On February 11th, 1997, Mr.Phayap Phyormyont, NESDB Policy and Planning Advisor of the Office of the NESDB, welcomed 20 Indian high ranking officials delegation led by Mr. V. Lakshki Ratan, Additional Secretary (S&V), Department of Personnel & Training under the Training Program organized by the Office of the Civil Services Commission.
Mr.Phayap Phyormyont gave a briefing on "National Policy and Economic Development" by stating that economic development was the major thrust for Thailand development during the beginning of the First Plan in 1961 to the end of the Seventh Plan in 1996. Given the indicators in economic growth and gross domestic product, together with abundance supply of cheap labor and natural resources, Thailand has achieved an exceptional record of economic development over the last 30 years, as witnessed by the rapid of expansion of national economy at an average rate of 7.8 percent per annum. The Kingdom's average per capita income reached 77,000 baht in 1996, compared with only 2,100 baht in 1961. The surpassed number of people having higher income has lifted Thailand from the lower income to become the middle income country with sound financial sustainability.
However, the development during the past 30 years has been generated on the expense of natural endowment and excess labor supply. The abundance of natural resources and human capital has been depleted very rapidly. The forest area was reduced from 109.5 million rai in 1976 to 85 million rai in 1995. Thailand is now facing with degradation of natural resources and environment, together with insufficient labor supply in certain fields, such as science and technology.
The Thai society, at the same time, has been absorbing undesirable values of consumerism and materialism, threatening the traditional Thai values and ways of life which lead to a collapse of families, communities and local culture. Although the family income is increasing, the income has not been generated nationwide. The gap between the rich and the poor in the Kingdom has remarkably widened over the last 30 years as witnessed by the income proportion of the top 20 percent of household differed significantly from the bottom 20 percent of household by about 16 times in 1993.
Mr.Phayap Phyormyont further said that the past development could be concluded in three metaphorical phrases; namely, sound economy, sick society, and unsustainable development. Hence, through mobilization of ideas and opinions from every sector of the society for formulating the Eighth National Economic and Social Development Plan, we have set development visions as to rebuild society and its desirable people in the future. Firstly, it must be the society with capability and freedom, secondly, it must be the society that people are happy, knowledgeable and self-relient, thirdly, it must be a peaceful society with national identity and fourthly, it must be the society that promotes sustainable development of economy, society and environment.
To attain these objectives, the national development theme will have to shift from a growth orientation to people-centred development. The Eighth Plan wishes to see the Thai people having greater opportunities to develop their full potential physically and intellectually and to participate actively in the process of national development.
The Senior Advisor in Policy and Plan finally said that the Eighth Plan which is now being implemented aims at human development, development of the people by the people and for the people, visualizing that everybody would be developed to his full potential, in addition to the development of environment that would be conducive to national prosperity. In other words, the development of the people is meant to develop the capability of the people in harmony with creation of opportunities and services that the people have the rights and ability to fullfill their wishes equally. With regard to the development by the people, they must be able to participate in expressing ideas, in making decisions and in implementing along with creation of people-centred administration. The development for the people is the better living for all who is the principal target for development in parallel with the creation of equality in economy, society and politics, besides the decentralization of power to the local area.
--Development News Bulletin, National Economic and Social Development Board, Volume 12, No.2: February 1997--
Mr.Phayap Phyormyont gave a briefing on "National Policy and Economic Development" by stating that economic development was the major thrust for Thailand development during the beginning of the First Plan in 1961 to the end of the Seventh Plan in 1996. Given the indicators in economic growth and gross domestic product, together with abundance supply of cheap labor and natural resources, Thailand has achieved an exceptional record of economic development over the last 30 years, as witnessed by the rapid of expansion of national economy at an average rate of 7.8 percent per annum. The Kingdom's average per capita income reached 77,000 baht in 1996, compared with only 2,100 baht in 1961. The surpassed number of people having higher income has lifted Thailand from the lower income to become the middle income country with sound financial sustainability.
However, the development during the past 30 years has been generated on the expense of natural endowment and excess labor supply. The abundance of natural resources and human capital has been depleted very rapidly. The forest area was reduced from 109.5 million rai in 1976 to 85 million rai in 1995. Thailand is now facing with degradation of natural resources and environment, together with insufficient labor supply in certain fields, such as science and technology.
The Thai society, at the same time, has been absorbing undesirable values of consumerism and materialism, threatening the traditional Thai values and ways of life which lead to a collapse of families, communities and local culture. Although the family income is increasing, the income has not been generated nationwide. The gap between the rich and the poor in the Kingdom has remarkably widened over the last 30 years as witnessed by the income proportion of the top 20 percent of household differed significantly from the bottom 20 percent of household by about 16 times in 1993.
Mr.Phayap Phyormyont further said that the past development could be concluded in three metaphorical phrases; namely, sound economy, sick society, and unsustainable development. Hence, through mobilization of ideas and opinions from every sector of the society for formulating the Eighth National Economic and Social Development Plan, we have set development visions as to rebuild society and its desirable people in the future. Firstly, it must be the society with capability and freedom, secondly, it must be the society that people are happy, knowledgeable and self-relient, thirdly, it must be a peaceful society with national identity and fourthly, it must be the society that promotes sustainable development of economy, society and environment.
To attain these objectives, the national development theme will have to shift from a growth orientation to people-centred development. The Eighth Plan wishes to see the Thai people having greater opportunities to develop their full potential physically and intellectually and to participate actively in the process of national development.
The Senior Advisor in Policy and Plan finally said that the Eighth Plan which is now being implemented aims at human development, development of the people by the people and for the people, visualizing that everybody would be developed to his full potential, in addition to the development of environment that would be conducive to national prosperity. In other words, the development of the people is meant to develop the capability of the people in harmony with creation of opportunities and services that the people have the rights and ability to fullfill their wishes equally. With regard to the development by the people, they must be able to participate in expressing ideas, in making decisions and in implementing along with creation of people-centred administration. The development for the people is the better living for all who is the principal target for development in parallel with the creation of equality in economy, society and politics, besides the decentralization of power to the local area.
--Development News Bulletin, National Economic and Social Development Board, Volume 12, No.2: February 1997--