New Year dreams will be nothing without action: Thai opinion

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STREET WISE
New Year dreams will be nothing without action
Achara Deboonme

New Year naturally inspires us to dream of a better future

BANGKOK: -- Fuelled by energy and innocence, some youngsters will be imagining the world famously described by John Lennon - one without religion or borders. That vision seems more vital than ever, as humanity tears itself apart over religious beliefs and national boundaries. If there were no borders, young Koreans would not be facing each other across a notional line that divides a people who share the same history.

Of course most New Year wishes won't be so idealistic. Young adults are more likely to dream about material success, which usually means a fatter salary. A regional survey forecasts the average increase in monthly salary next year in Thailand at about 6 per cent. For those who earn Bt20,000, this represents a raise of Bt1,200 - not much to cheer about. Older salaried workers will be wishing for job security and the constant flow of money needed to pay for mortgages and family well-being. If those demands have already been met, they could be looking for a better work-life balance.

Retirees meanwhile will be hoping to avoid bouts of ill health as well as other potential pitfalls for their life savings.

Corporate executives will also have dreams for 2016. The Bank of Thailand has forecast the economy will grow 3.5 per cent next year, which might be optimistic given the low 0.9 per cent growth rate in 2014 and 2.8 per cent this year. Revenue must increase at a higher rate if they want to keep people in jobs and grow wealth.

The situation was far from bright this year. In the first nine months, 416 listed companies posted a combined revenue of Bt2.53 trillion, an 11 per cent drop from the same period last year. Their annual combined net profit also plunged, by 26 per cent, to Bt460 billion.

Economic dreams will come true only when we have strong action plans. Meanwhile we individuals can prosper by upping our productivity or by borrowing less if need be. Last weekend, shoppers were encouraged to spend with a tax deduction on purchases of up to Bt15,000, which should be alluring even to those with a sufficiency mentality.

And if selfish desires aren't fuel enough, the good news is that a better world is also at hand if we think more about others. The opportunities to volunteer our services are endless. Instead of complaining about farmers in the North burning off field stubble, we need innovations to deal with the agricultural waste so that Chiang Mai residents don't suffer every year.

Social injustice is being fed by the huge gaps in our education system, yet foundations for the education of disadvantaged children are waiting for donations.

With drought set to hit millions next year, residents in big cities must take responsibility with water-saving practices of their own. We can't simply tell farmers to switch from water-dependent rice to other crops.

Actions also need to be taken if Thailand wants to see improvement in its rankings on the global stage.

Thailand was ranked 85th among 175 countries in the Corruption Perceptions Index 2014, a status that should have improved after more than a year and a half of rule by a government committed to killing the graft that plagues Thai society.

Among 76 countries ranked by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development for the performance of 15-year-olds in maths and science tests, Thailand sits 47th - in stark contrast to regional neighbour Vietnam at 12th. Maths and science matters more than ever in our digital world, so Thailand needs to improve its performance.

Yet along with the disappointments there are reasons for hope.

Next year should bring the launch of several mega-projects after years of delay. That has us dreaming of dramatically shorter train trips from Bangkok to the Northeast. The high-speed train project will also be a boon for those who travel with the kind of baggage load that attracts fines from airlines. It will also be a gift to anyone who has to commute via the Friendship Highway, where holiday traffic jams can double what's usually a five-hour trip. And the rails should also cut Thailand's unwelcome reputation for road injuries and fatalities.

The coming year will also see the advent of the "Any ID" project, enabling citizens to claim their welfare and other state services merely by producing personal ID or their mobile number. That sounds like a leap forward for Thailand, where roughly half of transactions remain cash-based.

Next year, 4G wireless service will also come online, making our gadgets even more indispensable as portals for uninterrupted television and video. Innovative services are expected thanks to better voice and data technology.

I share the dream of many that we, individual Thais, will be better off next year. We just need to be a little innovative and show a little more care for others.

Here's wishing every reader a very happy new year.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/opinion/New-Year-dreams-will-be-nothing-without-action-30275836.html

-- The Nation 2015-12-29

[Plutojames88]

The insidious nature of using words like ""care"" and ""others"" as if to denote correct thought in a non democratic Military setting , where no consideration to personal opinions is afforded is double speak propaganda at best.

Thais habits of quoting famous westerners leaves me with disdain .

Quoting Lennon is at best a dim witted shallow concept .

Trying to suggest young people struggling for freedoms is a gullible ill advised selfish pursuit is equally as insidious.

They damn well have every international right and god given right to voice their opinions and passions.

Trying to narrow down aspirations within the confines of strict military oppression is plain sick and wrong.

And please stop quoting western people.

You just look stupid when you do so

[sebastion]

It all stems from corruption. No fixing anytime soon.

[Puwa]

Where did the young Koreans come from?