The plans for Thailand keep getting bolder and more ambitious by the week, as our man with a plan is set on changing this country.
Despite today’s troubling third quarter economic results, the kingdom is developing an optimistic vision for growth and development in the decades to come, most recently given voice by the big man in charge.
“I think all Thais need to find common ground. Both the government and the NCPO have already come up with a vision which is ‘Thailand Forward 2025,’ with an aim of turning Thailand into a developed country by the year 2025,” junta chief Prayuth Chan-ocha said, according to Bangkok Post.
While we wait for the details of this vision, we are left to wonder what defines “developed country” exactly? It is generally agreed that there is no set definition for the term but there are some key economic indicators by which it can be measured.
Those include the most common criteria of per capita income, gross domestic product, level of industrialization, general standard of living and the amount of widespread infrastructure.
We seem to be moving forward in some areas of infrastructure. From plans to improving river piers by 2018 to expanding of BTS/MRT network by 2029, developments within the capital are clearly on the move. There are also signs of the needle moving on linking the provinces with each other and a global market by rail. Talks of how to spur the digital economy have led to debates on the pace of telecommunications advancement (albeit drawing much skepticism).
But what of the other criteria? There hasn’t been much information on the sorely needed education improvement nationwide which would be a required for a sustainable “developed country” status. Will the plan be addressing income inequality across the various regions or just enable the rich to get richer, and thereby improving per capita income? Are we going to try to raise ourselves in the various aspects of the Human Development Index that is often tied to whether a country is developed or not?
The details of this vision will be of great interest as it could be telling of the junta’s long term planning. With much effort, this could be of great benefit to the nation but it could also lead us toward becoming a nation of extremes. Regardless, having a plan is better than having none, so let’s wait and see.
Photo: Thanan Lilaonitkul
