CURRENT SITUATIONS, FUTURE DIRECTIONS, GOALS  AND VISION FOR NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT  

1.     Introduction

Since the 1^st National Economic and Social Development Plan, all aspects of Thailand’s development have been improved. Regarding the economy, Thailand is now ranked as an upper middle-income nation. Socially, quality of life of Thai people has been improved as Thailand is no longer regarded as a poor country. Environmentally, Thailand continues to enjoy abundant ecosystem diversity. Nevertheless, Thailand’s development efforts still face several key challenges that urgently need to be tackled. For example, the Thai economy grew by just 3.9 percent in 2017, which is considerably low when compared with the country’s full potential, considering that Thailand’s economy had previously grown by 6 percent annually on average for nearly six decades. Such slower 2017 economic growth was a result of several factors including sluggish domestic investment; limited global economic recovery; national economic structures that do not allow innovations to function as key drivers at maximum capacity; low productivity of the services and agricultural industries; and inadequate technology integration for manufacturing efficiency. Moreover, Thai workforce still has quality issues, as their capacity is inconsistency with the country’s labor demand and development goals. 

Additionally, the potential and quality of Thais, across all age groups, have been key challenges to national development. While people’s access to public services, education, public healthcare services, public infrastructure and social protections have become more comprehensive, the quality and standard of such services, facilities or protections vary in different parts of the country, significantly causing multidimensional inequality problems to still prevail in the country. Poverty still exists, constraining ongoing efforts to upgrade development, raise incomes and solve inequities on a sustainable basis. Moreover, the country still lacks a clear, integrated and long-term comprehensive strategic plan to utilize, conserve and rehabilitate its natural resources, resulting in significant environmental degradation and natural resource exploitation.  

The aforementioned problems stem partly from public-sector management issues, inconsistent national development policies, and inflexibility in efforts to respond to people’s needs and solve their problems. In terms of national security, Thailand still needs to address several issues, including ideological conflicts that are rooted from inequalities; dis[arities; a lack of confidence in the justice system; as well as political instability. Furthermore, Thais must be encouraged to embrace unifying institutions in the country in order to foster national unity.  

Thailand’s demographic transition, with increasing proportion of elderly people and declining proportions of children and working age population, will also pose key challenges on the country’s financial and fiscal stability, investments and savings, economic growth, social security, and sustainable natural resource management. Such implications will inevitably impede the country’s goal of becoming a developed nation. 

2.     Factors and Trends Expected to Impact National Development  

Thailand has a great potential to become Asia’s regional hub and gateway due to its strategic geographic location. However, having shared borders with several neighboring countries makes territorial disputes remain national-security challenges. Moreover, Thailand needs to address various other complex, sensitive and associated security problems that may hamper trust between people and the government, mutual trust among Thai people themselves, and the promotion of national unity. Without national harmony, addressing internal conflicts between those with different ideologies would be challenging. 

In addition, the growing influence of major global powers and their roles in Thailand may trigger a multipolar system or shifts in the economic order. If this occurs, Thailand’s economic stability may be affected. Non-governmental organizations such as international organizations and multinational firms are believed to play a greater role in shaping rules, regulations, relationships, and international standards for economic and security issues in the future. Economic integrations and liberalization of regional markets, which integrate member countries’ economic systems, may come with risks of transnational crimes, informal economies, human trafficking, and illegal border entries. 

On the other hand, globalisation and rapidly evolving technologies promise to deliver innovation breakthroughs, including artificial intelligence, Internet of Things, Big Data analytics, robotics and drone technology. Such advanced technologies and innovations are expected to be one of the key factors contributing to Thai and global economic recovery. Additionally, there are some key trends that need to be closely monitored which are increasingly diverse trade and investment integrations, intensifying competition in terms of productivity and product variety and services that will respond to new lifestyles   

Furthermore, Thailand’s demography is expected to reach the super aged level in 2031, resulting in opportunities for the development of new businesses to cater to the needs of the elderly, whose proportion is consistently to be on the rise. Also, Thai families are predicted to  decline in size and become more varied in form. Thai societies will comprise of populations from many generations whose attitudes and behaviors may differ. Consequently, Thailand’s ability to prepare the population to be equipped with qualities required to achieve the country’s development goals as well as to employ adequate technologies and innovations in the economy will be one of the country’s key challenges that need to be properly addressed. 

 Additionally, Thailand’s transition to an aged society may also lead to increasing demand for foreign workers to compensate for the declining Thai working age population. The region’s liberalisation and increasingly advanced transportation systems will help facilitate labour and other migrations, including emigration of skilled Thai manpower to other advanced economic development for better work or study opportunities. Therefore, it can be expected that migrations into and out of the country will increase, with Thailand likely being a destination for low skilled workers from neighbouring countries. In such circumstances, competition to recruit and retain Thai talents will intensify, while national economic growth may be hampered and social structures in Thailand may be impacted.  

Also, impacts of climate change have been anticipated to intensify with regard to variability, frequency and coverage. Such impacts will inevitably threaten lives, damage properties and necessary infrastructure, and affect agricultural production and water security. At the same time, ecological systems are likely to deteriorate. There is a rather high possibility that these ecological systems will lose their capacity to efficiently provide for human needs. Nevertheless, not all countries will face the same level of negative impacts from climate change, resulting in more attention on sustaining green growth development and integrated natural resource conservation and environmental management being paid worldwide will be on the rise. The importance of alternative energy as well as food and energy security will also increasingly be focused. Environmental rules and agreements will become stricter. Relevant international development frameworks such as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Agreement will be embraced more seriously.  

All of aforementioned trends will pose challenges to Thailand’s national development in various ways, including; employment; new service and manufacturing sectors; national security from more sophisticated threats, cybercrimes and technology-based warfare; more liberalized and freer movements of people, capital, information, knowledge, technologies, products and services; unpredictable climate change; disease outbreaks, epidemic and emerging diseases that require more effective healthcare surveillance. Such challenges can contribute to worsening inequality problems if not appropriately addressed. Furthermore, the country will also need to prepare for rapid changes brought upon by disruptive technology in order to minimize any negative impacts, especially if the access to technology, infrastructures and knowledge of different income groups is a key constraint. Disruptive technology will affect employment and forms of employment and occupation, higher capacity workforce will be more demanded while some occupations will be replaced by automation, especially low-skill jobs. This will pose the risks on the life security and quality of life of some population groups, particularly those who are unable to keep pace or lack up-to-date knowledge/skills. Urban growth, with rapidly changing lifestyles, spurred from globalisation, together with abrupt climate changes will further complicate Thailand’s poverty and inequity dilemma. 

As Thailand’s national development will be influenced by the aforementioned factors and trends, the changes, both internally and externally, that the country may encounter are more likely to be highly dynamic and increasingly complicated which can significantly affect future national development. As a result, there is a need for the country to prepare comprehensive, wellintegrated and inclusive development strategies, as all development dimensions are interconnected. Public-Private Partnership (PPP) or referred to as “Pracharat” should be encouraged as a development model involving all related parties in the country’s development. Thailand needs quality human capital with up-to-date competencies required by the rapidly changing environment, thereby, enabling all Thais to be able to quickly adapt and enjoy quality way of life, with employment and income security. Consequently, supporting factors and systems need to be simultaneously developed, including education and learning services, age group specific skills development facilitation, public service systems development, and infrastructure. Furthermore, technology and innovation promotion needs to be emphasized in order to ensure that Thailand can become developers of technologies and innovation, scaling up from the Thailand 4.0 vision. This will, therefore, result in economic value chain creation in industrial, agricultural and service sectors as well as more efficient development benefits distribution, inequality reduction and ultimately lead to better quality of life for all Thais.   

Furthermore, energy and food security; ecosystem diversity sustainment; quality living and business operation; environmental friendly urban development and expansion with clear land utilization rules and regulations establishment, are also the key issues that need to be given importance. Additionally, development of infrastructure, logistical systems, laws and taxation must deliver convenience and enhance Thailand’s competitiveness so that the country can better leverage its strategic geographical location for national development. Thailand should also embrace membership of various international organizations to cooperate with other nations, both regionally and globally, as this can help strengthen diplomatic relations and boost competitiveness and strength national security. As such, Thailand must be prepared to enhance its standards and compliance with international protocols. At the same time, the country urgently needs to initiate bureaucratic and political reforms to deliver good public administration and political stability. All the people residing in the country should be encouraged to support and unify with major national institutions to increase national harmony and reduce conflicts. Also, it is crucially important to take into account that the country’s demographic structure and societal behaviors need to be considered when designing national development policies.   

In conclusion, given the country’s aforementioned population demographics, economic structure, social contexts, climate change, environmental issues, and other relevant development factors, Thailand, thus, needs to have a prudent and carefully designed comprehensive national development plan. However, a number of development issues may take time to get resolved of which some may need structural change. Therefore, in order to successfully drive the country forward, it is necessary to specify a desired long-term vision together with a set of key strategic frameworks designed to drive the country’s development in integrated manners, with collaboration based on “Pracharat” ideology, to systematically reinforce Thailand’s strengths and solve its weaknesses. The National Strategy will provide Thailand a set of key goals aimed to be achieved that can be translated into actions in other lower level plans in strategic, function and area based dimensions such as special border economic zones and the Eastern Economic Corridor, which can ultimately lead to secure, prosperous and sustainable national development.      

3.     Thailand’s Vision 

“Thailand becomes a developed country with security, prosperity and sustainability in accordance with the Sufficiency Economy Philosophy” is the country’s vision stipulated in the National Strategy, which can be referred to in short as the national motto of “Security, Prosperity and Sustainability”. With a focus on national interest, the vision encompasses independence; sovereignty; the secure and sustainable existence of Thailand’s major institutions and people; peaceful and harmonious coexistence within the country; social security amid a pluralized society; human dignity; national growth; justice; people’s well-being; sustainable natural resource conservation; energy and food security; the capacity to protect national interests in the world’s changing context; as well as peaceful, supportive and dignified coexistence with other nations in ASEAN and other international communities. 

Security refers to safety and freedom from all levels of threats and changes, both domestically and internationally, at all levels, from national to social, to community, to familial, and individual levels. Security covers military, economic, societal, environmental, and political dimensions. For example, the country must have independence and sovereignty. It must have a constitutional monarchy with the institutions of the nation, religion, and the monarchy being strong and consolidated. Its political systems must be stout, enabling consistent and transparent administration of state affairs in line with the principle of good-governance. Thai society must be harmonious, with its members united in the cause of national development. Communities in Thailand must be strong. Thai families must be hospitable. Thai people must enjoy lifelong security, with secure jobs and adequate income. They must have savings for retirement. Thailand also must have sufficient food, energy, water, and housing security. The country must also provide Thais with security in terms of life and property.  

Prosperity refers to that Thailand achieves continued and sustainable economic growth to become a high-income nation. Development gaps are reduced, with Thais enjoying a sense of wellbeing and a more equitable distribution of the benefits of development. National development is comprehensive and covers all sectors. Quality of life in Thailand must be in line with United Nations’ standards. No one must live in poverty in Thailand. The domestic economy must be robust. Thailand must be competitive in both domestic and international markets to generate sustained income. The country must also develop economic and social foundations for the future, ensuring that it can respond well to changing development contexts. Thailand must have an important role to play on the world stage too. Thailand’s economic and trade relationships with other Asian countries must be sound. Thailand must also be a key hub for the region’s transportation, manufacturing, trade, investment, and business operations to attain robust development. In addition, Thailand must have ample human, intellectual, financial, mechanized, social, and natural resource/environmental capital for further development. 

Sustainability refers to development that lasts and is also achieved through the conservation and rehabilitation of natural resources, which must not be squandered. Pollution must be regulated for ecological systems to continue functioning naturally. Manufacturing and consumption must consider environmental impacts and comply with the SDGs. The abundance of natural resources must increase and so must environmental quality. People must be socially responsible, caring, and willing to make sacrifices for the public interest. It is important to encourage public participation and motivate all sectors in the country to embrace the Sufficiency Economy Philosophy.  

The key goals of national development of the National Strategy are: “A Secure Nation, Contented People, Continued Economic Growth, An Equal Society, and Sustainable Natural Resources. In pursuit of these goals, it is necessary to boost multidimensional national competitiveness to ensure consistent economic growth; empower human beings at each and every stage of life to produce a competent and moral citizenry; broaden opportunities to improve social equality; promote environmentally sustainable growth with improved quality of life; and develop the administrative efficiency of government for greater public benefits. There are six key indicators of the National Strategy, which are: 

1. Well-being of Thai people and society 
2. National competitiveness, economic growth, and income distribution 
3. Development of human capital 
4. Social equality and equity   
5. Sustainability of national biodiversity, environmental quality, and natural resources 
6. Government efficiency and better access to public services 

4.     Key National Strategies

To materialise the vision — “Thailand becomes a developed country with security, prosperity and sustainability in accordance with the Sufficiency Economy Philosophy” — and pursue all the aforementioned goals, it is necessary to formulate the National Strategy, Thailand’s first long-term comprehensive strategic plan, for national development. The National Strategy is designed to uphold the country’s national security, independency and sovereignty; to build the country’s capacity to effectively deal with changes generated by internal and external factors at all levels; to upgrade Thailand’s agricultural, industrial, and service sectors with technology and innovation for higher added values; to develop new economic drivers that will enhance the country’s competitiveness, leading to higher income per capita and more adequate benefits distribution to all parts of the country; to develop Thais to be virtuous, skilful, disciplined, considerate, equipped with analytical skill and consistently able to “Know, Obtain, and Adapt” new technology;  to have equal access to basic public services, welfare and justice system, with no one left behind.   

National development during the National Strategy’s timeframe shall focus on an appropriate balance between security, social, economic and environmental developments, with participation from all sectors in the form of Pracharat model. The six strategies comprising the national strategy are: (1) National Strategy on Security; (2) National Strategy on Competitiveness Enhancement;  

(3) National Strategy on Developing and Strengthening Human Capital; (4) National Strategy on 

Social Cohesion and Equity; (5) National Strategy on Eco-Friendly Development and Growth; and  (6) National Strategy on Public Sector Rebalancing and Development. Each strategy has a set of key development goals and guidelines as follows: 

4.1 The National Strategy on Security aims to ensure national security and public contentment, with primary emphasis on national contexts management to promote security, safety, independency, sovereignty, peace and order at national, social, and community levels; to prepare and develop human capital, related tools and technology as well as Big Data technology to be ready to address all forms of threats and challenges at all levels of intensity, together with preventing and addressing existing and future national security problems; to employ integrated mechanisms designed to effectively deal with security problems in the public sector, private sector and civil sector as well as non-governmental organisations, neighbouring countries and global alliances, based on good governance principle. These will result in collective efforts to help the implementation of other National Strategies to be effectively successful. 

4.2 The National Strategy on Competitiveness Enhancement aims to enhance national multidimensional capacity based on the three ideologies: (1) “Learning from the Past for Further 

Development” with a focus on acquiring true understanding of the origins of the national economy; local identity, culture, tradition and lifestyles; natural resource diversity as well as other multidimensional comparative advantages. Lessons learned will later be integrated with available technologies and innovations to respond to existing global economic and social contexts; (2) “Adjusting the Present” to prepare for the future through national infrastructure development, including transport and logistics, science, technology, and advanced digital systems, as well as environmental adjustment, to facilitate future industrial and service development; and (3) “Creating New Future Values” to enhance entrepreneurs’ capacity; develop younger generations; adjust business models to meet fast changing market demand; implement strategies to accommodate anticipated future contexts with a focus on learning from the past and adjusting the present for further development; and leveraging governmental support to help generate income and employment, expand trading and investment opportunities in global markets, enhance income and general well-being of Thai people, increase the number of middle-class citizens, and reduce inequality. 

4.3 The National Strategy on Developing and Strengthening Human Capital aims to develop Thai people of all ages in a multidimensional manner to become good, skilful, and quality citizens. The scope covers promotion of physical, mental and intellectual qualities, adequate multidimensional developments, sustainable welfare at all stages of life, promoting public mindedness, and generating social responsibility. Citizens are also expected to be frugal, generous, disciplined, and ethical, equipped with logical thinking and 21^st century skills, communication skills in English and a third language. Furthermore, citizens are also encouraged to preserve local languages while encouraged to acquire lifelong learning and development habits. Developments following this Strategy will help promote modern innovators, thinkers, entrepreneurs, farmers, and so forth based on personal skills and abilities.  

4.4 The National Strategy on Social Cohesion and Equity aims to develop cooperation between private sector, general public, and local communities for strategy implementation. Public involvement will be encouraged as a mechanism to enable cooperation for society in general. This will promote decentralization of power and responsibilities among local administrative organizations, strengthen independent management of local communities, and create viable and healthy economic and social surroundings aimed for quality citizens, who can contribute to families, communities, and society in perpetuity. Furthermore, the government is committed to ensuring equitable and inclusive access to quality public services and welfare practices.  

4.5 The National Strategy on Eco-Friendly Development and Growth aims to achieve all development aspects of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including society, economy, environment, good governance, and cooperation partnerships at both national and international levels. Strategic and operational plans formulation and implementation will be area-based, with the promotion of all related sectors’ direct involvement to the extent possible. Implementation will target the promotion of mutual growth in terms of the economy, environment, and quality of life. 

The focus is to create balance among these three factors to promote sustainability for future generations.

