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ECONOMY
CHATRUDEE THEPARAT
Thailand must brace for a possible crisis over the next 20 years from an increase in world population, climate change and food and energy shortages, warns Privy Councillor Kasem Wattanachai.
Speaking at the Thailand Vision 2027 seminar held yesterday by the National Economic and Social Development Board, Mr Kasem said the world population was expected to increase to six billion by 2030, nine billion in 2050 and 10 billion in 2060 with rapid growth in the developing world.
He suggested that authorities revise the population policy because the proportion of Thailand's poor is anticipated to surge over that period.
He warned that food shortages could become worse because of an increase in world population along with a shift of land use from food production to bio-energy. ''Thailand, as the world's agricultural production base, is well positioned to supply food to the world in the future, but what we need is technology development in the sector, effective rain management, research and development and logistic improvement in the sector,'' said Mr Kasem.
He also suggested that the government focus more on social restructuring to ensure more transparency, democracy and justice.
According to the NESDB study, corruption in Thailand over the next 20 years would appear in different and more complicated forms, mainly driven by the information technology development.
Finance Minister Surapong Suebwonglee said technology would change quickly because new energy would shift to be based on hydrogen, nano-energy and nuclear fusion. Economic development also encourages innovation, he added.
''Knowledge will become a significant factor to help Thai people catch up with global change, thus the government needs to create and invest more in educational systems that could lead Thailand to become a more knowledge- and morality-based society,'' he said.
Pramon Suthivong, the president of the Thai Chamber of Commerce, said the challenge for Thai society in the next 20 years would focus in particular on education, R&D, logistics and infrastructure development, as well as co-management between the public and private sectors.
Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej assured listeners the government would invest in infrastructure, including mass transit projects, rail development, water management and logistic development to facilitate trade among the Greater Mekong Subregion.
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