Recently, Mr. Thamarak Karnpisit, Deputy Secretary-General of NESDB, represented NESDB Secretary-General in greeting a delegation of foreign press totalling 27 persons from eight countries. They paid an official visit to the Office of the NESDB, on the occasion of their participation in commemorating the 50th Anniversary of His Majesty's Accession to the Throne.
Mr. Thamarak delivered his welcoming address, saying that he felt very pleased and honored to present the current data on Thailand's national economic and social development to foreign news-hounds. Over the past 30 years, from the First to the Seventh Plan (1961-1995), Thailand registered an impressive economic growth rate of 7.8 percent on average, resulting in the relatively secured economic stability, with a low inflation rate and debt burden. Now becoming a middle-income country, according to the World Bank, Thailand has assumed a new role, shifting from a recipient to donor country, providing financial assistance of over Bt 350 million a year on average to other developing countries.
Thailand's export structure has changed significantly too, Mr. Thamarak added. In the past, Thailand mainly depended on natural resources and labor-intensive industries, but, now, the country has turned towards certain production lines that need higher skilled labor and modern technologies. The country's major export items have shifted from primary products, such a rice, rubber, tin, maize, jute, cassava and teak to computer and parts, garment, shoes and parts, frozen shrimps, jewelry an ornaments, plastic products, etc. The export ratio per GDP of these products have risen signifacantly during the past two decades.
According to Mr. Thamarak, the past national development of the country also resulted in the over-exploitation of natural resources and environment, lower quality of life, as well as the unequal income distribution. The share of income of people in Bangkok Metropolitan Region, in particular, was ten times higher than that of the people in the regions. The unequal distribution of income and development prosperity is now considered a major hurdle for the sustainable development target of the country in the long run.
Social values in the Thai society have also changed because of greater competition for income security, which, in turn, causes the sense of materialism among the Thai people and society at large. There are also emerging problems relevant to people's behaviors, such as the diminishing faith in precepts and ethics, the lack of discipline, as well as the higher social stresses as a result of congestion problems in urban society and environmental degradation. The pattern of sickness of people, now, shifts to heart diseae and high-blood pressures, etc.
All of the above problems were taken into consideration for mapping out the development guidelines of the country in the next five years, especially in the period of the Eighth National Economic and Social Development Plan to be commenced on October 1, 1996. The Eighth Plan will shift the main target of national development from solely focusing on a satisfactory economic growth rate to emphasizing human development as the center of national development. There comprise nine major development strategies to achieve the desirable national development visions, through the people-centered development approach. These are, namely:
-To encourage the Thai people to be proud of being Thais, with preservation of the commendable culture, tradition and national identify.
-To ensure peace of the country and respect from the international community.
-To induce equal development opportunity for all of the Thai people.
- To ensure better quality of life for all.
-To encourage equal participation opportunity of the Thai people in the decision-making process in tackling certain economic, social and political problems which will directly affect people's ways of living.
- To promote a society that respects precepts and ethics, with the existence of warm family and strengthened community.
-To develop the efficient and strengthened economic system, with sound international competitiveness, including the natural resource and environmental protection.
-To develop the country to become the center of production, tourism, and services of thi sub-region.
- To promote an effective democratic institution, together with an effective public administrative system, under the holistic and participatory approach of all parties concerned.
--Development News Bulletin, National Economic and Social Development Board, Volume 11, No. 8--
Mr. Thamarak delivered his welcoming address, saying that he felt very pleased and honored to present the current data on Thailand's national economic and social development to foreign news-hounds. Over the past 30 years, from the First to the Seventh Plan (1961-1995), Thailand registered an impressive economic growth rate of 7.8 percent on average, resulting in the relatively secured economic stability, with a low inflation rate and debt burden. Now becoming a middle-income country, according to the World Bank, Thailand has assumed a new role, shifting from a recipient to donor country, providing financial assistance of over Bt 350 million a year on average to other developing countries.
Thailand's export structure has changed significantly too, Mr. Thamarak added. In the past, Thailand mainly depended on natural resources and labor-intensive industries, but, now, the country has turned towards certain production lines that need higher skilled labor and modern technologies. The country's major export items have shifted from primary products, such a rice, rubber, tin, maize, jute, cassava and teak to computer and parts, garment, shoes and parts, frozen shrimps, jewelry an ornaments, plastic products, etc. The export ratio per GDP of these products have risen signifacantly during the past two decades.
According to Mr. Thamarak, the past national development of the country also resulted in the over-exploitation of natural resources and environment, lower quality of life, as well as the unequal income distribution. The share of income of people in Bangkok Metropolitan Region, in particular, was ten times higher than that of the people in the regions. The unequal distribution of income and development prosperity is now considered a major hurdle for the sustainable development target of the country in the long run.
Social values in the Thai society have also changed because of greater competition for income security, which, in turn, causes the sense of materialism among the Thai people and society at large. There are also emerging problems relevant to people's behaviors, such as the diminishing faith in precepts and ethics, the lack of discipline, as well as the higher social stresses as a result of congestion problems in urban society and environmental degradation. The pattern of sickness of people, now, shifts to heart diseae and high-blood pressures, etc.
All of the above problems were taken into consideration for mapping out the development guidelines of the country in the next five years, especially in the period of the Eighth National Economic and Social Development Plan to be commenced on October 1, 1996. The Eighth Plan will shift the main target of national development from solely focusing on a satisfactory economic growth rate to emphasizing human development as the center of national development. There comprise nine major development strategies to achieve the desirable national development visions, through the people-centered development approach. These are, namely:
-To encourage the Thai people to be proud of being Thais, with preservation of the commendable culture, tradition and national identify.
-To ensure peace of the country and respect from the international community.
-To induce equal development opportunity for all of the Thai people.
- To ensure better quality of life for all.
-To encourage equal participation opportunity of the Thai people in the decision-making process in tackling certain economic, social and political problems which will directly affect people's ways of living.
- To promote a society that respects precepts and ethics, with the existence of warm family and strengthened community.
-To develop the efficient and strengthened economic system, with sound international competitiveness, including the natural resource and environmental protection.
-To develop the country to become the center of production, tourism, and services of thi sub-region.
- To promote an effective democratic institution, together with an effective public administrative system, under the holistic and participatory approach of all parties concerned.
--Development News Bulletin, National Economic and Social Development Board, Volume 11, No. 8--