4.6 The National Strategy on Public Sector Rebalancing and Development aims to reform the public sector based on the concept of “a public sector of the people, for the people and the public interest”. In pursuit of this goal, the size of the public sector must be appropriate in accordance with its roles and missions, with the roles of regulatory agencies clearly defined and distinguished from those of operating agencies. Furthermore, the public sector needs to be open for intersectoral-operations and participation from all relevant parties, to be integrated, and operate on a result-based basis, with good governance and commit to the general public interest at large, flexibility and capacity to adequately adapt to any changes, especially the employment of Big data and digital technologies to help improve the public sector’s performance in accord with international standards. These will result in better, faster, more transparent and responsive public services accurately in accordance with the public needs. All sectors in the society will be promoted to have value honesty, integrity and frugality while resisting all kinds of malfeasance. Laws shall not be ambiguous, redundant and outdated; shall be in line with international standards and practices which will both promote growth and development and eradicate justice system discrimination. The country’s justice system will be administrated in a fair, effective, non-discriminating manner based on the rule of law principle. 

THE NATIONAL STRATEGY ON SECURITY 

1.  Introduction 

Security has long been considered as an ultimate goal of every society, with its ideology and coverage, including politics, economy and society, to military affairs, continuously evolving in response to surrounding contexts. In the current world of globalisation, with scientific advancement and disruptive technology causing rapidly changes in society, all dimensions of security have necessarily become intertwined. The conventional ideology of security has therefore been adjusted to be named as “Integrated Security” to better suit our rapidly fast changing world. Consequently, the National Strategy on Security has been formulated with the main goal being to ensure that the country maintains a sustainably secure, safe and peaceful surroundings at national, social and community levels; to equip individuals with capacity to be able to effectively cope with threats and disasters of all forms and intensity levels and prevent and address existing and future security related issues; and to build and utilise cooperation between the public and private sectors, civil society and nongovernmental organisations, and also with neighbouring countries and partner nations worldwide, based on good governance principle. Thereby, the National Strategy on Security can enhance implementation of other National Strategies towards the determined development goals and directions. 

In order to successfully achieve the above-mentioned goals, the National Strategy on Security has determined key development guidelines, including maintaining domestic peace in order to improve overall national security surroundings in terms of peace and orderliness; preventing and addressing current security issues such as narcotic, human trafficking, political instability, unrests and insurgency in some areas; preventing potential future security threats such as impacts of disruptive technology and innovation, increased intensity of trade competition and unpredictable relocation of multinational funds; enhancing the country’s capacity to be effectively prepared to deal with any national security threats by heightening capacity of military, security service agencies and the public and private sectors to be able to efficiently protect and preserve the country’s sovereignty as well as being able to monitor, prevent, address and deal with all forms and levels of any security issues and disasters in such an integrated manner at domestic, ASEAN and international levels, through collaboration with both governments and non-governmental organisations (NGOs). These development guidelines will, therefore, bring about peace, orderliness, security, and progressive development to the country. However, in order to ensure such achievements, integrated security management mechanisms need to be in place and adequately developed to effectively function, which in turn will facilitate the implementation of other National Strategies towards the same national development goals and directions. 

The National Strategy on Security’s key goal for the next 20 years is “national security and Thai people’s happiness”, which can be successfully achieved through accelerating and strengthening national unity and people’s awareness of security issues at all levels; developing national intelligence, with a key focus on systematic national security information and data integration; developing necessary mechanisms required for effective implementation of the National Strategy on Security as well as for prevention and management of national security’s threats and issues in an integrative manner, with key focus on tackling urgent security related issues, including safety to life and property assurance, illegal drug addiction, insurgency in the three southernmost provinces, cybercrime, and public sector corruption.  

2.     Development Goals 

         2.1     Thai people have better livelihoods  

         2.2     The country is secured in every dimension at all levels 

         2.3     Military units, security service agencies, the public, private and civil sectors are equipped with capacity to be prepared for prevention and management of security related issues. 

         2.4     Thailand’s role in security management is recognised internationally 

         2.5     Thailand’s security management yields successful and concrete accomplishments  

3.     Indicators

         3.1     Contentment of Thai people 

         3.2     National security 

         3.3 Preparedness and readiness of all military units and security service agencies as well as participation of the public, private and civil sectors in preventing and addressing security related issues 

         3.4     Thailand’s established role and acceptance internationally 

         3.5     Efficiency of integrated security management

4.     The Strategic Guidelines

4.1 Maintaining domestic peace to promote a peaceful surroundings and orderliness in the country; to uphold pivotal national institutions as the centre of Thai people’s hearts; to promote people’s livelihoods, safety and security of life and property; and to ensure a society with safe and harmonious surroundings where everyone strives to collectively work together to address any challenges and issues. 

4.1.1 Developing and strengthening all sectors to have capacity and awareness of the importance of national security and participation in problem-solving processes in order to ensure that Thai people from all walks of life have safety of life and property, sustain employment with sufficient income, get provided equal opportunities and treated with equally, have capacities to deal with changes in all aspects, have public consciousness, have accurate understanding of the importance of social problems and their implications, have awareness regarding national security and unity, and have the willingness to participate in national problem-solving and development as well as in providing assistance to those in need. In order to achieve such outcomes, the development guidelines will focus on ensuring comprehensive security provision; instilling virtue and desirable characteristics in Thai people; enhancing the sense of the national unity and patriotism as well as social and national responsibility; promoting all sectors, including general public, law enforcement agencies, military and other security related agencies, to participate in the country’s development and security problem improvement, through effective programs, activities, campaigns and other initiations in a continuous manner until concrete and acceptable outcomes can be achieved.  

4.1.2 Enhancing loyalty to key national institutions to promote people’s awareness of the importance of the country’s major institutions, namely the nation, religion, and the monarch, to the country and people by instilling the sense of pride and creating true understanding of the country’s major institutions; campaigning for national unity and patriotism through various forms of effective mechanisms; promoting creative studies of national history, disseminating the true essence of the teachings of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej The Great, the Sufficiency Economy Philosophy, and other projects ideas based on his initiatives in order to be practically adopted by all sectors; organising activities to honour Their Majesties and disseminating information about royal duties to the public regularly; encouraging the study and application of religious teachings as guidelines for living life; fostering and protecting Buddhism as it has been the religion majorly adopted by Thai people for centuries, through promotions of study and dissemination of Lord Buddha’s teachings to enhance people’s consciousness, implementation of measures and mechanisms in place to prevent Buddhism from being undermined and encouraging Buddhists to take part in such activities; supporting other religions and their teachings to promote virtue among individuals, as well as social peace, unity, and national security.

4.1.3 Reinforcing political stability in a democratic regime of government with the King as Head of State, in line with good governance principles, and with a focus on collective interest in order to promote the country’s democratic regime of government with the King as Head of State in national development to successfully yield goals and targets as stipulated, to ensure that the country has moral, ethical and skilled leaders and politicians by educating people to better understand democracy and to correctly participate in democratic regime of government with the King as Head of State in the Thai societal context; promoting highly capable politicians with integrity and accountability, and making a serious attempt to eliminate conflict of interest and bigotry; supporting political parties and relevant institutions to design and implement effective policies, ideology, and management, in compliance with the good governance principle; ensuring transparent and fair elections; implementing effective conflict management and unity; ensuring effective screening and recruitment of righteous and capable people to govern the country under the democratic regime of government with the King as Head of State, with people’s actual participation, in adequacy with the country’s social contexts.  

4.1.4 Developing mechanisms designed to effectively prevent and eliminate the roots of major security problems of the country to provide the country with precise and effective mechanisms that can successfully eliminate the roots of all internal problems, to ensure the country has earnest measures to prevent corruption and protect against abuses that will eventually create trust in the country’s justice process by improving related mechanisms and existing security agencies, such as the Internal Security Operations Command and the Maritime Law Enforcement Coordinating Centre, or developing new mechanisms or security agencies to have efficiency to deal with existing and anticipated security threats; stipulating and strengthening designated security matter related agencies, institutions or committees to be able to monitor each other’s operations and work in an integrated manner, equipped with analytical skills required for accurate problem solving.  

4.2 Mitigating existing security problems and preventing anticipated national security related issues to effectively and accurately solve and eliminate existing security problems and successfully prevent future problems that may arise which enable continual development of the country in all aspects under the Sufficiency Economy Principle – the key to sustainable development. 

4.2.1 Solving existing security problems to successfully bring existing problems to an end or to the point where they have limited impacts on governance and development of the country by adopting systematic problem analysis approach from all sectors to seek the actual causes of problems; promoting integrated consultation, planning and problem solving, with the pool of resources and personals between related parties; promoting collaboration between main and supporting agencies in problem prevention and solving, aiding people in threatening circumstances, and any other problems that may have impacts on national security, such as terrorism, cybercrime, money laundering, human trafficking, illegal immigration, goods and narcotic smuggling, intense economic power expansion or unfair competition, rapid establishments of multinational corporations, disruptive technology, in and outflows of capital and migrant workers which can potentially impact national and human security, and natural disaster; ensuring principles, policies, strategic and flagship projects are successfully implemented and yield outcomes as planned.  

4.2.2 Monitoring, mitigating, and solving anticipated national security related problems to be informed of problems that may arise and have them prevented before causing any further damages and interrupting the country’s development by ensuring that all security task forces have the requisite capabilities, including personnel, equipment, armaments, operational plans and budgets, command structure, intelligence systems, technology, big data analysis, surveillance and warning systems, extended to cover both the main and supporting security agencies from the stage of monitoring to surveillance, alerting, analysing and designing protective measures, to execution; encouraging collaboration between general public, local communities, and security agencies, namely police force, military and other security agencies, in monitoring, preventing and addressing prevailing problems such as cybercrime, terrorism, international crime, assertion of undue economic influence by superpowers, and multinational fund replacement that could threaten the country’s security; following up on government agencies’ operations to ensure their compliance with national development goals as stipulated. 

4.2.3 Ensuring sustainable safety and peace in the Southern border provinces to eliminate security concerns in the southernmost provinces and bring sustainable peace to the area, to ensure personal safety, property protection and happiness for the people residing in the area so they can live happily and harmoniously in a multi-cultural society and get equally developed in comparison to other parts of the country by unitedly improving security problem-solving operations, covering all targeted areas and population groups; integrating connections between strategic and spatial issues, operational plans, implementation assessment and reports; promoting justice related matters, problem solving capacity, peace enabling environment, and adequate public and civil society’s participation in the area; permanently eradicate conflicts and injustice in the area; promoting multi-cultural society in the area as a powerful mechanism to effectively deal with problems and challenges in the area; peacefully establishing understanding between groups of people with different political ideologies through a various mechanisms including friendly dialogue; encouraging people to uphold their religious teachings as guidelines for daily life as well as preventing any distortion of religious teachings that could threaten people’s lives, property, or national security; strengthening engagement between civil society and the public sector in their area developments so people’s needs can be accurately responded especially among younger generations, in accordance with the King Rama IX’s “understand, reach out and develop” bestowed ideology, the Sufficiency Economy Philosophy, and His Majesty’s teachings; and enhancing people’s opportunity to gain the same equal access to public services as other parts of the country.

4.2.4 Maintaining stability and benefits of marine and terrestrial natural resources and environment in general to ensure that both land-based and marine natural resources and the environment are protected and managed sustainably while yielding benefits to people, society and the nation by strengthening the capabilities of National Armed Forces and those who play pivotal roles in this area of development, be it the military, other related agencies and civil society, to effectively develop the country’s sea power and actively engage in the ocean governance from the process of management and administration, protection and maintaining the benefits for the country and people; strengthening border security administration on land, maritime and special economic zones; improving effectiveness of surveillance and immigration systems, land survey and territorial demarcation system and maritime boundary negotiation tactics; improving the roles and capabilities of government personnel; conducting security related operations and surveillance continuously; systematically setting up conservation areas with accuracy; enhancing public awareness of the importance of natural resources and the environment, fair allocation of natural resources, royal initiatives concerning conservation, development, restoration, protection and maintenance of natural resources to stimulate people’s love and care for national resources and their desire to diligently and continually participate in related activities. 

4.3 Strengthening national capacity to prepare for threats that may affect national security to ensure that the country’s military and other related security agencies have capacity and ability required for national sovereignty protection and preservation, as well as for effective monitoring, preventing, solving and dealing with all forms and all levels of security problems and challenges in an integrative manner. 

4.3.1 Developing efficient nationally integrated intelligence systems to efficiently monitor, alert, mitigate and prevent security problems and threats effectively, precisely and accurately by developing and strengthening capacity of the country’s intelligence system, agencies and communities, including personnel, armaments, technology, and big data technology,  to be up to date, effectively adaptive to situations and comprehensive; integrating data and make optimum use of intelligence to manage all aspects of national security problems; additionally, encouraging cooperation from civil society in form of “Phacharat” and strengthening the international intelligence community.  

4.3.2 Preparing the country, military, security agencies, and public and civil sectors to be ready and equipped with capacity needed to effectively protect and maintain national sovereignty as well as to be prepared for all forms and levels of multidimensional threats to ensure that the development of essential resources, personnel, equipment, armaments, and management systems of military and security units is strengthened, contributing to the preparedness and capacity needed for national protection and prevention of menacing threats in all forms and at all levels, preventing and mitigating disasters and to ensure that resources can be deployed systematically, with precisely outlined procedures, to function at its utmost effectiveness in preserving national sovereignty and solving security problems by implementing resource development and integration plans to mobilise resources and facilitate efficient responses from the military, security agencies, the public and private sectors, and citizens in general, with capacity evaluation being conducted for all related agencies; developing personals, related infrastructures and equipment of the armed forces to effectively deal with serious threats of all forms at all levels; enhancing combined training to promote a more advanced, integrated, effective and practical approach; strengthening relations with neighbouring countries and partners that participate in combined training exercises to prevent disputes or problems related to land and maritime borders; designing and implementing effective dispute and conflict management via dialogue and diplomatic measures; supporting research and development of science and technology for defence, military energy, space, information technology and communication continually to lay the foundation required for Thailand’s desire to move toward a smart defence the country’s dependence on technology imports supporting key national policies and strategies.  

4.3.3 Developing an efficient national threat preparedness and management system to prepare the country to effectively deal with threats and disasters of every dimension and at any level by improving policies, guidelines, systems, management, and relevant operational plans to ensure efficiency and readiness to address any kind of present or future threat; encouraging every relevant body to join in combined training exercises regularly so that operations can be effectively executed in a real-time manner; encouraging the cooperation of all sectors, both domestic and international agencies, to achieve higher efficiency and share related data, resources, technological development, and training, to truly understand each and every step of different operations for which they are responsible for, hence, being able to support every form of operation from the national to local levels; improving related rules and regulations to be in line with the changing context of the modern world. 

4.4 Integrating security cooperation within the ASEAN region and among foreign countries including related government and non-governmental organisations in order to bring sustainable peace, happiness, security and prosperity to the country, the region and the world, and to promote integrated cooperation at the international level to collaboratively cope with modernday threats. 

4.4.1 Consolidating and maintaining international security to create peace, security, and balance for all related parties, with all nations willing to participate in collaboration and task operations as required, as well as to share and utilise security data, information and intelligence among each other for sustainable security problem mitigating and solving by promoting and establishing good relationships in all dimensions with foreign countries, especially world’s leading nations and those considered strategically essential; putting in place mechanisms, systems, measures, and cooperation initiatives with other countries in ways that are beneficial to Thailand; enhancing the sharing of security information, and utilising it widely and regularly; supporting constructive dialogue and multi-party conversations at all levels in order to build relationships and trust, and acknowledge resolution of problems; reducing suspicion through the different levels of visits and open platforms for debate, in due course, this can lead to establishment of smooth and secure relationships. 

4.4.2 Enhancing and maintaining regional peace and stability so that every country in the region can live in peace and harmony, collectively assist each other in solving problems in a peaceful manner, collaborate in national development to accomplish the mutual goal of sustainable growth by reinforcing unity among ASEAN members and emphasising ASEAN centrality; establishing and promoting good relationships among people of ASEAN in all aspects and levels to support close cooperation in terms of economic, social and cultural contexts, as well as aspects related to politics and security, science and technology, natural resource and environment within ASEAN itself, other leading nations in the region and around the world; developing effective frameworks of cooperation on other regional security issues to help strengthen regional security; disseminating the Sufficiency Economy Principle and other royal initiatives to be widely understood in the region in order to be practically adopted into actions, which can help all member states successfully achieve the mutual goal of sustainable development.

4.4.3 Establishing and enhancing development cooperation with neighbouring countries, other regions, and the rest of the world, including both related government and non-governmental organisations that can lead to national, regional, and international security in every dimension, helping foster a climate of sustainable peace through promotion of international codes of conduct, laws, and agreements upholding relating to multinational operations and cooperation; establishing good relations between states, private sectors, and people; enhancing cooperation with international countries in threat prevention and surveillance, covering all forms and levels; strengthening cooperation and assistance provision between member countries of the Mekong sub-region, ASEAN, and other allies in times of crises such as famine or natural disaster; enhancing Thailand’s role in international security and peacekeeping tasks under the United Nations mandate in order to have the country’s role internationally acknowledged and accepted; fostering Thailand’s power with existing diplomatic relationships by promoting Thai culture, the Sufficiency Economy Principle, royal initiatives, Thai traditional values and products.  

4.5 Developing mechanisms for overall security management to ensure effective functions of all security mechanisms to concretely support national development, compliance with good governance principles, and effective law enforcement in order to totally eradicate corruption, establish confidence of the people in related agencies, both main and supporting, in their ability and capacity to professionally and effectively deal with all kinds of existing and future threats.  

