear that any national policies and plans should be Asean-centred all the way. In other words, as far as economic matters are concerned, Thai or Asean perspectives or policies must be the same — what benefits Thailand also benefits Asean and vice versa.

Nearly Bt10 billion was spent in past years to increase awareness and understanding among government officials and Thai people of the importance of Asean to them and their country. In retrospect, judging from the current outcome, it was a huge waste of financial resources.

Quite frankly, beyond the hype and hullabaloo, the overall qualities of Thailand's preparedness are still very mediocre.

Only a Thailand that is well integrated within Asean can fit into the broader connectivity schemes that run through numerous economic and infrastructural corridors - such as the Master Plan for Asean Connectivity, East-West Corridor, One Belt and One Initiative and other new trade routes both on land and sea.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/opinion/Thailand-yet-to-fulfill-ASEAN-blueprints-30274429.html


-- The Nation 2015-12-07

[Somtamnication]

"Although Thailand has done very well on the political-security". Arai wa?

[jaywalker]

This will be JUST LIKE the airline safety issue and many others.

Prayut will pronounce something will be done within X number of days.

[NongKhaiKid]

C'mon PM use the YL defence if cornered, " I chaired the committee but never attended any meetings, I set policy for others to implement. "

[Sunderland]

Predictably predictable.

[Marcusv]

Personally I have not landed in Thai for a while and plan to this week. Although have followed BKK Post and from what I see Prayuth has done not much in terms of meeting his scheduled word. Yes its the same same. The blueptrint is in the back burner no rush. They still have not returned the voting regulations.

Talk Talk and more Talk.

[klauskunkel]

Since he seized power last May, he has been occupied with key tasks of making Thailand more accessible for Asean members and dialogue partners so the Thai economy can fully integrate with the regional and global economy.

He also has been occupied with fixing the lottery, beach vendor business, tourists in bikinis, determining which groupings of more that 5 persons warrant the attention of his laws,...and bicycling.

[pauleddy]

Most of this ASEAN stuff is a pipedream, which is why they set a new agreement called 2525 for breathing space.

What has changed? Thailand has granted licences to three architects under one MRA, and zero engineers. Have you seen anything change in the buildup to 31st December, when ASEAN "goes live"? Can anyone correct me, if I have missed something?

Protectionism will be rife, especially in LoS. A related thread speaks of Burmese shop-owners employing Thais in LoS. My gut feeling is that Thais will always give preference to Thais. It's in the DNA. Do you think that Malaysian bus drivers will get Thai bus-driving jobs? They may even make the short-list, but then be kicked off!

Enough has already been written about English Proficiency...so I won't even start to go there!!

Eddy

[nong38]

Amazing springs to mind, wasnt it ASEAN that was supposed to be joining Thailand?

[davehowden]

"that can maximise use of the AC"

Like turn it on and leave it on ?

[LivinLOS]

push further concerned ministries and agencies to review and amend existing laws to integrate the country fully with the 625 million community in the next 23 days

I am sure he will 'order' it to be taken care of.. The day after..

[jaltsc]

"As the chair of the Preparedness Centre for the Asean Community (PCAC), Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha must be accountable for any delay or ineffective implementation of all Asean blueprints."

I'm sure they won't accept: "But I was hobnobbing in Paris with all the other major world leaders" as a valid excuse for his tardiness.

[Skywalker69]

This will be JUST LIKE the airline safety issue and many others.

Prayut will pronounce something will be done within X number of days.

90 days just like Chalerm?

[trainman34014]

Another failure ahead....which will be blamed on previous Governments.

[bangon04]

I am so shocked by this terrible news....... who could have predicted this?

[DrTuner]

"Although Thailand has done very well on the political-security". Arai wa?

Yes, all politicians have been secured. Score one for Junta. Too bad they haven't been able to extradite them to the moon yet.

[ParadiseLost]

So, finally the hour of reckoning arrives. No more lip service - it's time to deliver on those promises.

Pity you guys slept through all those looong boooring seminars...

It also appears you missed the parts where 'give and take' was agreed - all you heard was 'take'.

[djlest]

Thailand will be the joke of ASEAN - mark my words, its customs, import and corruption plus its lack of education and beurocratric drivel - seriously how can it ever be a hub?

Thailand got rich from Tourism and development, multi national hotels, restaurants and capitalism makes Thailand - or maybe just Bangkok appear advanced... but in reality its still a very 3rd world country hidden by a false image.

Vietnam will take over take Thailand soon, Malayasia, Singapore are already way ahead, and not too long Burma will be too...

Thailand is a lazy and overly obsessed country ruled by greed and pride in my opinion... Its people are nice enough because they are relaxed and dont care, but that same quality is what destroys it...

[Benmart]

Since he seized power last May, he has been occupied with key tasks of making Thailand more accessible for Asean members and dialogue partners so the Thai economy can fully integrate with the regional and global economy.

He also has been occupied with fixing the lottery, beach vendor business, tourists in bikinis, determining which groupings of more that 5 persons warrant the attention of his laws,...and bicycling.

...And let us not forget the " "The 'Thailand Clean Toilet' campaign. TVF, 2015-04-02.

[Srikcir]

"His signature will not only serve as a testimony of the level of his commitment and sincerity but that of the country as well."

How can a military coup leader, who made himself the PM, appointed the parliament, abolished the constitution, and wields absolute power over Thai people's sovereignty, can serve as a testimony for the country's commitment? The ASEAN community +5 can only to take Prayut's propaganda at face value and not expect a long-term relationship with his "Thai democracy."

[rubl]

"His signature will not only serve as a testimony of the level of his commitment and sincerity but that of the country as well."

How can a military coup leader, who made himself the PM, appointed the parliament, abolished the constitution, and wields absolute power over Thai people's sovereignty, can serve as a testimony for the country's commitment? The ASEAN community +5 can only to take Prayut's propaganda at face value and not expect a long-term relationship with his "Thai democracy."

The interesting part lays in the time needed to fulfill all obligations for a proper ASEAN. AS far as I can see the time needed has never decreased over the last five or more years. As such even a 'Thai Democracy' was a wee bit tardy in breaking down those nice barriers which allow the right people to make a profit.

[nong38]

Asean might of course decide that Thailand is not yet ready to join the community............"please try again when you think you are ready."

[bangon04]

Asean might of course decide that Thailand is not yet ready to join the community............"please try again when you think you are ready."

That might just suit Thailand after all. They can be let off their treaty obligations and blame the foreigners for rejecting them unreasonably. They can continue to show nice cartoons on TV about how they are the hub of ASEAN, but they can ignore their biggest problems - open competition within the AEC.

[hansgruber]

10 billion baht spent to make the officials understand the importance of asean?

Thats has to be a misprint.

[bangon04]

I asked a class of M6 schoolkids to name the 10 members of ASEAN (since we were standing in their classroom surrounded by 10 flags and a huge wall display......)

They averaged 4 countries. The only one they all got right was Thailand. So they are definitely ready for it....

[schondie]

Another year and another delay in implementing the AEC, this was expected as any politician will be seen as a traitor for allowing foreign companies to own more than the current 49%. I believe one of the conditions of AEC is for foreign companies to be able to own 70% of the Thai company.

It just isn't going to happen for Thailand, sooner or later the other ASEAN countries will forge ahead without Thailand. This could mean more goods being shipped by sea rather than through Thailand by road to avoid the costs of dealing with a non ASEAN country.