Economic Sufficiency TAT Advisor Mr. Pradech Phayakvichien ABSTRACT We are living in an era of globalization, an information age in which nearly every passing moment sees the emergence of a new invention, technological or otherwise. Everything appears to be integrated and connected, dominated by the rapid pace of change and speed at which information and news is disseminated. Thailand is a developing country that will soon be affected by globalization, open markets and free trade. However, we need to be very clear about where we are heading. Do we simply want to compete blindly with other countries or should we first assess the status of our country and our indigenous knowledge and way of life? His Majesty King Bhumibhol Adulyadej has for over 25 years appealed to his subjects to live their lives on a simple philosophy of ‘economic sufficiency’. This philosophy appeals to Thais to review the past, learn from nature and use that knowledge to develop and manage the country’s economic development on the basis of good balance and moderation. In 1997, Thailand became the first country to be affected by the 1997 economic crisis. We were so involved in propelling ourselves towards open markets and making ourselves more competitive, that we failed to see that we were becoming completely dependent on the knowledge and technology of the more developed countries. We believed that since they have reached a higher level of economic development, Thailand has no choice but to follow. Today, His Majesty has established six foundations in different parts of the country to focus more on the concept of self-sufficiency economy and create systems that uplift local knowledge, environment, way of life and culture and traditions. Similar to educational institutions, these foundations are helping to bring together different streams of local wisdom in order to create alternative development paths that may well prove to be more sustainable and holistic than those espoused by the prevailing financial and economic ‘wisdom’ of today.
สงวนสิทธิ์ หามทําซ้ําทั้งหมดหรือบางสวน ไมวาในรูปแบบหรือสิ่งใด โดยไมไดรับอนุญาตจากการทองเที่ยวแหงประเทศไทย