4.5.1 Developing mechanisms for monitoring, notifying, preventing, and solving security problems on an overall and concrete basis to create complete and harmonious management mechanisms that function effectively in order to cope with every form of security challenge at every level and any time by strengthening mechanisms and agencies, such as the Royal Thai Armed Forces, the Internal Security Operations Command, and the Thailand Maritime Enforcement Coordinating Centre, as well as existing and new laws, through collaboration and integration with all related sectors; developing clear plans with practical goals, indicators and responsible agencies in preparation for all dimensions of security issues and challenges; providing training courses on problem-solving, brainstorming seminars, and extensive support, with all year round availability; consistently conducting good governance based inspections and evaluations in line with available technology and innovation; connecting all related sectors and development networks, with a key focus on enhancing their participation in the country’s security problem solving.  

4.5.2 Conducting security management to facilitate national development in other dimensions to enable the National Strategy to successfully yield concrete outcomes as planned without having any negative impacts on national security by developing comprehensive parallel development plans that are in line with the National Strategy; promoting the fully integrated operations in all aspects between related government agencies, be it security, social or economic, ensuring sustainable national security in all dimensions for the country.    

4.5.3 Developing mechanisms and organisations required for the National Strategy on Security implementation to enable the efficient, harmonious and concrete accomplishment of the goals stated in the National Strategy on Security by enhancing the Office of the National Security Council’s capacity, in terms of personnel, equipment, management systems, and budget allocation, to yield the utmost effectiveness and induce integration with all related sectors and parties, as well as to have capacity required to effectively deal with assigned tasks, to have an important role in taking responsibility, at the policy level, for security problems in every dimension, and fully prepared to work effectively amid changing contexts in the future and still accomplish the goals specified in the strategy.  

THE NATIONAL STRATEGY ON COMPETITIVENESS ENHANCEMENT 

1.     Introduction

Over the past two centuries, Thailand has confronted with a number of challenges impeding the country’s economic competitiveness including, fluctuation of the world economic conditions, stricter international laws and regulations regarding competition in international trade, labours skills, and population aging, rapid technological changes requiring the country’s agricultural, industrial, and service sectors to adapt to consumer demands and trading patterns, as well as the changes in development policies in southeast Asia focusing on foreign direct investment. These aforementioned changes, together with anticipated changes in future trends, will inevitably result in more complicated challenges for challenges for Thailand to propel its competitiveness to a more advanced stage. 

Consequently, in order to further enhance the country’s competitiveness following the aim to be a developed country towards security, prosperity, and sustainability based upon the principles of the “Sufficiency Economy Philosophy”, Thailand has to holistically restructure its economy to creating immunity, raising income levels, and reducing inequality. Hence, Thailand has to create a new engine of growth to lead country to the development goals by, over the next 20 years, focusing on research and innovation, adopting advanced technologies to improve productivity and value-added of production and services sectors, restructuring production and services sectors, improving trade pattern along with changed technology, promoting an entrepreneurial society, and developing required labour skills.  

To accomplish the goal of moving Thailand up to a high-income country within the next 20 years, continually economic growth and increasing competitiveness ranking will be required. Consequently, the National Strategy on Competitiveness Enhancement focuses on three main concepts, namely, (1) “Learning from the past for further development” with a focus on the roots of the country’s economic system, identity, culture, traditions, way of living, and diversity of natural resources. It is important to incorporate advanced technologies and innovations with the country’s other aspects of competitive advantages, in order to be up to date with the modern economic and societal context, (2) “Adjusting the present” to pave the way for the future by developing the country’s infrastructure, including communication and transport networks, science and technology, and digital infrastructure, as well as to provide ecosystem to facilitate the development of  future industries and services, (3) “Creating new future values” by upgrading the potential of entrepreneurs and developing skills and competency of young generations, as well as adjusting business models in association with market demands, together with well-defined strategies designed to have the country be prepared for the future, based on the two concepts, and supporting government policies, will help generating income and employment, expanding trade and investment opportunities in the global market, enhancing income level and well-being of the Thai people, and increasing the number of middle-income people in the country.  

In summary, the development guidelines of the National Strategy on Competitiveness Enhancement, therefore, emphasise on, firstly, developing economic mechanisms to create higher added value of the agricultural, industrial, services, and tourism sectors, with the employment of technology and innovation, secondly, maintaining as the world’s leading tourist destinations, thirdly, developing enabling and supporting infrastructure needed for the country’s competitiveness enhancement, including physical infrastructure of transport networks, urban spaces, technological and economic infrastructure, in order to facilitate trades and services as well as to reduce logistics costs, promote improved mobility of capital and personnel, connect Thailand to the world, and prepare the country to be ready for anticipated future changes.  

2.  Development Goals 

         2.1     Thailand becomes a developed country with stable and sustainable economic growth 

         2.2     Thailand’s national competitiveness is increased 

3.  Indicators

         3.1     National income, expansion of the gross domestic product (GDP) growth and income distribution 

         3.2     National productivity, in terms of production and labor factors 

         3.3     Investment in Research and development (R&D)  

         3.4     National competitiveness 

4.     The Strategic Guidelines 

4.1 Exploring value-added agriculture - Thailand is one of the key players in agricultural production and trade in the global market due to its tropical agricultural base and comparative advantages in biological diversity that can be further developed to promote value-added agroindustry. Key emphases of this development guideline, which aims at increasing farmers’ incomes, are placed on high quality agriculture and technology and innovation driven agriculture, with key focuses on productivity enhancement, quantitatively and qualitatively, and product diversity in order to maintain the country’s existing income base as well as to establish future income base with high values, including farming that reflects local identity, safe farming, biological farming, processed agricultural products, and smart farming. 

4.1.1 Farming with local identity focuses on promoting the use of local identity and local wisdom in agricultural products and products with protected geographical indication (PGI) in order to create higher added values and produce new products demanded by the market; promoting local economies; creating uniqueness and identity for Thai agricultural products that can eb differentiated from agricultural products of other countries in the global market in order to meet different consumer needs; promoting the adaptation of wisdom and technology in production process and packaging development in order to ensure continuing identity of local identity products in the global market; developing quality of agricultural products to be recognised by both national and international standards; promoting the PGI registration; promoting branding and demand of agricultural products with local identity through story telling; promoting the export of agricultural products with local identity, PGI certified agricultural products and tropical produces to the global market. 

4.1.2 Safe Farming focuses on creating awareness of the importance of food safety management system standard among both consumers and producers; providing incentives designed to influence farmers and producers to produce agricultural products in accordance with acceptable standards and to be part of agricultural product quality management systems accredited by trustworthy institutions; providing information and knowledge regarding agricultural productions that are adequate with international standards, aiming for chemical use reduction; expanding organic agricultural products through knowledge provision and transfer to farmers and market mechanisms; developing quality certification systems and standards for Thai organic products, especially reverse traceability systems in order to accurately identify origin of products in accordance with acceptable national and international standards. 

4.1.3 Biological farming focuses on promoting the utilisation of the country’s biodiversity in manufacturing sector’s value add enhancement and further development of high value innovation based agricultural products; ensuring national security in terms of both food and health, especially herbs with high potential for export to regional and global markets; promoting sustainable agriculture; promoting herb cultivation as industrial drop in accordance to each area’s conditions in order to be processed and used in medical industry, health promotion and other advanced industries with a key focus on market demand and quality standards, both domestically and internationally; promoting research, development and employment of innovation from local wisdom, clean technology, including nano-technology for agriculture, and processed products based on biodiversity and herbal resources through close collaboration between the public and private sectors, and communities that are rich in traditional knowledge and wisdom; and promoting the efficient reuse of wastes from raw material processing in energy and biological input-related industries. 

 4.1.4 Agro-processing industry focuses on employing advanced technology and innovation, including local wisdom based innovation in agricultural products’ uniqueness creation and added value enhancement; promoting the export of high quality agro-products to domestic and international markets through the encouragement of advanced agricultural product processing with distinctive values that are empirically supported by research and are in line with consumer demand; promoting the employment of new technology and innovation in transforming primary agricultural inputs to products of high value; promoting innovative products derived from agromaterials and produce; promoting the employment of advanced technology and innovation in smart packaging designed to prevent contamination, in quality control enhancement, product tracking and tracing during transportation, and product shelf-life expansion; promoting branding as well as market expansion of agricultural products using information technology; and emphasising the importance of trademark creation and intellectual protection. 

4.1.5 Smart farming focuses on employing technology and innovation in smart farm development in order to increase agricultural productivity, both in terms of value and yield, and to prepare for any negative impacts brought upon by climate change; promoting sustainable use of resources on environmental-friendly basis; ensuring a balance between agriculture for food and for energy by employing modern technology, innovation and knowledge in agriculture, including precision agriculture technology, smart sensor technology to monitor changes in humidity, light and temperature in greenhouse farming for tracking product yield and quality in accordance to the market and for more effectively planning for marketing, and data recording and tracking technology for greenhouse farming management; ensuring agriculture and farming planning and design are in accordance with each area’s geographical potential through the employment of related technology and innovation; ensuring farmers gain access to related technology and innovation; motivating farmers to be aware of the importance of risk management with key focuses on environmental friendly agricultural management, zero-waste management and agricultural insurance system; promoting research and development on plant and animal variety, innovative farming initiatives and latest agricultural technology; promoting the use of biotechnology and genetic engineering; developing techniques for soil improvement, testing for chemical residue, diagnosing and treating diseases in animals, and packaging development and design in order to enhance productivity, product value and nutritional value; reducing chemical use in the agricultural sector; extending harvesting and storage time in order to lengthen marketing and exporting time; improving production technology and machinery for smart farming through research and development and establishment of standards required for agricultural machinery and tools; promoting research and development of geo-informatics and space technology for agricultural applications; employing satellite data in agriculture; connecting related databases from related agencies for sustainable risk management; creating a national database on farming, irrigation, maritime and coastal management, and monitor climate change. 

4.2 Developing future industry and services by preparing to counteract negative impacts, while reaping the benefits from the 4^th Industrial Revolution as it can lead to rapid and profound changes in the socio-economic environment. To respond to this phenomenon, restructuring manufacturing and services to follow major shifts is in a great need for Thailand. The industries and services of the future, through technology and innovation adoption, will be key economic drivers to propel the country to become a developed country, along with a skilled workforce with competence required by the market, create appropriate ecosystem, and encourage sustainable industrial and service development. 

4.2.1 Bio-industry focuses on utilising the country’s biodiversity to create value from the country’s existing agriculture industry towards environmental friendly bio-based industry; increasing the proportion of high-value in bio-industries, such as biochemistry, biomaterials, food supplements, cosmetics, vaccines, bio-pharmaceuticals and herbal extracts; promoting bio-plastic producing and usage; transforming waste from agro-industrial industries to chemical substances and valuable biomass energy; proving more opportunities for farmers to have their income risen; using research for more commercialised purposes; and emphasising the important of open sourced innovation for bio-industry further development.    

 4.2.2 Integrated medical industries and services focuses on using the country’s specialisation in medical industry as a foundation for other related industries in response to an increasing demand of medical services due to aging society situations globally, leading the country to become a centre of medical industrial and service; developing the manufacture of medical tools and equipment, artificial organs, medical supplies, pharmaceutical supplies including biopharmaceuticals and medical services, promoting the development and application of modern medical technologies in an attempt to improve Thai people’s quality of life; employing digital technology in medical services to lower costs of treatment and to  enhance the quality of the country’s medical services to the international level; connecting the country medical service industry with the health tourism industry in order to promote the country to become a centre for both medical treatment and comprehensive health care service.  

4.2.3 Digital, data, and artificial intelligence industry and service focuses onemploying digital and information technology and artificial industry (AI), including automation and robots, smart electronics and the Internet of Things (IoT), to enhance country’s industrial and service industries’ competency and competitiveness, to improve efficiency of the Thai economy, to build a new platform for the Thai economy in the future and to improve people’s quality of life; establishing digital, data, and artificial intelligence industry and service as the country’s key driver of economic development; promoting cooperation between the public sector and Thai private sector as well as leading multinational corporations in the industry in order to position Thailand as a centre of manufacturing, research and development; creating awareness among people to apply digital and information technologies and AI in the manufacturing and services sectors to improve efficiency, create innovation and start new businesses; motivating entrepreneurs to be certified by international standard; establishing industrial clusters to support the expansion of digital and information technology, AI, automation and robots, as well as smart electronics industries and services to cover the global whole value chain; encouraging commercialised research and development conducted by entrepreneurs; establishing the cooperation between the public and private sectors, and educational institutions and promoting the use of open source data and information for educational purposes, research and development, and business expansion; developing skilled manpower in preparation for the anticipated growth of digital, data, and artificial intelligence industry and service as well as other industries employing such technology; attracting experts from around the world to work in Thailand; and providing needed assistance and remedial measures to those who will be severely affected by this disruptive technological changes. 

4.2.4 Transport and logistics industry and services by utilising the geographical location to promote the country’s transportation and logistics industry to become the region’s hub for export to the global market and hub for tourism, to help reduce logistics costs and increase added values; promoting other related industries and services through the connection with the global logistics networks, promotion the shift from conventional automotive industry to electric vehicle industry, promotion of energy storage system technology and industry, research and development investment promotion; developing aviation and space industry to accommodate growth in related industries and services through the upgrade of the country’s aircraft maintenance service and parts manufacturing and the promotion of investment in aircraft maintenance services to stimulate market growth and the development of aviation and space technologies; promoting the development of new modes of transport responsive to future approach and supporting industries and services; developing manpower to have skills required by the automotive, aviation and space, and logistics industries; facilitating foreign experts to come and work in the country; encouraging automotive, aviation and space, and logistics industries including regulatory bodies to operate with international standards, of which the collaboration with international certifying agencies should be established.  

 4.2.5 National security industry focuses on developing country’s security industry to have the needed capacity in order to lessen reliance on assistance from other countries and be able to be further developed to become one of the country’s leading exporting industries, which can be started with high-potential existing industries; fostering research and development of industries related to security in different aspects and related technologies beneficial to the security and commercial sectors; developing manpower in areas of research and development, design, and manufacturing in anticipation of growth in the security industry; promoting the development of an industry related to disaster management, for instance, a system warning, a responsive disaster preparation, and an assistance before and after disasters; promoting industries related to cyber security, to reduce impacts from cyber threats to the economy and society as well as protect cyber sovereignty and national interests; promoting the adequate provision of energy to ensure national energy security and to increase the proportion of renewable and alternative energy usages on the basis of balance and security as well as a self-reliance, as well as the development of value-added energy industries; developing supporting industries and services related to national security industries, military equipment and related industries, two-way technologies industries, and lives safety related industries.            

4.3 Creating diversity tourism in order to maintain Thailand’s status as the tourism destination of the world by attracting tourists of all types and increasing proportion of high-quality tourists. The key emphases include developing country’s tourism industry to have notable increases in value, using Thai identity and culture, information and local wisdom utilisation to enhance economic value and diversity that are in accordance with market trends and demand; developing and utilising Big Data technology, including technology and innovation designed to promote marketing, improve security and facilitate all groups of tourists, especially elderly and those with special needs; ensuring economic spill over to local communities from the tourism industry; developing existing tourist attractions while creating new tourist attractions with unique identity based on capacity and potentials of each area; promoting long stay tourism; promoting the development of needed infrastructures, ecosystem, and enabling resources contributed to the growth of quality tourism in order to sustainably generate income to local communities; and developing connectivity with other countries in the region in order to position Thailand as a tourist attraction of the region, incentivising tourists to revisit the country. 

4.3.1 Creative and cultural tourism by promoting creative and cultural tourism through development of products and services using local wisdom, creativity, and cultural capital; promoting employment of new technologies and innovations in order to improve tourism business, marketing and site management especially for historical sites and areas distinguished by their ways of life and culture including to emphasizing distinctive stories of Thailand; ensuring intellectual protection of tourist sites; promoting historical, cultural, and artistic cities to get registered as conservative sites as well as to assure international acceptance so that the cities must be developed through creative image-building and development planning for urban areas and distinctive tourist sites; promoting seasonal tourism in accordance with each area’s potential, including community-based tourism, agricultural tourism, conservative tourism; and promoting Buddhist tourism in order to position Thailand as the world’s Buddhist tourism destination. 

4.3.2 Business tourism by creating attractiveness for Thailand to become the destination for business tourism through promotions of the establishment of international convention and exhibition hub, given the country’s geographical advantage; developing public utilities and public infrastructure, transport and digital networks in order to facilitate business trips, and to build cooperation among participants from the wider world; promoting the expansion of convention and exhibition destinations and leisure points from the major cities to other parts of the country; promoting different types of exhibition, both conventional and virtual, to attract more tourists; promoting leisure points establishment located between meeting venues aimed to help create more attractiveness of and expand the country’ s creative and cultural tourism, with a key focus on sustainable development and local economy promotion; promoting other types of tourism with high potential and have them connected with other tourist routes in order to create mutual economic growth; enhancing travel facilitation to attract more people to come and do business and travel in the country; and promoting other supporting businesses in the business chain.  

4.3.3 Health, beauty, and traditional Thai medicine tourism by combining knowledge and skills of Thai wisdom with the art and finesse of Thai-style service to create value and attractiveness for the country’s health and medical tourism; upgrading the country’s beauty and health service businesses to high end markets, using creativity and innovation to create recognisable unique Thai services in the world market; creating diversity in healthcare activities with accepted standards that are connected with other tourist activities; upgrading alternative medical services using advanced scientific and technological approaches and Thai traditional knowledge and wisdom; developing personals of traditional Thai medicine and other health services to have language skills and get professional standard certifications in accordance with what the market requires; promoting the marketing of healthcare and Thai traditional medicine tourism to be known to the world; promoting the fully integrated healthcare-modern medicine tourism.  

