EU-LDC Network conference 2002
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Improving Global Governance for Development: Issues
and Instruments - 7-10 December, Chiang Mai
Session 2.6 - Local experiences of global governance:
the case of Thailand - Summary
Good governance has been an important issue in
Thailand over the past ten years. As a result of political reform
since the early 1990s a new constitution entered into force in 1997.
The financial crisis and its impacts on Thailand’s economy and society
have been another drive in the discussions on good governance in
the Southeast Asian country. The speaker discussed the political
reform and the 1997 constitution. The elections in 2001 were the
first elections to be held under the new Thai constitution. The
outcome was remarkable: a land slide victory for the new party,
Thai Rak Thai, led by now Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.
The speaker claimed that the campaign of Mr.
Thaksin’s party was based on money. The politician promised financial
support and advocated an anti-corruption scheme. However, after
two years in power for Mr. Thaksin, there have been little changes
in political and bureaucratic corruption. On one hand there is a
different interpretation of good governance: for the educated middle
class good governance means accountability, transparency, honesty
and openness, while for the undereducated mass good governance refers
to money, patronage and cronyism. On the other hand, the Prime Ministers’
personality as an autocrat plus conflicts of interests – originally
he became a Thai hero as a businessman – impede the realisation
of good governance in Thailand.
The different interpretation and the role of the Prime Minister
are two obstacles which Thailand is facing in achieving good governance.
The second speaker drew more attention to governance
issues in an historical perspective for both Thailand and other
developing countries. Prior to the end of the Vietnam War, Southeast
Asian countries focused on objectives of poverty reduction. After
the war attention was re-orientated towards regional co-operation.
However, the international environment was not completely understood.
This became apparent during the financial crisis at the end of the
1990s which showed the vulnerable dependencies in the region. The
speaker identified five essential pillars for developing countries,
including Thailand, to promote their development: (1) the unification
of states, (2) enhancing competitiveness as well as diversification
of the economies, (3) the promotion of education to foster human
resources, (4) macro-economic stability and (5) integration with
the world economy. He believed that the financial crisis in the
second half of the 1990s was partly to blame on international investors
and partly on Thailand itself. Therefore, there is a need for developing
countries including Thailand to realise better governance.
This conclusion was re-iterated in the discussion.
In addition a number of participants pointed at the similarity between
Thailand’s problems and those in other developing countries. Conflict
of interest of political leaders was raised as well as the role
of institutions. Institutions matter, but they are not sufficient
to guarantee good governance. One participant drew attention to
fact that in order to understand good governance better understanding
of political systems is crucial. In the case of Thailand, however,
it was mentioned during the discussion that despite problems with
the current government it seems that the new constitution is the
best of what can be achieved in the country at this moment.
Session 2.6 - Speakers
Chair: Alia El Mahdi
Speaker: Tanun Anumanradjahon (Chiang Mai University)
Discussant: Somkiat Osotsapa (Chulalongkorn University)
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