ALTERED PRIORITIES AHEAD

Outlook News - Sunday December 23, 2007

ALTERED PRIORITIES AHEAD

The problems people really want to see the new government tackle, OUTLOOK REPORTERS find out

Today, the people of Thailand go to the polls to vote for their favourite politicians and parties that will form the next government. Voter turnout is expected to be exceptionally high as a result of the political tensions over the past couple of years, and the intensity of the race in this particular election. Economics and politics have been in the doldrums, and there is much hope that things will take a turn for the better.

'Outlook' has asked a number of people from different walks of life what they see as the priorities for the new government. Here is what they had to say:

ASTROLOGER PRAMOJ PITTAPUNDU

Better known as 'Mor Paisarn'

"The new government's first priority should be tackling poverty and the problems faced by farmers and the sale of farm produce. It should promote the barter of farm produce.

The second priority should be amending the constitution to meet standards.

The third priority should be making the best use of what we have. The rail system should be extended to have two or three tracks. If there is a three-track system, we won't have to take planes or air-conditioned buses. With a 60 metre reserved space along the railways nationwide, land expropriation would be unnecessary. And there is no need to buy new rails - unused rails piled up at Makkasan Junction could be used. This is in line with His Majesty the King's sufficiency economy principles.

And the fourth priority should be education."

SAKOL SUETHANAPORNKUL

An education graduate from Chulalongkorn University and a Fulbright scholarship candidate, now working as a research assistant

"Education. Nothing else but education. I dare not argue that there aren't grave problems, be they political, social or economic, waiting to be solved by a new government; nonetheless, I strongly believe that underlying these problems is the problem with Thai education.

Education in this sense is not about providing free textbooks and uniforms, giving students access to educational resources or helping young Thais to be competitive in a global market. In fact, education is about nurturing 'ethical-bound, capable and self-sufficient' Thais, as the National Education Act BE 2542 stipulates. And that should be at the top of the agenda.

The newly-elected government should consider education as a means of creating a society in which equality, quality of life, morality and social good are firmly established. The purpose of education for the government, therefore, is to cherish and nurture Thai citizens whose responsibilities for themselves and to the country are their primary concerns.

All things being equal, giving an education with this purpose in mind may be the only way to ensure that all of the enormous problems in society will be eradicated, and that the future of Thailand can safely rest in the hands of our people."

YONLADA 'NOK' KOMKLONG

Miss Alcazar 2005, and a former member of the ladyboy band Venus Flytrap

"In my view, I would like the new government to consider the country's economic issues as its top priority. People's financial problems should be the first to be highlighted. This is because, as we all know, the country's economy, politics and people's quality of life are closely related. When one of these three elements is in trouble, the rest go bad, too.

When people encounter financial crises, in which they have to live every day hand-to-mouth, our society becomes weaker. As we see in newspapers, there are more reported cases of robbery. And prices of groceries and fuel are getting higher, and these have an impact on everyone's lives.

And I think people are less likely to participate in politics when they have to deal with personal financial difficulties. When they have to struggle to live, many focus solely on how to survive, and don't want to think about other things.

Thailand's politics today puts more emphasis on decentralisation. This means the government wants people to take part in the country's political agenda. And of course, people do want that. But if they are already carrying too much financial burden, how are they going to spare the time to take part in any political decision-making? In a way, it's a problem of time prioritisation.

In terms of gender issues, I also want to remind the new government of the human rights situation, especially for those with different sexual orientations. The government should also help to raise public awareness of transsexual's rights, so that they will no longer be victims of social discrimination."

SINGH INTRACHOOTO

Head of the Building Technology Division at the Faculty of Architecture, Kasetsart University and co-owner of Osisu, a design company that produces recycled products

"At the top of the next government's agenda, I really would like it to think holistically about how to develop Thailand 'sustainably'. The government needs to lay the foundations for 'self-sufficiency', and spearhead projects that not only focus on economic progress, but also environmental stability. It should invest more in education and research to help overcome current difficulties in science, the social sciences and design, and provide funds for knowledge dissemination. This may not be a matter of life and death but it is crucial for sustainable development of the country.

It should also exercise proactive strategies. Of course, poverty and health care are basic issues that need to be fixed, but the government should also have the vision to create more opportunities for the country. All these policies are mostly incremental, and not a radical one. We should think ahead and do something different, but something that is also practical and relevant to Thai people and society."

URAI 'MAFIARI' PATOOMMAWATANA

Head of the International Sports Department, Siam Sports Syndicate PCL

The first thing the new government should do is to appoint an appropriate person to each cabinet post, and I believe after that, all of the appointed ministers will know what to do next.

However, in view of the current situation, the top priority for the new government is to solve the country's economic problems, which is not easy. There are several other problems, but the most immediate and most obvious is the economy, because you can see it in the cost of living, which keeps getting higher and higher ... and it's nothing to do with the image of the country or anybody's fault, it may just be the outcome of the global economy and the rising price of oil.

One more thing, it would be good if the new government could do something to ease people's anxieties over the future, to assure them that the country will not have to go through a situation like we have endured for the past year, because the price we have to pay for democracy is just so high."

NATAYADA NA SONGKHLA

Writer

"Since we're in the realms of fantasy, I would like the new government to make the people its priority, regardless of any politician's personal interests. A pragmatist would make more specific suggestions, like solving problems with the new airport or the foreign exchange situation, but I truly believe that Thailand will never have an effective government unless the well-being of all Thai people guides its policy. By putting the people first, national security, the environment, health care and economics would all stand a better chance of actually working. It sounds difficult, but all people really want is to make a decent living in a place that is secure and healthy. Can we honestly say that this has been the priority of most previous democratic governments in Thailand?"

WEERAYUT PHONPRAKOBSILP

A 3rd-year interior design student at Silpakorn University

I think the priority of the next government should be education. Any developed country gives importance to its people's education. To this day, none of the political parties in Thailand has tackled this issue seriously. They give free public education, but when it comes right down to it, the schools are of poor quality. I want it to be like in the West, where there're good schools in every city and town.

In Thailand, people have to compete to get into the few good schools. Some parents are willing to pay just to get their children into these schools. The system encourages competition, but why shouldn't we have schools of equal quality all over the country? It creates prejudice in people. Some parents are afraid to say which school their children attend because their children aren't attending a reputable institution.

What's worse is the schools outside of Bangkok - the teaching is really bad. So I just want the next government to work on education in Thailand."

PRINDA PURANANANDA

An interior designer at Cowperthwaite and Puranananda Designers Co Ltd

Well, as we all know, whoever forms our next government will not last long; therefore, the first problem that should be tackled in the short period of their term should be the unrest in the South.

For education, it seems hopeless, as every time there is a new cabinet or a reshuffle, the post of Minister of Education seems to be where people are demoted to ... it's an unwanted position.

In fact, what I would most like to see members of this new government do, before they do anything else, is to set their minds straight, think things through, and reassure people that everything they do is for the benefit of the country, not just for their political party. If not, perhaps at the end of the day, they might end up having neither a party nor a country."

Bangkok Post