4.3.4 Maritime tourism by promoting Thailand to become a maritime tourism hub, both inland and coastal, as well as to become a basin river cultural tourism with distinctive identity, attracting tourists through a various channels such as nature sightseeing, historical storytelling, Thai people’s way of life and culture, along maritime lines along the coasts of the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand, as well as river and canal boat trips throughout the country; upgrading potential ports in the country to become the main gateways, with key emphases on developing related infrastructures and utilities of ports, marinas, inland waterways, piers to have standards adequate with that of international as well as cleanliness and safety management; developing domestic transportation networks that can effectively link all modes of transport; developing new transportation routes connecting with new tourist attractions; developing a maritime tourism database, with the employment of related technology designed to help facilitate business management and immigration procedures; and developing human resources of all related sectors to have required capacity and have awareness of the importance of natural resource conservation, with a key focus on sustainable tourism in each area.     

4.3.5 Regional cross-border tourism by utilising the country’s geographic advantage to link Thai tourist attractions with other countries, in order to simultaneously expand both regional and Thai tourism industries through the development of related infrastructures and logistics system connecting primary and secondary cities to prepare for tourist pathways between ASEAN nations and the Mekong sub-region on land, water, and air; developing tourism routes connecting within the region based on shared cultures and history using joint marketing campaign and existing road, rail, water, and air transport connectivity between countries; strengthening relationships with neighbouring countries for sustainable regional tourism cooperation; fostering cooperative marketing strategies for cross-border tourism in accordance with tourism trends and demand; developing existing tourist attractions while creating new ones based on each area’s potentials and contexts to accommodate the linkage between Thailand and other countries; developing related infrastructures and facilities to have standards and safety adequate with that of international; preventing and restoring deteriorating tourist attractions, including natural, historical and cultural sites; ensuring distribution of benefits to local communities and related industries and services to help raise income levels of local people; promoting Thai tourism business expansion and marketing campaign in other countries, using available technology in accordance with existing tourist behaviour patterns. 

4.4 Developing high quality infrastructures to connect Thailand with the world -  Infrastructures are essential for Thailand to position itself as the economic hub of ASEAN and as a major connecting point in Asia. In this era of rapid and disruptive technological change, infrastructures are, therefore, both physical and non-physical, including transportation, space and city, technology, economic infrastructure designed to facilitate and lower costs of transporting  goods, services, funds, and people as well as to connect Thailand with the world.  

4.4.1 Creating seamless transport networks by promoting seamless regional connectivity between East and South Asia, with Thailand being the hub of such economic corridor for transport, logistics, trade, investment, and tourism in line with the development aimed at connecting Thailand with existing economic cooperation groups in the region; developing land, water, and transport and infrastructure networks to accommodate transportation and logistics along the regional supply chain, with more importance being placed on water and rail modes of transport; improving national and provincial airports to have more compatible connectivity with existing domestic and international transport networks for seamless transport networks connecting major cities of the region in order to accommodate growing urbanisation and connect with neighbouring countries; developing modern public transport and related facilities to link between cities and developing surrounding station areas to yield the most economic benefits; promoting the use of information technology to connect transport networks and logistics system, ensuring the same operation standard; and fostering cooperation in cross-border and regional trade facilitation among countries in the region. 

4.4.2 Creating and Developing Special Economic Zones (SEZs) as a tool to distribute economic growth and benefits to other parts of the country, raise income levels and quality of life of the people and eradiate security problems along the borders by promoting the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) to have related infrastructures in place in order to have Thailand become land, water and air transport hubs, as well as an industrial and innovation hub; developing cities and promoting tourism; developing the Western Economic Corridor to connect with EEC and other regions; developing special economic zones for trade, investment, and tourism, with a key focus on distinctive potentials of each region that are complementary to and in line with neighbouring countries’ economic zones development, city planning, public infrastructure, related facilities for trade and investment, manpower, and rules and regulations; implementing supporting measures designed to attract more investment in targeted technology and innovation concentrated industrial and service sectors, with a key focus on sustainability.  

4.4.3 Expanding economic areas and cities by establishing new economic and innovation hubs in other parts of the country, in complementarity with Bangkok and vicinity; promoting special development; fostering economic development alongside urbanisation; establishing specific economic towns for agricultural, industrial and service cluster promotion, with innovation inducing ecosystem as well as support from local educational institutions and all sectors, and geographical advantages available in each area; promoting the development of innovative cities designed to help propel economic growth in their region and attract more investment through the promotion of international innovation and cultural festival organisation by the cities with academic assistance from local educational institutions. 

 4.4.4 Developing modern technological infrastructures by promoting supporting ecosystem that can enable collaboration in research and development between Thai private sector, universities and world’s leading academic or research institutions in order to create and transfer basic and advanced technology to be practically used for commercial purposes, accurately respond to user needs, both in public and private sectors; imposing digital gateway regulation and enhancing knowledge and opportunities for the people to gain access to various forms of broadband network in adequacy to their residence; ensuring a single standard for digital services provided by the public and private sectors and sufficient frequencies required for quality and affordable services; promoting digital platform businesses to create employment and enhance efficiency in service and administration of both the public and private sectors; ensuring connection security with global digital networks; promoting the use of data science, AI and robots, as well as user orientated design in manufacturing and service sectors in order to enhance competitiveness; utilising available data from various reliable sources in development of human capital and society, based on good governance and privacy infringement protection, of which coverage extended to cybercrime; ensuring energy security with key focuses on infrastructure development and efficient energy management based on fair competition and appropriate prices, alternative energy infrastructure to support the manufacturing, transport, and service sectors, increases in renewable and alternative energy usage, smart grid development; developing and attracting a pool of national and international science and technology experts in universities and research institutions through effective mechanisms in order to have a skilled set of personals equipped with knowledge and capacity required for advanced technology application; promoting research works that can further be practically developed by the public and private sectors in national competitiveness enhancement.  

4.4.5 Maintaining and enhancing macro-economic stability by implementing flexible monetary and fiscal policies to effectively deal with unanticipated fluctuations caused by internal and external factors; developing related policies to be responsive to the future global situations and business trends; connecting Thailand’s trade and investment with overseas in order to develop the country to become a trading nation; ensuring balanced access to financial services through immunity building for Thai economy amidst global economic volatility, strengthening the country’s and local’s economy; expanding trade and investment cooperation to gain access to new markets with potential in order to become a fully integrated trading nation; ensuring the maintenance of sustainable fiscal climate through proactive budget allocation, both area and strategic based, increased efficiency in government revenue collection, tax base expansion, and tax collection on new items to accurately respond to rapidly changing economic context; sustaining monetary stability in order to create enabling environments for investment and business operation, through a stable financial system and price management, transparent and flexible monetary policies, promotion of effective market mechanisms; ensuring both public and private sectors to be equipped with risk assessment and management tools and have institutional mechanisms in place to effectively oversee the financial sector’s stability and promote the sector’s effectiveness; promoting competitiveness among service providers; ensuring technology promoting environment in financial services; developing related financial infrastructures; and amending rules and regulations considered as obstacles to financial and business innovation.      

4.5 Developing modern, entrepreneur-based economy by developing entrepreneurs in small, medium or large businesses, start-ups, community or social enterprises, as well as farmers to become competitive modern entrepreneurs who are equipped with required skills, passion, and identity, employing three types of innovation - business model, product and service, and production process and service as well as to become strong traders in line with the country’s development goals to become a trading nation, and to become “skilled producers, skilled sellers” or “smart buyer, smart vendor” entrepreneurs who excel in services and are capable of expanding trade and investment in foreign markets. Above all, good governance among entrepreneurs should be fostered.

4.5.1 Developing smart entrepreneurs by developing entrepreneurs with the ability to create and employ technology and innovation throughout production chain, management, and marketing so that they can effectively and transparently administrate their businesses and services through development of related skills and knowledge required for business operation in the increasing competitive world, including analytical skills and the ability to use data in business planning and risk management; providing essential educational foundation, systematically and nonsystematically, to younger generations in order to instil them with entrepreneurial skills and passion; promoting entrepreneurs in innovation creation employed to differentiate their products and services, which can be further developed to enhance added values; promoting  environmental friendly manufacturing; developing essential basic skills and expertise of workers, especially those related to technology and new forms of business operation; promoting entrepreneurs to produce goods and services with standardised quality, in line with consumer needs; promoting connections between entrepreneurs and larger corporations through system or mechanism implementation that can lead to connections throughout value chain; enhancing efficiency in production management, transport and logistics; promoting business cluster formation, especially among those with potential, as a mechanism to provide needed support among each other along the value chain, both vertically and horizontally. 

4.5.2 Facilitating easier access to financial services and assistance by promoting entrepreneurs to gain access to needed financial services through provision of funds and promotion of reliable financial service channel establishment; developing financial products and risk management tools in order to adequately respond to needs of different target groups, with the employment of technology and innovation in fund accessibility facilitation; developing asset evaluation suitable for each type in order to be used as business collateral for loan; developing reliable credit evaluation and customer recognition system, utilising available financial and nonfinancial as status identification and credit record verification for loan approval.  

4.5.3 Improving access to markets by ensuring that entrepreneurs have opportunity to gain access to domestic and international markets, in accordance to their ability and capacity through the promotion of brand and product identity; developing quality and distinctive packaging in order to increase market opportunity, especially overseas; developing and providing platforms needed for creative businesses’ product displays; creating awareness of the importance of marketled production in line with market demands, especially in high value markets; promoting new market and payment channels through the establishment of online markets and needed application creation in response to the future consumer demands; providing more opportunity for entrepreneurs to participate in the public sector’s procurement process; developing standardised product distribution hub in every region of the country with the employment of related technology and innovation in order to accommodate industrial and business growth. 

4.5.4 Facilitating information access by providing opportunity for entrepreneurs to gain access to essential and updated data and information needed for effective business planning including data obtained via big data technology, in order to further develop existing and new businesses; developing entrepreneurial data service centres as the key channel in data and consultation provision to entrepreneurs and business owners; developing integrated standardised databases of related data from related agencies, including research and development databases, using regularly updated data, for public access and evidence policy design; developing an accessible central platform for production, management, and marketing to help reduce public- and privatesector costs; promoting co-working spaces for entrepreneurs as a venue to exchange innovation and knowledge as well as to connect businesses together.  

4.5.5 Adjusting roles and improving access to public services by developing and integrating government mechanisms to help develop entrepreneur to have skills and capacity required to sustainably compete in the market, with key scopes covering easy business entry, application and permit issuance, asset registration, loan approval, investor protection, tax payment, and international trade; developing national quality assurance system for products, Metrology, testing and quality certification to accommodate the country’s growing manufacturing and service sectors; developing national quality infrastructures, such as central testing centres for agricultural and industrial products and international product and service quality assurance centres, with more private sector participation; developing incubation centres designed to train and provide essential knowledge and information needed to entrepreneurs so they can become smart entrepreneurs, with collaboration between the public and private sectors, and educational institutions; developing learning centres to provide knowledge and consultation on technology and innovation in manufacturing and service sectors, promoting training of advanced technology personals to have efficiency and agility required for services; promoting collaboration between businesses with different sizes and capacity through incentive system implementation designed to stimulate technology transfer and collaborative development; advancing negotiations on international trade and development to create better economic opportunities. 

NATIONAL STRATEGY ON DEVELOPING AND STRENGTHENING HUMAN CAPITAL  

1.     Introduction

Human capital is one of the key essential factors to propel the country’s development in every dimension to become a developed country, driven by wisdom and innovation. Accordingly, it is necessary for Thailand to have a systematically comprehensive human capital development strategic plan, with the key emphasis on ensuring that all Thais of all age groups get adequate development in all dimensions in order to become virtuous, equipped with demanded qualities required to drive the country forward at full capacity. Thai citizens will, thus, “be physically, mentally, and intellectually prepared, with all-rounded development and well-being adequately for each age group; public conscious and responsible to others and society; financially prudent; generous and caring; righteous; good citizens with right and ethical mindsets; equipped with skills required by the 21^st Century, as well as communication skills in English, the third language, and local dialect; learners with life-long learning skills, in order to become high skilled Thai citizens, innovators, thinkers, entrepreneurs, smart farmers, and more, with career paths suitable for their proficiency.  

Accordingly, the National Strategy on Developing and Strengthening Human Capital is formulated to ensure that all Thais of all age groups get adequate development in all dimensions at their full capacity. Therefore, this National Strategy aims to, both, address current challenges of human capital development and strengthen such development, covering the issues of both human resources and enabling factors, including, firstly, life cycle development, together with key attitude and norm reforms designed for righteous “way of living” of all Thais and collective conscience for happy and harmonious society and, secondly, learning system transformation of all educational levels, with key emphasis on effective responses to changes in the 21^st Century; new and improved learning design, transforming teachers’ roles in teaching, improving the effectiveness of the educational management system, as well as development life-long learning system, in which people can pursue knowledge appropriate to their interests in a continual manner, even though they are no longer in the formal educational system. Furthermore, such transformation will take into account the awareness of multiple intelligences, of which people with different levels and categories of intelligence will be adequately developed and provided opportunities. Also, health consciousness and knowledge will be promoted, together with other enabling factors and surroundings related to human capital development, including strengthened families, through quality family planning promotion and increased engagement in human capital development, as they are the smallest social unit that can influence children and youth development to become good citizens; integrated human capital database development between related agencies; as well as sports promotion as a means to create social value and well-being of Thai citizens and sports skill excellency and profession support.

2.     Development Goals 

         2.1    Thai people are skilled, righteous and equipped with qualities required for the 21^st century 

         2.2     Thailand has adequate social surroundings suitable for life-cycle development 

3.     Indicators

         3.1     Development of Thai people’s quality of life, happiness and well-being 

         3.2     Achievements of study and lifelong learning 

         3.3     Development of Thai society and families 

4.     The Strategic Guidelines  

4.1 Transforming social values and cultures by encouraging social institutions to participate in nurturing desirable cultural values, through the integrated collaboration between “family, community, religious, educational institution and media” in instilling Thai people to have ethical and moral way of life.  

4.1.1 Embedding social values and culture through family upbringing by promoting 

ideologies of happy families with strong family bonds; encouraging way of living adhering to morality, ethics, saving habits, honesty, and the Sufficiency Economy Philosophy, with event and activity organisations aimed to help promote such characteristics; as well as developing parents to become good role models for their children. 

4.1.2 Integrating honesty, discipline, moral and ethical standards in educational 

programmes by requiring educational institutions to incorporate the cultivation of morality, ethics, and public consciousness in every subject and activity; adjusting school surroundings, both inside and outside, to enable morality, ethics, and public consciousness upholding; as well as preserving Thai customs and traditions. 

4.1.3 Strengthening religious institutions to convey virtuous teachings to the people, 

by ensuring religious leaders to be good role models, who behave according to the right teachings of individual religions, for the general public; and simplifying religious teachings to encourage people to apply them in practical ways to daily life. 

4.1.4 Fostering values and culture by having communities as a platform by 

developing community leaders to become good role models for morality and ethics upholding; facilitating communities in organising activities for public interest, ensuring social order and involving youth’s participation in such activities; as well as ensuring effective penalties for those who violate social norms. 

4.1.5 Promoting positive values and culture of business sectors by encouraging 

business sectors to practice good governance, with key emphasis on cultivating a sense of accountability and integrity in every employee and customer, embedding business mindset of which social costs are taken into account, promoting corporate social responsibility and social enterprises.  

4.1.6 Using media and mass communication as a platform to foster and promote 

values and culture in Thai societies by encouraging code of ethics in media to be conscientiously employed by all channels of media and mass communication; promoting creative media through platforms and broadcast time availability arrangement, especially during the prime time, as well as encouraging online and social media to be used to display examples demonstrating ethics, morality, and public consciousness to the general public as a means to embed such values in the society.   

4.1.7 Promoting public consciousness and social responsibility among Thai people 

by raising general public awareness to truly understand their duties and to be disciplined, punctual, acceptable of differences, as well as to understand the importance of having employment, selfreliance, social responsibility and good citizenry; and promoting working environment that can foster collective working culture in order to achieve the goals of both the country and National Strategy.   

4.2 Promoting life cycle development with key emphases on developing people of all development stages in accordance with their age groups and development needs, from pregnancy, childhood, adolescent, school-age, working-age and elderly, in order to develop the country’s human capital to have capacities, knowledge, skills, morals and ethics, disciplines, self-learning ability, financial literacy, life planning capabilities and good living; and on changing the society’s attitudes and norms towards people who committed any wrongdoings for harmonious and smooth re-adjustment back into the society as they can positively help contribute to the country’s development.    

 4.2.1 Pregnancy and early childhood population stage focusses on quality family 

planning service provision for quality pregnancy; parents’ readiness and breastfeeding promotion; correct information provision on infant nutrition and upbringing as well as adequate investment in related early childhood development facilities.   

4.2.2 School-age and adolescent population stage focusses on instilling moral and 

ethical values as well as disciplines; learning skills development in accordance with the 21^st century requirements, especially analytical and synthetic skills, ability to solve with complex issues, immunity against problems and crimes, creativity, teamwork, flexibility, language, arts, science and technology; development provision and facilitation for citizens of all age groups in accordance to their full potential, interest and ability, life and financial knowledge and skill provision suitable for each age groups for practical applications; learning and working skill development required by the labour market; and life skill promotion required for harmonious living in a multi-cultural society.  

4.2.3 Working-age population stage focusses on continuing working competency and 

skill development that is in accordance with individuals’ expertise and labour market’s demands; decent work and employment as well as desirable organizational cultures promotion that can help enhance labour productivity; financial literacy enhancement that can help individuals effectively manage and plan their and household income, spending and saving; promotion of responsibility towards family, especially the parents; learning system development and knowledge attainment facilitation that can help Thai people excel their knowledge, skills, expertise, entrepreneurship skills and creative applications of their knowledge and skills; as well as working age extension consideration  

4.2.4 Elderly population stage focusses on promotion of elderly people’s roles in the country’s development; promotion of employment after retirement through adequate life and working skill development for suitable age-related employment; promotion of health rehabilitation and illness prevention measures as well as elderly friendly surrounding environments; promotion of social insurance responsive to basic needs as well as encouragement of social participation. 

4.3 Promoting learning process reform in order to accommodate 21^stcentury changes by ensuring that learners obtain learning skills and long for knowledge at all time; designing new and effective learning systems; altering the roles of teachers to adequately respond to the changing world; enhancing education system administration and management as well as developing an effective life-long learning system; encouraging Thai people to be truly aware of their roles and responsibilities as well as the country’s positioning in the Asia region and in the world; employing digital platforms as a means to improve the country’s learning system; and developing an educational system that can deliver academic excellence that is adequate with international standards. 

4.3.1 Adjusting learning systems to promote necessary skill development by systematically designing learning processes for all educational levels, from pre-school to higher education levels focusing on multi-disciplinary knowledge base and thinking process, such as scientific knowledge and enquiry technique, understanding of technology and ability to apply technology, engineering knowledge and problem solving, arts knowledge and skills, as well as mathematics and logical thinking skills; developing integrated learning systems designed for instructional content delivery, with a key focus on implementation and feedback provision; facilitating learners to be able to effectively manage their own learning; fostering learning skills and creativity among learners for further applications in employment and daily life.  

4.3.2 Modernising roles of teachers by adjusting from the existing role as a “teacher” to a “coach” or a “learning facilitator” who can stimulate, incentivise, provide guidance regarding learning process and knowledge management, design effective learning activities and innovation, as well as act as research for result-based learning achievement development; improving the recruitment processes that can effectively attract and select people with potentials and high capability and continuously developing teachers’ capacity and competency, with key focuses on adequate compensations, clear career path, learning material provision and facilitation, and teachers network establishment; developing skilful teachers with teaching expertise to be able to systematically train new generations of modern teachers ; and creating teachers’ performance assessments directly linked to learners’ achievements.  

4.3.3 Improve efficiency of all educational management systems at all 

educational levels by setting minimum standards required by all schools at all educational levels; restructuring education administrative systems to ensure responsibility for outcomes, equal and comprehensive access to education, and effective uses of resources; enhancing educational institutions to aspire to excellence in their areas of expertise; reforming the approach to financing education for better quality and efficiency delivery; promoting public private partnership in education; improving educational accreditation by ensuring its dependency from educational evaluation and concentrating on learners’ achievement based quality assurance scheme; reforming learning systems that can assess learners’ 21^st Century skills attainment and application rather than general knowledge; employing research and learning technology in classes; as well as developing area-based curriculums in accordance with each region’s demands.     

4.3.4 Developing lifelong learning systems by ensuring high quality and flexible 

education system and competency-based training system through various mechanisms such as open online learning system development, digital skill learning system development, experiencebased credit transfer system, educational credit-banking system, measures designed to incentivise people to participate in skill improvement and enhancement programs and professional qualification scheme promotion; developing accessible community learning systems, with focuses on developing communities’ learning spaces into active and creative learning spaces and improving basic knowledge and skills such as literacy and calculation, through participation and engagement of private sector and civil society; fostering learning attitudes and aspiration to instil learning disciplines and be aware of general surroundings; as well as encouraging application of knowledge in both employment and daily life.        

4.3.5 Creating national awareness of roles, responsibilities, and Thailand’s 

positioning in Southeast Asia and global community by ensuring a deep and true understanding of Thailand’s history, traditions and culture, as well as developments of neighbouring countries; enhancing Thai people’s acknowledgement and appreciation of multiculturalism, different values and beliefs, ways of thinking and living through promoting communicate in other languages and dialects, youth and student exchange programs; and short-term employment in other Southeast Asian countries.  

4.3.6 Using digital platforms to enhance learning systems bydeveloping digital 

skills, and knowledge filter skills; employing technology together with teachers’ capacity_; developing quality related learning materials that are easily accessible by the general public for maximum learning benefits utilisation and self-improvement through such platforms.       

4.3.7 Creating educational systems to promote academic excellence that is 

adequate with international standards by promoting educational institutions with expertise and outstanding achievements in specific fields to earn international standards and recognition in terms of educational services, academic and labour competency development; as well as establishing academic cooperation networks and initiating student/teacher/academic personnel exchange programs to strengthen Thai educational institutions’ performance and to provide Thailand an opportunity to become regional’s recognised training and competency test centres. 

 4.4 Realising multiple intelligences by developing and retaining target groups with special talents; creating surrounding environments and enabling factors that facilitate Thai people to have adequate career paths based on multiple intelligences principle; as well as promoting people with special talents to pursue sustainable careers.     

4.4.1 Developing and promoting multiple intelligences through families, educational institutions, surrounding environments, and the media starting from early childhood children to ensure adequately balanced development, with freedom and ability to accurately select and apply their multiple intelligences in daily life, pursue career paths based on multiple intelligences principle that are socially acceptable and important; implementing screening and supporting mechanisms of youth and children with special talents, set up school, experimental support system and incentive measures in order to develop people with special talents and to promote Thailand to be outstanding in sports, language, literacy, aesthetic art, and research in the World community. 

4.4.2 Creating career paths, working environments and adequate supporting systems for people with special talents through various mechanisms by ensuring related infrastructures and working tool are adequately provided; establishing cooperation networks with existing excellence research centres nationwide for research collaboration; enabling working mechanisms that pool groups of people from different academic fields to bring together leading researchers and technologists who can conduct further implacable research in accordance to the country’s development needs; establishing collaboration and connections with international research institutions to strengthen Thai researchers; as well as providing spaces for people with special talents for their stability career path. 

4.4.3  Incentivising expert foreigners and Thais living abroad to assist in developing technologies and innovations required for national development by providing temporary or permanent employment contracts, depending on each stage of national development goals, including those with high competency, foreign children with special talents who are born in Thailand, youth and children with special talents worldwide, as well as expert in the fields beneficial to the country’s development; and retaining and promoting both Thai citizens and foreigners residing in the country with special talents to have opportunities to use their potential and skills to benefit the country as well as building good reputation of the country.  

4.5 Enhancing well-being among Thai people covering physical, mental, intellectual, and social well-being dimensions, with key emphases on integrated well-being promotion and administration that can enhance individuals’ ability in managing and taking care of their well-being and promotion of public participation in well-being promotion and health literacy of Thai people. 

 4.5.1 Promoting well-being literacy among Thai people by providing and publicising

accurate and reliable health and well-being knowledge for the general public; monitoring and preventing distribution of false and misleading information regarding well-being which can be accumulated into intellectual and social skills needed to better manage well-being and health of the Thai people such as adjusting personal habits and behavior for better health and getting enough physical activity daily.  

4.5.2 Preventing and controlling risks to health and well-being by ensuring that 

well-being promotion is included in all levels of policy, requiring all relevant agencies to be mutually responsible for Thai people’s health and well-being, in order to reduce threats to Thai people’s state of well-being.  

4.5.3 Creating surrounding environment that promotes well-being by promoting 

physical surroundings that benefit public health and facilitate health-promotion activities; ensuring that monetary and fiscal measures include health friendly product promotion; promoting well-being supporting related technology and innovation development; as well as ensuring public and local participation in health impact assessment of projects that may have impacts on well-being. 

4.5.4 Developing a modern public health service system to promote well-being 

by integrating advanced technology and innovation to pursue excellence in modern and full-cycle medical and healthcare services, including artificial intelligence development to assist with consultation, diagnosis, and disease forecasting; developing easily accessed remote healthcare service system as a means to address the issue of doctor shortages; linking health products to online healthcare content platforms; developing an effectively integrated health and well-being database system to collect and store related health data throughout life cycle, with its management taking fiscal sustainability into consideration; as well as reforming the systems of  tax collection and expenditures for healthcare services and health insurance to ensure greater efficiency and promote well-being of all Thais in such an effective, fair, sufficient and sustainable manner.  

4.5.5 Encouraging communities to promote well-being in all areas by ensuring that 

communities can be at the heart of promoting awareness and better understanding of importance of good health among their members, through health and well-being knowledge management and exchange activities, with government agencies acting as facilitators, in order to have communities served as pivotal spaces to foster well-being in all areas of the country.  

4.6 Promoting human capital development-friendly surroundings by promoting wellbeing and prosperity in all Thai families; encouraging more participation form the public sector, private sector, families and local communities in human capital development; promoting the development and instilling of outside-the-classroom skills obtainment; as well as developing human capital development integrated national database  

4.6.1 Enhancing well-being and happiness of Thai families by promoting quality pregnancy and childbirth, with adequate age-related development; ensuring Thai people of all age groups receive essential life, working and learning skill development, starting from healthy and quality pregnancy and childbirth promotion among people in the reproductive-age groups, family preparation for the 21^stcentury world through effective family planning service provision that appropriately responds to the needs and values of people of younger generations, academic-based activity organising to promote accurate knowledge and perception about pregnancy and life cycle development, with participation and support from every sector in society;  improving surrounding environments in ways that benefit the creation of warm and happy families, with key emphases on encouragement of supporting and caring attitudes among family members of all ages, a work-life balance promotion, encouragement of the private sector and workplaces to provide human capital promotion related services, support provision for families to adequately bring up children and caring for the elderly, enhancement of roles of local communities as well as local administrative organisations in strengthening families, revision of related laws, determination of roles and resource allocation for local administrative organisations in family empowerment, as well as media reform to be socially responsible towards family strengthening and empowerment.  

4.6.2 Promoting more participation and involvement of the public and private sectors, local administrative organisations, families, and communities in human capital development by ensuring more inclusion of such parties in instilling socially acceptable norms and values, developing learning system and skills of Thais in accordance with global changes, ensuring awareness and understanding of the importance of self-development and  participation in social problem solving and social development, as well as providing academic assistance and related innovation designed to support human capital development. 

4.6.3 Fostering and developing skills outside the classroom by cultivating attitudes and up-bringing cultures among parents that help foster children’s learning skills, including life, music, sports, and arts; encouraging all sectors to create learning spaces equipped with appropriate tools, systems, and activities that can be of assistance to families; setting up areas that can serve as centers of experience transfer and exchange for creative and quality use of time for families; as well as developing information technologies with high efficiency and ease of access for all. 

4.6.4 Developing human capital development integrated national database by linking individuals’ education, trainings and skills, health and life-cycle career development data from all related ministries and agencies, enabling related authorities to be able to analyse and evaluate the country’s  human capital development’s weaknesses and strengths, manpower requirements, in terms of quality and quantity, and in turn resulting into evidence-based policy recommendations and decision making process, which will strengthen and enhance capacities of such organisations in human capital development in accordance to the country’s development directions and needs as well as individuals’ decision making in pursuing higher education in the fields correctly demanded by the labour market; as well as developing elderly brain bank projects in order to transfer of wisdom, expertise and experience of the elderly in various fields to young generation and building networks in combination and linking of the relevant information nationwide.   

4.7 Strengthening capacities in sports to generate social values and promote national development by promoting recreational activities and sports as an integrated and quality means to promote well-being of Thai people; fostering sports-loving spirit and sportsmanship; employing sports and recreational activities as a means for mental development, promoting harmony among people and moulding decent citizens; promoting people with sports skills and talents towards international excellency and professionalism to build the country’s sports reputation, which can help the country prepare for sports industry development and growth.  

4.7.1 Promoting exercise and basic sports skills as part of everyday life by providing accurate exercise, sports and first-aid knowledge and information to the general public of all age groups and other target groups such as people with disability and people with special needs; and providing people with the opportunity and freedom to participate in recreational activities of interest and skills and eventually become a part of everyone’s regular routine that can enhance mind and spirit development and instil the sense of good citizenry.     

4.7.2 Encouraging the general public to participate in physical and recreational activities by having sporting activities and events regularly organised and providing opportunities for regular participation; instilling the norm of sportsmanship, discipline, forgiveness; developing related personnel, infrastructure, sports equipment, arenas, other facilities, quality recreational activities with acceptable standards adequately in response to demands of people from all walks of life.  

4.7.3 Promoting sports as a career option by developing Thai people with potentials to become national athletes; strategically searching and selecting high-potential athletes; providing opportunities and venues for athletes to show potentials and capacity in sports, recreation, and sports science; promoting organisation of international sporting events; inspiring people with sports talents to pursue excellence and progress in professional sports as a career path; supporting research and innovation in sports, recreation, sports science, and knowledge management; and developing database systems for developing sporting excellence, sport as a career, and commercial recreation. 

4.7.4 Developing sports and recreational personnel to prepare and accommodate growth in the sport industry by developing personnel in sports, including physical education teachers or coaches, referees, sports scientists, sports administrators, volunteers, and related positions in a systematic and standardized manner in order to enable sports professionals to transfer their knowledge to young people, the general public, the disabled and underprivileged so they are able to develop their potential and become national sports and recreation personnel with recognized standards; preparing the country to be ready for the growth of the sports and recreation industry and to become the Asian region’s investment hub and production base of such industry, while simultaneously developing sports and recreation-based tourism; and providing measures to support entrepreneurs in the sports and recreation industry and related businesses. 

NATIONAL STRATEGY ON SOCIAL COHESION and EQUITY  

1.     Introduction  

Inequality is one of the key challenges impeding the country’s sustainable development and development goal to become a high-income country in the next 20 years. Despite having been successful in poverty eradication over the past decades, Thailand still faces with multidimensional inequality and equity problems, as wealth and resource distribution is still relatively highly concentrated, development opportunities are not widely covered, as well as inequalities in land ownership; access to information, knowledge, and capital; access to quality public services and the justice system between different population groups, especially in the agricultural sector and remote areas. These can further lead to other related problems, including indebtedness, labour migration to the industrial and service sectors, which can particularly be worsen when there are only a small number of major cities, resulting in changes in family structure, impacts on economic stability and national security in the long run. These problems can become more severe as the country’s population demographic is expected to become an aged society in the near future. 

Therefore, the development guidelines of the National Strategy on Social Cohesion and Equity focus on, firstly, creating equity and reducing inequality in both social and economic contexts, in order to ensure sustainable growth, from which everyone can partially share the benefits, secondly, having the agriculture sector and households as the target units of behavioural changes and restructuring, thirdly, ensuring even and partial economic development distribution to create more jobs and employment in other parts of the country in order to restore the social structure, promote economic development and strengthen resilience of an economy against shocks based on the Sufficiency Economy principle, fourthly, employing social empowerment, in the form of Pracharat, as one of the tools to drive the country’s development, which can lead to more sustainable inequality eradication, and fifthly, strengthening local communities’ ability and capacity in selfmanagement, and lastly, preparing the population to be ready, in terms of health, economic activity, social and surroundings in order to become quality, self-reliant citizens, who can contribute to their families, communities and society for as long as possible.  

2.     Development Goals

2.1     to create fairness and reduce inequality in all dimensions 

2.2    to distribute economic and social hubs and provide opportunities for every sector to take part in national development at all levels 

2.3    to enhance the capability of local communities in areas of development, self-reliance and self-management to build a quality society 

3.     Indicators

3.1          Differences in income and access to public services between population groups

3.2         Progress in human development  

3.3         Progress in developing provinces as centres of economic, social, and technological hubs 

3.4        Quality of life of the elderly 

4.     The Strategic Guidelines  

4.1 Mitigating inequality and creating multidimensional justice 

4.1.1 Adjusting local economic structures by ensuring that agriculturists have adequate capacities and skills required by the agricultural sector, resource base and context of local and regional communities, with key emphases on agriculturists’ self-management system and effective mechanisms for propelling local economy, in order to better enable agriculturists access to resources, research, technical knowledge, and innovations, and thereby, elevating themselves to become entrepreneurs throughout value chain; increasing market channels and trade connectivity via networks of allied groups and community enterprises; implementing policies and regulations designed to increase opportunities for agriculturists; developing economy and communities base on biological diversity and local wisdom; supporting production of processed products with uniqueness; and ensuring that the service sector’s management is connected to local communities’ resource bases in order to help agriculturists develop into owners of small- and medium-sized businesses in the agricultural sector.

4.1.2 Reforming tax systems and advocating for consumer protection by establishing measures designed to bring about social equity; developing technologies to increase equity in tax collection and enhance data system for the financial transactions of the general public and businesses sector; setting targets for tax and fee collections to be used in providing clear services; ensuring consumer protection, with key focuses on amendment of unfair laws; improving consumer protection systems and mechanisms, strengthening consumer’s organizations, preventing violation of consumer’s right and facilitate consumer’s access to justice system, supporting sustainable consumption and encouraging the local administration to concretely take part in protecting consumers. 

4.1.3 Distributing land ownership and resource access on an equitable basis by finding resolutions to disputes where forest areas overlap farmland; certifying communal land-use rights; setting up measures to promote the fair use of land with ownership and distribute land with plot sizes appropriate to the owner’s profession in order to create more fairness in ownership; adjusting land ownership documents system so that low-income earners and those without land can use these documents as supporting evidence to acquire loans from financial institutions; amending regulations related to the use of public land for various occupations in order to allow low-income earners fair access to public land for productive use and the opportunity to own permanent residences.  

4.1.4 Increasing productivity and promoting skilled, quality, and creative Thai labour forces operating in safe working environments by supporting attitude adjustment of employers to value their employees as a key asset that can add value to business; adjusting wage structures to truly reflect ability and experience of workers; supporting a savings system and mechanism as well as capital sources for its workers; improving workers’ protection and welfare mechanism to international-level standards; developing workers’ skills, technological ability, languages, and management skills in order to become entrepreneurs.  

4.1.5 Creating comprehensive social insurance schemes that are adequate for everyone regardless of gender and age to prepare for rapid changes brought about by an aged society and to build physical and social surroundings that are adequate for quality living and help encourage participating from all walks of life in national development, especially among the disadvantaged and elderly, by connecting personal welfare data and developing welfare service systems based on cooperation between the central government, local administrative entities, community organizations, business, and/or civil society, to effectively improve the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) system and control the expenses to ease the fiscal burden; promoting and motivating saving practices and long-term investments to improve economic self-reliant among people of all groups with tax measures and other incentives along with encouraging both formal and informal workers to enter the social security system.  

4.1.6 Conducting targeting social investment to provide assistance to poor and underprivileged people by designing special measures that can accurately identify groups of people who need special assistance and providing social and welfare protection specifically to target groups of low-income earners, the poor, and those facing repeated discrimination, with the key objectives being to break the cycle of poverty spanning multiple generations of parents, children and grandchildren and to provide assistance to the most troubled groups of people. 

4.1.7 Promoting equitable access to public health services and education, specifically for low-income and underprivileged people. In the case of public health services, key focuses will be on resource allocation and distribution, including medical personnel and nurses, to underserved districts and sub-districts to provide more comprehensive health care; underserved districts and sub-districts to provide more comprehensive health care; developing effective health security system to provide service coverage extended to low-income earners, without inequality in quality and being a healthcare system that cause unexpected financial constraints or exceed ability to pay of low-income earners; supporting and promoting participations from society in health promotion; developing quality healthcare facilities and ensuring adequate doctor-to-patient ratio in every area to comply with international standards; supporting the use of digital technologies for public health care service. In the case of education, key focuses will be on providing opportunities for the access of quality education based on equal standards, especially in remote and poor areas as well as among the target groups that require special attention and assistance; implementing effective measures designed to reduce inequality in education; supporting mechanisms that can bring about cooperation among involving parties in education development at the provincial level; employing technologies to improve learning and access to information, knowledge, and innovation for every group of people, including supporting, follow-up, and assessment systems to help ensure citizens’ rights to a quality education               

4.1.8 Developing equitable and inclusive access to due process of law by implementing measures to guarantee people’s equal access to justice system; developing standardised and adequate mechanisms to sufficiently assist low-income earners for court hearing; guaranteeing of both victims and accused the right to receive assistance and fair trials from the government equally; setting up clear timeframes and procedures in the justice process; enforcing laws strictly, based on fairness and equality;  having appropriate and practical measures for dealing with sexual harassment cases and managing cases relate to sensitive/vulnerable population groups; improving civil and administrative case trial procedures to increase people’s opportunity to access to the justice system; and improving the penalty system to increase effectiveness and transparency and developing a system to help former inmates adjust back to society.  

4.2 Expanding economic, social and technological hubs to other parts of the country.

4.2.1 Developing economic, social and technological hubs in all regions of the country by taking into account the population ratio of satellite provinces in order to have people’s quality of life developed comprehensively; distributing technological, communication and telecommunication infrastructure developments to all regions; designing  city and regional plans to effectively help manage infrastructures, public utilities, employment, water sources and land usage of provincial groups to be more self-reliant; strengthening primary provinces’ capability to effectively administrate and self-manage in order to improve decision-making processes, based on the difference of resources and demands of the local population; and promoting the development of secondary provinces alongside those of primary provinces.  

4.2.2 Designing economic and social development plans for provincial clusters by encouraging people to take part in setting out directions of their areas’ development; integrating development plans in each level from village, local community, district, provincial levels to provincial cluster level; distributing industrial areas throughout local communities in order to create employment; developing the service industries that can provide opportunities for entrepreneurship for local people and equal income distribution, with a key focus on “value” and “worth” economic creation based on the potential of each area’s resource bases, including natural resources, cultural capital, and social capital; and promoting cooperation between local people and entrepreneurs to find, adapt and improve usage if resources in a sustainable manner.  

4.2.3 Designing urban planning systems to promote safety and quality of life for society as well as accommodating an aging society and urban development trends by improving   national and local planning and zoning systems; developing technologies for city administration and public utilities management to create environmental friendly smart and safe cities for every population group; promoting the development of city’s potential and opportunities by encouraging participation and investment from the private sector, local communities, and civil society; encouraging local administrative organisations to take a leading role in maintaining the quality of the environment and people’s quality of life in their areas, together with eradicating inequality between different population groups residing in cities. 

4.2.4 Restructuring and amending public administration rules and regulations to set up required foundation for regional-level administrative systems and mechanisms to manage regional administration and provincial clusters as well as to promote the implementation of related development plans in regional and provincial levels; restructuring and amending related legislations in order to clearly define and establish relationships between central, regional, and local administrations to accommodate Thai people to participate in decision-making process and monitoring on the directions of development in their areas, in order to create good governance in government administration; amending related legislations to improve the local administration system; and establishing spaces to provide people from various sector, including private sector, civil sector and academic sector, the opportunity to participate in area developments.  

4.2.5 Promoting area development based on knowledge, technology, and innovations by developing more accurate and comprehensive regional database systems; disclosing important information that can accommodate the participation of the people and various sector in planning, decision-making and monitoring of the operations of government agencies; promoting technological development, the use of local wisdom and information technology expansion in local communities in order to help local people access to essential knowledge and information required for area development; increasing the roles of educational institutions and local wisdom in local area and community development. 

4.2.6 Developing skilled local manpower by ensuring manpower planning is consistent with provincial clusters’ social and economic plans; developing skills required by the labour market in each area, with the key focus on enhancing the skills of local entrepreneurs and enterprise groups, especially language, business management, value chain management, marketing, information accessibility, technology and innovation skills; and developing database integrating labour supply and demand data in each area.  

4.3 Promoting social empowerment

4.3.1 Building a strong, sharing, and ethical society and promoting consolidation of all sectors by encouraging integration between different sectors in order to enhance social power, especially formation of people from three generations - youth, working age population and elderly, to collectively help push the country forward, which can be done through creating public spaces as venues for consultation and addressing social problems that are open for participation from all related sectors at local community, district, and provincial levels; building change agents within each community; developing mechanisms designed to promote integration between related sectors; promoting activity organisation for children and youth in each province to enhance change agents’ capacity building process; promoting social enterprises, civil society groups, regional networks, and virtual community establishment on media networks as driving mechanisms for consolidation and collective activities beneficial to society.   

4.3.2 Preparing for a quality aging society by ensuring all dimensions are effectively prepared, including economic, social, health care, and environment, especially on saving and longterm investment before retirement of the people; developing systems and mechanisms to help people adjust and  make career changes in appropriation to their age in order to help extend working years, provide more opportunity for employment after retirement and increase financial security; incentivise the private sector or workplaces to help their employees prepare for retirement; promoting adequate employment of elderly in respect to their competency and age; promoting the creation of technologies and innovations designed for capacity strengthening and rehabilitation of elderly; encouraging the elderly to continuously participate in economic, social, and health activities; retaining the elderly’s roles in social development through adequate employment promotions and knowledge and wisdom transfer in order to create a society where nobody is left behind, enhancing the importance of the elderly.  

4.3.3 Promoting collaboration among public, private, and civil sectors as well as academe to support the operation of various sectors;  supporting the establishment of civil society organisations and community groups in the form of legal entities in order to organise creative activities that benefit the public, including adjustment of public sector budget spending and procurement regulations to support creative initiatives of various sectors.  

4.3.4 Promoting gender equality and women’s roles in social development by adjusting social attitudes toward gender and gender role; providing knowledge and acceptance of gender issues and gender equality; encouraging people of all genders to be responsible to their families and participating in social development; developing social welfare systems in workplaces which allow both men and women to take care of their families while enjoying a work-life balance; promoting the development of the younger generations on the foundation of quality family; enhancing economic opportunities for women; improving capability, knowledge, and leadership of women in order to increase their roles in politics and management at international, national and local levels. 

4.3.5 Promoting development based on social and cultural capital in the context of the increasingly diverse society in ethnics, religions, and cultural ways of life without any discrimination by promoting awareness of human rights; creating equality in rights and human dignity for ethnic groups; giving importance of accumulated knowledge and wisdom of ethnic groups; creating pride in local people of their roots; creatively creating understanding and common grounds among all differences; promoting educational institutions’ roles in improving various social and cultural values to become creative economic values designed to help boost up local economies; establishing good cooperation and relationships with neighbouring countries on the basis of shared cultural heritage.  

4.3.6 Promoting development of information technology and creative media to accommodate a digital society by developing data networks structure to allow people rapid access to accurate and up-to-date information; promoting freedom of the public media, along with measures to ensure the media’s accountability to society, including promotion of the roles of organisations that involve in educating people about their rights in order to protect media and technology users based on safety standards and applicable laws; developing creative media in terms of content, creation of awareness and immunity of media consumers.  

4.4 Empowering local communities’ capacity for development, self-reliance, and independent management.

4.4.1 Promoting household behavioural changes to have increased capacity in life, health, family, finance and work planning by providing related knowledge and information; improving household learning, including households in the agricultural sector and other occupations, in order to adjust systems thinking, future planning, saving and investment, health care and living condition of family members; improving financial skills and land use planning, residential planning and occupational production system; improving people’s capabilities in business management, administration, along with developing transformational leadership at community and local levels, which will enhance people’s learning abilities from within in order to develop rationale and self-reliant people based on the philosophy of Sufficiency Economy. 

4.4.2 Empowering local communities’ capacity for self-reliance and dependency 

by promoting congregation of local communities’ members in order to strengthen such communities; enabling local communities to be able to manage and participate in activities and decision making processes that have direct impacts on the communities; promoting the drafting of evidence and data based local community development plans that can accurately reflect local people’s needs, and connect such plans to sub-district, district, provincial, provincial group, regional development plans as well as budget allocation; promoting collaboration driving mechanisms aimed to encourage all sectors to take part in local community development towards the same goal and development direction in a balanced manner, with freedom, authority in decision-making processes and the use of effective monitoring system that aims for transparency and continuity; supporting indicator development and local community strength evaluation in order to track local community development progresses. 

4.4.3 Developing cooperation among related sectors to achieve community of democracy by supporting congregation of people and providing public spaces as venues for people to learn together and discuss public issues, thereby, being able assist the public sector in evidencebased and rational national development and having mutual agreement that can help monitor and evaluate the public sector’s operations, which in turn will help reduce disputes between the people and public sector; adjusting the role of the public sector to have a supporting role in helping communities to better self-manage, acting as a consultant who can effectively provide knowledge and skills required in community development and management. 

4.4.4 Equipping communities with wisdom and knowledge as immunity against changes by fostering community learning in order to have the capacity to effectively deal with global changes; developing technology and providing opportunities for local communities to access to data, information, and knowledge through comprehensive and equitable distribution of information and communication technology to accelerate community learning in entering the era of digital society; developing thinking processes required in business operation and risk management for sustainable competition; enhancing people’s capacity and skills in using technology and knowledge in creative manners in order to tackle problems, enhance communities’ selfmanagement ability, ensure social security for all population groups in communities to have equal life opportunity and gain access to lifelong learning for self-development regardless of their age or gender state. 

THE STRATEGY ON ECO-FRIENDLY DEVELOPMENT AND GROWTH 

1.     Introduction

Natural resources and environment are vitally essential for human life, growth and development. However, such elements are generally limitedly available, thus, it is crucially important to have the National Strategy on Eco-Friendly Development and Growth in order to ensure that the country can concretely achieve all development goals over the next 20 years. The key objectives of such National Strategy are to provide comprehensive guidelines to solve the problem of deteriorating and depleting natural resources and environment that the country has been facing, including foresting, degradation of soil quality, and threats to biodiversity, mismanagement of water resources that may result in water shortage risk in the future. Such natural resource and environment challenges have posed key concerns over the country’s ability to sustainably maintain and improve production and service bases, as well as competitiveness in the future.   

The ideology of the National Strategy on Eco-Friendly Development and Growth has been formulated based on the King’s Philosophy towards sustainable development by upholding three principles which are “Moderation, Reasonableness and Prudence”, together with seventeen goals of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), in order to achieve all development aspects, namely social, economic and environmental, as well as good governance, and domestic and international cooperative partnerships. Upon the National Strategy’s successful implementation, Thailand will become a developed country with the best quality of life and environment in ASEAN by 2037.  

Based on the aforementioned principles, the implementation of the National Strategy on EcoFriendly Development and Growth will be conducted on the conviction of mutual growth in economic, environmental and quality of life aspects, with the balance of such growths being the key emphasis. This will result in next generation’s sustainability which is in accordance with the Strategy’s ideology of growth, balance and sustainability  

2.     Development Goals  

2.1 to conserve and preserve natural resources and environment as well as culture for next generation’s sustainability 

2.2 to restore and reconstruct natural resources and the environment for mitigation of negative impacts that may arise from national economic and social development 

2.3 to ensure balanced utilisation and economic growth of grow the natural resource and environmental base by balancing development with ecosystem capacity 

2.4 to ensure the country’s paradigm shift for the determination the country’s natural resources and environment, as well as culture, based on good governance and public participation. 

3.     Indicators   

         3.1     Environmental-friendly green fields  

         3.2     Deteriorating environment and natural resources that have been restored 

         3.3     Environmental-friendly growth 

         3.4     Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and values of bioeconomy  

4.     The Strategic Guidelines 

4.1 Promoting green growth and sustainable development by ensuring impartial and environmental-friendly socio-economic development and growth, based on counterpoise of natural resources and quality of environment, through bioeconomy. This will lead to quality of life enhancement, social fairness improvement, environmental risks reduction, and environmental scarcity. The key purpose of this development guideline is to steer the country towards a society where people enjoy a higher quality of life, with less negative impacts on environment, through various measures such as environmentally friendly consumption and production, green fields and forests expansion, wildlife resources and biodiversity preservation, environmental quality improvement promotion, and ensure that people are socially responsible, generous and caring for the national interests.  

4.1.1 Increasing bioeconomy value in accordance to the National Strategy on Competitiveness Enhancement by fostering and creating an emerging bio-based economy as well as promoting high-quality conservative tourism.  

4.1.2 Conserving and rehabilitating biological diversity by reducing extinction rates of threatened species and native species, preserving natural habitats, especially for endangered wildlife animals and plants, and controlling alien species that may negatively impact the native ecology; preserving forests with high levels of biodiversity, endangered native and rare species of animals and plans; managing and diminishing threats that trigger disputes between wildlife animals, people and communities; developing database in a form of gene bank to store related useful data and information, especially local genes that are beneficial to the ecology and/or economy and local wisdom; promoting economic measures and other incentives designed to preserve and utilise the most benefits from biodiversity; developing mechanisms designed for sustainable utilisation of biodiversity at the local level as well as benefit-sharing system; ensuring effective legal framework development and law enforcement of related issues such as promoting the development and employment of the beneficiaries’ accountability concept, especially in idea of econological fee collection for biodiversity management and administration; conducting studies, surveys, and research on biodiversity, both inside and outside of protected areas, especially in the high biodiversity and critical areas, in order to develop and integrate a standardised database that is easily accessible for further uses and support of biodiversity conservation and restoration.          

4.1.3 Conserving and restoring rivers, canals, and other natural water sources by restoring rivers and canals as well as protecting river banks and check dams; planning for conservation and restoration of water sources based on ecological balance; supporting public participation on rivers, ditches, canals and natural water resource management; building treated waste water system and garbage collection, transport and elimination system from communities based on a municipal code of conduct; supporting convenient, safe, economical and efficient waterway networks; providing accurate knowledge and information to the general public, private sector and private organisations in order to create and raise true understanding and awareness of the importance of rivers, ditches and canals. 

4.1.4 Maintaining and expanding eco-friendly green areas by stopping deforestation with the adoption of effective monitoring technology in high risk areas; promoting spatial management and integrating collaboration between related agencies in monitoring and preventing forest encroachment; promoting the restoration of deteriorating ecological natural forests, legally designated forest reserves, watershed forests and buffer zones; promoting the expansion of green spaces in urban areas and communities; promoting the appropriate usage of watershed areas without negative impacts by establishing well-defined community rights in forests utilisation based on awareness of ecological sensitivity, limits and potential to rehabilitation, in order to enhance the sense of cherishment, leading to people’s increased participation in conservation and restoration of forests based on the concept of transforming beneficiaries of the forest into protectors of the forest; promoting economic reforestation and full-cycle reforested activities for industry; initiating mechanisms or systems for legally long-term academic based tree cutting methods for areas situated outside national forests and on privately owned lands, which can be used in complementarily with supporting research and development to trace the origins of forest products and preventing timber smuggling; developing and creating green areas for recreational and nature study purposes in urban and suburban areas in order to promote the sense of nature cherishment and awareness of the importance of the nature; addressing the problem of human habitation in the forest, with the key emphasis on sustainable coexistence between people and the forest, development of single standard map and provincial green area database, promotion of participatory community and family forest management and establishment of the public sector network of natural resource and environmental conservation included people of all ages.  

4.1.5 Promoting sustainable consumption and production by encouraging sustainably green production and consumption through (1) promotion of investments and behavioral changes in both the consumption and production sides, (2) encouragement individuals and organisations’ ways of thinking and living that take into consideration the effective and economic uses of resources, (3) creating and raising awareness of eco-friendly production and ecofriendly based consumptive behaviors, (4) implementing  economic mechanisms and social measures to persuade consumers and producers, (5) developing system and mechanism of surveillance, monitoring, inspection, and control of pollution in the manufacturing sector, and (6) implementing origin of raw materials identification system; encouraging zero-waste targets and total and sustainable waste management, including (1) promoting the growth of a national economy based on manufacturing processes that are friendly to the environment with efficient use of resources and minimal pollution emissions, (2) implementing sufficient point source waste and pollution emission control and  standardised pollution management, (3) related law enforcement; increasing energy usage efficiency through (1) developing research based alternative and renewable energy sources, (2) improving related raw materials and technologies, (3) enhancing production processes, usage and market mechanism, as well as (4) creating and raising awareness and knowledge regarding energy; establishing a green procurement system through (1) encouraging all government agencies to procure goods and services that are certified as friendly to environment and (2) promoting the private sector to use environmental friendly products; promoting sustainable consumption through (1) promoting and encouraging environmental-friendly consumption behaviours, (2) developing economic mechanisms to incentivise  reforestation and expansion of green areas on privately owned lands. 

 4.2 Promoting sustainable maritime based economic growth with the key emphases on propelling the country’s economic growth from diverse marine activities and management of marine and coastal resources under the authority of national entities to promote social fairness and inequality eradication, which can be done by sufficient and correct knowledge transfer, enhancing the value of the marine-based economy, improving and restoring marine and coastal resources, and increasing the proportion of environment-friendly maritime activities.  

4.2.1 Increasing value of a maritime bioeconomy by enhancing national competitiveness in every aspect of marine economic management to be widely accepted and recognised in Indochina and ASEAN; reducing unequal access to resources and ensuring even benefits distribution to increase income levels and quality of life of the general public; building and supporting a marine bioeconomy; encouraging ecological awareness among micro/picoentrepreneurs and community enterprises; developing human capital and modern technology employment to enhance national competitiveness based on the Sufficient Economy Principle; enhancing efficiency on greenhouse gas emissions management; preparing the country to be ready to deal with impacts on marine and coastal resources, marine-based economy and ability to adapt to related changes caused by climate change and global warming; implementing a standardized economic value assessment of the ecological system; applying practical economic and fiscal measures to account for resource usage or liabilities caused by damaging resources, together with eco-friendly exploitation promotion, effective coastal areas and sea management mechanisms, accurate maps of coastal and seaside areas, and area development programme based on public participation and geological conditions and resources compliance.  

4.2.2 Improving, rehabilitating, and developing the entire marine and coastal resource ecosystem by preserving tourism influencing coral reefs; sustaining greenhouse-gasabsorbing mangrove forests; preserving marine life influencing sea grasses; establishing different forms of effective marine protection zone, through participation from the private sector and communities in administration and management; developing protective mechanisms for marine animals vital to the ecosystem and tourism, for international standard conservation; developing effective control, monitoring and inspection systems to deal with environmental impacts, in accordance with sustainable economic development principle, with key focus on the value of ecology and marine life and public participation; developing effective inspection, alert, monitoring and assessment systems to reduce negative impacts on the ecosystem, rare marine life, the food chain and seafood quality; disseminating knowledge of the sea and its resources at every level, in every form; organising events and activities designed to raise awareness about the sea; developing accessible knowledge centres; conducting sea related research and developing a database and knowledge bank for further evidence based applications and uses. 

4.2.3 Rehabilitating tourist beaches, protecting and improving the entire coastal resource ecosystem, and setting out an integrated coastal management policy by integrating national coastlines management  to ensure conservation and effective problem-solving; imposing comprehensive coastal management policy and a master plan that details management methods for important areas nationwide; and addressing erosion problems with proper protection and problem-solving approaches in problematic area and preventing in areas that have not yet experienced such problems. 

4.2.4 Developing and increasing eco-friendly marine activities by promoting marine tourism that takes into account the capacity of ecology in each area; reducing inequality and taking care of the benefits to local people; safeguarding marine tourists; developing total port system to be environmentally friendly; developing new forms of marine tourism; promoting the country as a regional cruise ship hub; constructing artificial underwater to accommodate a growing number of tourists, promoting  the country as a regional maritime hub; improving coastal shipping routes to ensure sustainable growth; promoting fishery resource assessments to guide sustainable management planning in specific areas that ensures a balanced availability of resources; controlling and banning harmful fishing equipment and stepping up actions against illegal domestic and foreign ships in national waters; accelerating aquaculture development, based on expected commercial uses of marine areas; supporting research to expand knowledge and innovation, to support a fullcycle fishery and maintain the country’s leading status as a processor and exporter of high-value marine products on an environmentally sustainable basis. 

4.3 Promoting sustainable climate-friendly based society growth with the key emphases on the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and promotion of a low-carbon society; improving disaster management systems and strengthening people’s capacity to cope with disasters will mitigate damages and losses from natural disasters and negative impacts arising from climate change; supporting investments in environmentally responsible infrastructure projects.  

4.3.1 Mitigating greenhouse gas emissions by developing effective urban planning

and management guidelines to create low-carbon cities and green areas; supporting agricultural management to gain benefit from greenhouse gas reductions; accelerating he restoration of deteriorated forests; and expanding forest areas to function as carbon storage areas.  

4.3.2 Adapting to prevent and reduce losses and damages caused by natural 

disasters and impacts of climate change by developing a database system, weather forecasts and warning systems to be more timely and accurate; increasing the effectiveness of protective measures, based on each socio-geography, in structural and non-structural terms, in order to prepare for disaster resulted from climate change; improving the overall disaster management system, taking into account the prospect of long-term changes caused by climate change; and enhancing people’s capacity to cope with and adjust to any harmful impact caused by climate change.   

4.3.3 Focusing on investment in public and private sectors’ climate-friendly 

infrastructure development by integrating national policies and development plans in every field, especially infrastructure development; promoting low-carbon products and services to systematically reinforce national competitiveness; developing economic measure to incentivise investments that cope with climate change; encouraging businesses to plan for climate change; and improving relevant laws to drive climate change management. 

4.3.4 Developing preparedness and response systems for emerging and re-

emerging infectious diseases caused by climate change by developing quality and efficient structure of public health management as well as monitoring and alert networks to be able to cover at-risk population groups sensitive to climate change impacts; and thoroughly developing environmental public health and preventive medicine systems.  

4.4 Developing urban, rural, agricultural, and industrial areas with a key focus on a sustainable growth by imposing regulations on land use permission according to its suitable potential and surrounding environment through the key emphasis on developing “liveable cities, secure countryside, sustainable farming, and eco-industry” and initiating the make of the ecological landscape planning in cities, rural areas, agricultural, industrial sites, and conservative areas and ecological suitability; developing model sites in each province based on sustainable landscapes; lessening pollution and environmental impacts; promoting smart farming; and preserving and conserving natural resources and the environment, geo-parks, archaeological sites, architectural heritage, arts and culture, identity, and norms.  

4.4.1 Establishing ecological landscape plans to promote urban, rural, agricultural, 

industrial, and conservation area development on an integrated basis in harmony with area capacity and suitability by establishing and developing a system for connectivity, management; employing of big data technology in national ecological landscape plan planning and analysing process; supporting management based on ecological landscape potential; creating ecological landscape plans for individual areas complied with standard regulations of infrastructure development, environmental management and buffer zone creation; formulating city and rural maps in compliance with accepted standards, detailing land use, transport, and public utilities; and devising maps of agricultural and other economic sites to support the development of Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) and organic agriculture; creating standardised industrial site maps with criteria and indicator of eco-industrial cities; and developing maps of natural resource conservation areas, archaeological sites and sites related architectural heritage, arts and cultural heritages, identity and norms. 

4.4.2 Developing urban, rural as well as agricultural and industrial areas in line with the ecological landscape plans by developing pleasant and sustainable cities, secure rural areas, safe agriculture (GAP), eco-industry, natural resource conservation areas, archaeological parks and sites, ASEAN and world heritage sites, architectural, arts and cultural heritage sites.  

4.4.3 Eliminating pollution and damaging agricultural chemicals in line with international standard by improving national environmental standards in compliance with international standards; enforcing environmental standards on soil, water, air, forests, wildlife and biodiversity, with equal treatment of all parties involved; standardising emerging pollution management in conjunction with pollution elimination, and environmental restoration of soil, water, air, forests, wildlife, and biodiversity in areas affected by national development projects; developing and utilizing innovation and technology to reduce pollution and environmental impact and set target from start-to-finish with the 3R goal — Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle as well as supervision system to  track waste and pollution management nationwide in systematic manner.  

4.4.4 Sustainably conserving, rehabilitating, and developing natural resources, architectural heritage, art and culture, as well as local identity and lifestyles by assigning the public sector to play a central role in providing knowledge, coordinating and integrating the activities of all stakeholders to increase and preserve green areas; restoring ecosystem and biodiversity; amending relevant laws and enforcement of balanced use of forests by local communities; developing and supporting carbon-credit trading and returns on ecological services; carrying out the preservation, conservation, and restoration of archaeological sites, architectural and arts and cultural heritage sites, identity and norms on a sustainable basis; and putting in place measures to provide compensation where appropriate, or using incentives to ensure plans are implemented. 

4.4.5 Developing networks of urban and community development institutions and volunteers through a mechanism of local sectors’ involvement and participation by encouraging and developing urban and community development institutions of all key parties according to local contexts; connecting activities at all levels and improving the potential of institutions to acquire international-level skills in order to be equipped with capacity needed for urban, community and network development; developing cooperatives, community enterprises, or local business organisations in order to promote economic mechanism designed for international standard products development, integrated community businesses, and markets operated for and by farmers; and promoting relationship strengthening activities and income generating activities in communities. 

4.4.6 Strengthening public health and environmental health systems as well as enhancing capacity needed to address preventive and controlling measures of emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases by conducting research to build a body of knowledge on health care and disease prevention in every population group, particularly vulnerable groups; enhancing the capacity for monitoring, analysing and assessing trends in emerging and re-emerging diseases; and preparing readiness of all parties in the healthcare network to be equipped with capacity needed to be able to effectively deal with any emergencies caused by outbreaks of disease.  

4.5 Creating eco-friendly water, energy, and agricultural security bydeveloping integrated system of water management to ensure security; increasing productivity of water use and management in every sector; preventing management system to prevent water-related disasters; developing energy security which is eco-friendly; promoting the use of renewable and alternative energy in accordance with suitable development for higher efficiency; enhancing energy potential and use of renewable and alternative energy in particular area based on benefit maximisation; and developing agricultural security on an environmentally friendly basis - leading to higher productivity and a more secure food production base.  

4.5.1 Developing the entire river basin management system to ensure national water security by providing clean water for all households in rural communities based on accessible quantity, quality and prices; promoting community water management system; encouraging restoration and conservation of upstream and watershed areas, reservoirs, natural water resources, groundwater, and coastal drainage systems to be adequate quantities and quality water for various purposes; developing plans to protect, restore, and preserve resources in line with upstream area protection plan, preventive landslides plan, conservative, restored and  maintained natural water resources in designated and prioritized areas plan; developing a comprehensive system of river basin water management to ensure international-level security with water provision and balanced, advanced, timely and just water usage; utilising structural, regulatory and manageable manners to provide and use water with balance. Additionally, the plan also includes promoting fair system and mechanism on water allocation, lifting productivity of water usage into international standard, preparing people, society, information technology and communication; developing management tools and balancing, cultivating people of disciplined water usage and conservation, according to common values; exchanging water management experience and information with various countries; implementing mutual use of water from international rivers, with the key focus on integrated projects that are linked other aspects at the international level; and implementing a system of crisis water management enabling reduction of loss and risks resulted from water in line with accepted academic principles - the system will be able to ensure control and capability, with allocations based on the characteristics of each area, and capable of enabling rehabilitation within a short period of time. 

4.5.2 Enhancing productivity of an entire water system to promote water-use efficiency and generate value added for water consumption adequate with international standard by providing sufficient water to meet household, commercial, and service needs in cities, urban water management system, water map system, clean water distribution system, waste water collection system and draining system for service sector in urban and community in terms of quality and quantity – meeting cities’ needs; developing integrated urban water system, designating reservoirs, and reusing water in critical areas; ensuring sufficient supplies for agricultural, industrial, and tourism developments; installing water control systems for modern agro-industrial estates, irrigation and rainwater agriculture areas, special economic zones, tourist sites, agro-energy, and environmental friendly value-added agriculture areas through reviewing water system based on changing agricultural and industrial structures, with the key focus on improving structure of water usage, allocating adequate amounts to individual sectors, increasing water productivity by promoting efficient water uses and reuse, enhancing water delivery and use across all sector, increasing water container in local reservoirs, creating a water-use permission based on criteria and priority in order to promote value added production and service sectors and accommodate economic and social growth in the future. 

 4.5.3 Creating national energy security and promoting eco-friendly energy usage

by increasing the proportion of renewable and alternative energy used, instead of fossil-fuel sources in power generation; developing electricity management on both the demand and supply sides for higher efficiency and flexibility to accommodate increased use of renewable and alternative energy in order to securely and stably accommodate the increased use of renewable and alternative; supporting more efficient energy use in the industrial sector, while promoting connectivity between agro-industrial, business, and household sector; supporting research and development, and upgrading energy storage and smart grid technology in order to enable a higher proportion of power from renewable and alternative energy, along with decentralised centres of power generation while supporting marketing tools and/or economic measures to increase energy management efficiency that is friendly to environment. 

4.5.4 Enhancing energy efficiency through energy intensity reduction bysupporting energy conservation and efficient use of energy to reduce the national cost of energy through financial and non-financial tools and legal measures; encouraging energy-saving building design; promoting financial incentives and enforcement of building and design regulations; mounting campaigns and knowledge sharing to educate the public about energy-saving; encouraging use of energy-saving equipment and machinery – displaying green labels on energy-saving vehicles and equipment; supporting environmentally friendly logistics and transportation. 

4.5.5 Developing agricultural and food security in terms of quantity, quality, pricing, and access at both national and community levels by integrating agricultural management and increasing of agricultural productivity in order to achieve food security in the country and high-value agricultural products; expanding integrated farming areas; designating agricultural zoning, providing a traceability system to reduce forest encroachment and deforestation; developing next generation of farmers; increasing employment in the agricultural sector to serve bio-economy; improving farmers to increase their per capita income; and promoting a sense of pride in farming. 

4.6 Improving paradigm for determining the country’s future by promoting a sense of environmental stewardship among Thai people; developing effective tools and mechanisms to manage natural resources and the environment for quality future growth; establishing and improving justice process related to natural resource and environmental management; promoting environmental democracy as a way to solve problems and reduce disputes; and implementing projects of developing the paradigms to guide the future country.  

4.6.1 Promoting desirable environmental friendly characteristics and behaviours among Thai people that positively contribute to environment and quality of life of Thai people by developing different tools and mechanism designed to alter the behaviour of people and businesses to adopt eco-friendly behaviours that accommodate quality growth in the future; creating knowledge, understanding, awareness and participation on natural resources and environment in line with national and international changes via different channels and on a systematic basis.  

4.6.2 Developing tools, justice mechanisms and systems, environmental democracy on efficient natural resources and environment management to accommodate future growth by developing and improving environmental assessment at a strategic level to become a strong protective mechanism against negative environmental and socio-economic impacts in key areas; applying digital innovation to put sustainable growth plans and policies into practice; developing environmental democracy by encouraging people’s participation in conservation, protection, and management of natural resources, by providing more access to information about environmental protection, and by encouraging creative participation in projects with a positive impact on the environment, health, and socio-economic well-being through decentralization and reinforcement of community, civil society, and local administrative organizations that deal with natural resources and environment protection; developing, enacting and enforcing related environmental laws; modernising entities in the judicial system dealing with natural resources and the environment in order to equip them with expertise and capability according to the rule of law and environmental democratic principles that can potentially reduce and eliminate inequality, while comprehensively seeking solutions to protecting natural resources and the environment both existing and new issues, leading to sustainable management, which is capable of remedying and rehabilitating not only communities, but damaged natural resources and the environment, appropriately and fairly; developing cross-border cooperation on resources and environment management with ASEAN member countries and other regions to restore and expand green areas, as well as promote biodiversity; improving broad-based participation in pre-decision making process for megaprojects that impact cross-border environments; providing timely regional disaster management coordination; promoting cooperation between regional judicial entities to create an international-standard justice system for adjudication of disputes over natural resources and the environment. 

4.6.3 Establishing institutional structures to manage significant issues concerning natural resources and environmental management - including cross-border natural resources and environmental management issue by identifying and arranging structure of steering common and significant issue on resources and environmental management based on based on advanced mechanisms, with responsible entities assigned to support research, development, and innovation. 

4.6.4 Initiating projects that can improve a development paradigm in order to determine the country’s future in terms of natural resource, environmental, and cultural sustainability based on public participation and good governance by developing critical projects that able to determine national future in modernity; and  improving paradigms of holistic planning to expeditiously achieve national long-term development goals. 

THE NATIONAL STRATEGY ON PUBLIC SECTOR REBALANCING AND DEVELOPMENT

1.     Introduction

The public sector is a pivotal mechanism that drives national development in compliance with guidelines, policies and development directions stipulated by the government. For Thailand to achieve its stated long-term targets, it is necessary that the Public Administration is capable of driving development strategy in an integrated and continual manner. The system must be efficient and effective. Previously, the public sector is inefficient and struggles with administrative, structural, and corruption problems, as well as the patronage system. It is therefore essential to designate the National Strategy on Public Sector Rebalancing and Development to solve problems systematically, and to better support the direction of national development in all dimensions. The strategy proposed is aimed at responding to people’s needs conveniently, responsively and transparently by establishing government agencies in accordance to its missions and structures, and aimed to promote the results based and public interests oriented working culture. Additionally, opportunities for every sector is necessary for development partners to provide public services and interests, and to inspect the work of government agencies and other sectors by ensuring effective and appropriate operations to prevent and suppress corruption in the society. 

The National Strategy on Public Sector Rebalancing and Development emphasises on adjustments in the public sector, upholding the concept of “a public sector of the people, for the people and the public interest”. Thus, the public sector will need to be at an adequate size that in compliance with its missions and roles, with the distinction between regulatory and service agencies; bringing high competence under good governance principles. Under the high-competitive economy circumstance, the public sector will also ready to adjust to result based working culture to deliver public services, and responsively changes according to the rapid global changes by adopting worthwhile innovations, and making optimum use of data and digital working systems. In addition to be capable of functioning at the international standard, the administration must be openly integrated by every sector to take part in responding to people’s needs conveniently, responsively, and transparently. In this regard, every party in society must make an effort to uphold the values of honesty and frugality, while fostering a sense of accountability by encouraging officials to decisively anti-corrupt. Importantly, laws and regulations regulating by public sector must be explicit, precise, up-to-date, universal and efficient, and lead to elimination of inequality while helping national development. The justice process requires an effective, just and non-discriminatory management system, facilitating justice based on the rule of law. Above all, the human resource management of the public sector will be able to attract decent and skilled people to join in with determination and inspiration to overhaul the country as it strives to meet the National Strategy Goals.  

2.     Development Goals

2.1 A public sector shift to result based working culture and public interests, and conveniently, responsively and transparently responds to people’s needs 

2.2. A more adaptable and smaller public sector 

         2.3     Transparent and corruption-free public sector 

         2.4     The justice process that serves national and public interests 

3.     Indicators

         3.1     People’s satisfaction level with public services 

         3.2     Efficiency of government services 

         3.3     Levels of transparency, corruption, and misconduct  

         3.4     Equality in the justice process 

4.     The Strategic Guidelines

4.1 Having a people centric public sector that effectively delivers responsive, fast, and convenient services with transparency - Public agencies work in cooperation with and support each other to effectively conduct their operations in systematic and advanced management systems by having the transparent administration to ensure compliance with administrative requirements, be they from the central, regional, or local government or other related entities, while ensuring good governance and public satisfaction.  

4.1.1. Providing international standard public services as a leader of the region by accommodating work procedures to establish one stop service centres in variety of forms to deliver the services according to people’s needs. In addition to improve cooperation and implementation with other parties, government agencies need to integratedly improve operational mechanisms which will enable individual agencies to lend support to others’ missions as needed. In particular, it is to clarify roles and improve the mechanisms of the agencies so that they function as supporters and facilitators for entrepreneurship. Most importantly, laws and regulations enhance and not impede the management of business in the private sector in accordance with the long-term direction of national development. 

4.1.2 Having a well-connected and integrated public sector that can provide public services through digital technologies by establishing data management systems which link government agencies and their sources of data; leading to a better data analysis in support of policy and service development. Furthermore, digital technologies need to be adapted to public service tasks, from the beginning to end-stage service recipients. These make it easier for citizens to contact and communicate with government agencies conveniently, responsively, economically, and transparently. 

4.2 Having integratedly managed public sector that adhere to the National Strategy as an end goal and can effectively support and promote developments at all levels, issues, missions, and areas. Implementations in all levels of the public administration uphold the National Strategy as an integrated key; leading to budget allocations that correspond to the strategy at all levels, taking into account overlapping targets in terms of service provision, missions and areas by applying data analysis, with systems to monitor and assess performances, from the strategic, to mission and area levels; directing to development agendas and policy planning, as well as effective and systematic monitoring and assessment. 

4.2.1 Endorsing the National Strategy as the country’s key mechanism to national development by implementing the Master Plans under the National Strategy, the Country Reform Plans, the National Economic and Social Development Plan, and the National Security Policy and Plan into the process of implementation levels through action plans in a manner that integratedly links every government agency. The development chain will be coordinated, from the central to regional and local administrations under developing tools or mechanism to enhance integrated development partnerships, including public, private and academic sectors, civil society, people’s networks and other sectors, to continuously achieve the set Goals. 

4.2.2 Having national monetary and financial systems designed to effectively support the implementation of the National Strategy. Government agencies with responsibility to perform fiscal policy, planning, and disbursement pursue their missions to achieve stated as the National Strategy Goals by aligning the central budget system with proposed in the National Strategy for driving strategic, mission-based, and area-based plans to maintain fiscal discipline under the concept of fiscal sustainability, with an advanced fiscal system for both medium and long terms. Adjust the budget system for a better function with more flexibility, in changing according to conditions or emergencies and conduct budget spending transparently to meet set goals within designated timeframes. Enacting plans are made to increase national income, in conjunction with budget planning to ensure balancing fiscal and monetary policies, increasing the effectiveness of government revenue collection, and improving the national tax system.  

4.2.3 Designing a national monitoring and evaluation systems designed to effectively evaluate the National Strategy’s achievements at all levels byhaving systematically conduct monitoring and assessment of the whole work procedures from before, during, to after the operation of any projects that covers inputs to implementations, outputs, outcomes, and any impacts on the achievement of set Goals in the National Strategy, and all aspects of development, from national level and agenda to local and agencies levels. It is also essential to publicly provide regular monitoring and assessment of the National Strategy reports for the people. In addition, assessments by the independent agencies must be conducted for the purpose of enhancing the implementation of the National Strategy. 

4.3 Downsizing of the public sector in accordance to missions and tasks and promoting public in national development - The relationships between central, regional, and local government administrations must be clearly stipulated to avoid overlaps. Some key missions will appropriately be transferred and decentralised to related other sectors in order to empower local communities.  

4.3.1 Adjusting government agencies to have appropriate sizes suitable for missions and tasks by identifying overlapped missions and tasks between the government agencies and related agencies, and adjusting missions and tasks in order to enhance integrated implementation of the National Strategy. While the unnecessary missions and tasks will be cancelled, some missions will be assigned to other sectors. The missions and tasks of the regulatory and services agencies will be separated to efficient the implementations and performances under fair competitive circumstance; leading to the alignment of government agencies structures that reflected its missions and tasks, resulting in economies of scale, efficiency, effectiveness, and good governance.  

4.3.2 Inclusively involving all sectors in national development - Opportunities are 

available for every sector to appropriately participate to deliver public services; specifying the relationships and roles between any development partners and the central, regional, and local government agencies to ensure non-overlapping roles including encourage local communities and/ or the private sector to participate in public services delivery.  

4.3.3 Promoting decentralisation and supporting local administration organisations to become government agencies operating with high competency and good governance for public services delivery with strategic roles at the local level. Decentralisation will facilitate a greater variety of public services, together with tax and income-raising systems, to be undertaken in a manner appropriate to each local area; raising funds for stage activities that solve problems and drive development in cooperation with local communities. Such activities must take into account national and public interests, as well as the needs of people of every age, regardless of gender, and from every ethnic and socio-economic group in the area.  

4.4 Modernising Public Sector - The public sector must responsively develop according to any changes and disruptions to be a high competency sector that conducting its operations efficiently as the international standard with economies of scale and ability to adjust in accord with more various and complex circumstances in the future.  

4.4.1 Ensuring that public sector can adequately operate with flexibility in accord with the nation’s development contexts. Public administration will be restructured to improve flexibility and smoothed the transition to a modern administration; leading to an organization of high competency, and international standard operations by cancelling and restructuring organization structures without holding bureaucratic structures, and amending rules and regulations for future changes.   

4.4.2 Developing and adjusting procedures and practices of all government agencies by formulating result based public policies and management strategies based on data and empirical evidences, while taking into account transparency, flexibility, and agility. The management and decision-making procedures will be improved by adopting technologies, data analytics, innovations, and digital-based working systems also by applying multidisciplinary; leading to values and excellence operational guidelines with responsiveness to situations in a timely manner. Knowledge will be managed and transferred on a systematic basis in order to develop a learning organization.  

4.5  Ensuring that government employees and staffs exhibit morality, ethics, virtues, dedication and professionalism to implement the National Strategy and related missions with a proportionate workforce in quantity and quality and having an administrative system and human resource development system with the abilities to build government employees to perform as required. Opportunities for career advancement will attract decent and capable people to the public sector with a system that equips new competencies of personnel in the public sector to respond to changes in the development context. Encouraging morality and ethical behaviours as promoted a paradigm shift to greater professionalism with excellence service-minded and  proactive mindset. They also must be able to integrate their work with that of other sectors in concrete ways.  

4.5.1 Having flexible and ethical human resource management within the public sector - Human resource management of government agencies will be improved by enhancing flexibilities at all levels, in line with standards of performance based on a moral system. Improvements will be made in workforce planning, patterns of employment, recruitment, selection and appointment, to create swift and agile rotations of capable personnel at different management levels in the public sector. Compensation will be reviewed and adjusted to be more fair, standardized, and correspond to the tasks required for the job.  

4.5.2 Having all personnel employed in the public sector to adhere to the value of being the ethical government of the people and ensuring that all the personnel have clear career path development - The capability of public sector personnel will be developed, with appropriate measures that allow them to progress along their career path as an incentive to continue developing their expertise with new competencies. Professional values and people centric working culture will be nurtured to stress working for the people and the public interests. Government employees also are capable of conducting integrated operations with other sectors  in concrete ways. Leadership development is taken as a priority at all levels - high efficiency, accountability, and professionalism that armed with knowledge and ideas. These leaders are capable of carrying out missions, leading changes and driving development, as well as policy and strategic planning. Ultimately, they are the strategic role models for their peers and subordinates, and for society at large. Building strategically minded leaders at every level of government, on a continuous basis, will support the execution of the National Strategy in the long run.  

4.6 Ensuring that the public sector operates with transparency with no corruption and malfeasance - While every sector takes part in anti-corruption activities, those at every level in the public sector must comply with good governance principles and the Sufficiency Economy Philosophy. Free of conflict of interests culture, in particular, is necessary to instilling a sense of awareness and shame regarding corruption and misconduct of any kind. At the same time, civil society, people’s groups, and individual citizens are encouraged to participate in monitoring the activities of public servants and alerting authorities to any suspicions.  

4.6.1 Involving all parties to participate in corruption and malfeasance prevention of the public sector - The public sector must encourage, support, and educate people about the pernicious impact of corruption and misconduct in both the public and private sectors. Effective measures are implemented to not only prevent, but strictly eliminate corruption and misconduct. Public participation will be encouraged and empowered, specifically through access to information; education campaigns and anti-corruption campaigns will encourage people to come forward with information about wrongdoing, in return for legal protection as stipulated by the law with an efficient system to accommodate complaints about corruption and misconduct will be created.  

4.6.2 Having all personnel of the public sector to uphold morality, ethics, and honesty as foundation in their day-to-day jobs - Government employees are compelled to follow a code of ethics and the Sufficiency Economy Philosophy while avoiding any potential conflicts of interests; the employees including spouses, and minor children, apply to those who serve in political positions, constitutional court judges, those who hold positions in independent organizations, the Auditor General and those in high-ranking positions according by the laws, have to publicly declare personnel properties and debts. 

4.6.3 Ensuring that the entire process of corruption suppression is effective, strict, fair - Government officers accused of corruption and misconduct at all levels will be treated straightforwardly, fairly, and transparently, whereas the justice process regarding the corruption is free from interference by politicians and influential figures with measures to protect witness; all guilty parties are seriously and rapidly punished.  

4.6.4 Having an integrated corruption prevention and suppression management - Mechanisms for relevant authorities to liaise on corruption prevention and suppression at the policy, strategic, and implementation levels are needed while the efficacy of corruption prevention and suppression can be reinforced with implementation improvements and organizational restructuring, with result oriented management system.  

4.7 Ensuring that the country has laws only to the extent of necessity and in accordance with existing national contexts. Laws, rules, regulations, and requirements are up-todate, universal, and effective as necessary; supporting the development of national competitiveness, eliminate problems that cause inequality, and facilitate the execution of National Strategy.  

4.7.1 Repealing or revising laws that are no longer necessary or unsuitable to existing circumstances by adjusting the public sector’s role to be a facilitator and regulator, ensuring fairness in business competition: in general, and in specific private businesses. To better correspond to changes in production and packaging, and efficiently facilitate business management, laws and regulations are amended accordingly including consumer protection. Laws and regulations will be reviewed and modified so that they are more explicit, fair, and up-to-date; supporting the public administration, national development, public services, business management, and international competitiveness. Any laws and regulations that no longer met those needs shall be abolished, and those related to international competition must comply with international obligations and agreements. Additionally, the public sector promotes acknowledgement and understanding of laws while effectively enforcing them on an equitable basis.  

4.7.2 Having laws only to the extent of necessity - Laws will be written to address problems precisely, with prudent and concise provisions, and to comply with any international obligations or agreements for the benefits to the people and the national interests that distributed fairly; managing law enforcement for impacts on property and rights of occupation. It is necessary that laws are tools to implement the National Strategy. Designated reviews and amendment cycles will ensure legal provisions remain up-to-date. Public hearings are indispensable and should be held before issuing any laws. In addition to listening to stakeholders’ opinions, hearings can help with the systematic analysis of a law’s potential impacts. The results and analysis of public hearings will be made available to both the public and legislators; stimulating acknowledgement and understanding of laws and their provisions. At the end of e very review cycle, assess outcomes for further development in accordance with changing conditions.  

4.7.3 Laws must be enforced effectively and equally.  The public sector ensures strict and effective law enforcement to decrease social inequality and discrimination. Advanced technology will be applied to strengthen the effectiveness of crime prevention and aid in the rapid arrest of suspects.  

4.8 Ensuring that the country’s justice process respects human rights and treats all people equitably. The justice process must maintain its neutrality, transparency, and verifiability, in addition to being effectively managed. Its personnel must have moral courage, and be professional, fair and impartial. People must have easy access to the justice system. The standard and efficiency of the justice process should be improved to international levels and comply with the rule of law by conducting with transparency to reduce inequality; opportunities for increased public access to the justice process also must be created upholding the balancing of individual rights, freedoms and the public interests. Equally important is to effective and equitable justice process by cooperation between the agencies that work in an integrated and supportive manner.  

4.8.1 Having judicial personnel and agencies those respect and uphold democratic principles and human dignity. The organizational culture and attitudes of government employees in the justice system must lean towards respect and upholding democracy, human dignity, and the right of all people to equal treatment; leading to a culture of transparency and neutrality without any interference or hidden agendas. The justice process’s human resource management is transparent, and objectively based on continual development of its personnel.  

4.8.2 Ensuring that all judicial agencies have proactive roles in all stages of fact finding. Evidence collection and forensic procedures complies with international standards, taking advantage of the latest advancements in forensic science and other related disciplines. Forensic science services must be made available to help people determine the facts of a case to facilitate the justice process effectively, impartially, and transparently, allowing people to quickly and easily access to the system. Standards of transparency shall be set for the exercise of authority, in terms of people, appointments, and transfers. In addition, the standards of official misconduct investigations are upgraded to be more trustworthy and effective.  

4.8.3 Ensuring that all judicial administration agencies: civil, criminal and administrative have mutual goals and strategies. In order to increase the effectiveness of law enforcement and justice process with medium and long-term targets and strategies that are empirical evidence based in a spirit of mutual trust. More effective tools for quality and performance assessments will be created, based on a judicial administration agency’s ability to deliver beneficial outcomes for society. At the same time, information technology systems for the justice process need to be developed for improved public access. Importantly, it must be convenient, fast, and affordable.  

4.8.4 Promoting alternative justice systems, community justice systems, and participatory judicial administration by supporting different patterns of alternative judicial approaches including mediation before the justice process. People will be supported to access the fairness in variety of justice process participations and will be educated regarding legal system and justice process. Mechanisms to protect the rights and freedoms of people whose lives are affected by, and/or conflicts between the public and private sectors with local communities the justice system will be implemented. Furthermore, the efficiency of investigation and surveillance systems will be improved.  

4.8.5 Developing alternative punishment measures to replace criminal penalties 

by reducing unnecessary criminal penalties, balancing between mandatory penalties by court judgement and providing opportunities for convicts to return to society and to inclusively involve every sector in the penalty process as well as develop a parole system in local communities. The government must apply criminal laws by strictly upholding interpretive rules. Prosecutors and law enforcement shall refrain from widening the blame when investigating actual acts that are inadmissible as evidence.