Throwing subsidies around isn't going to turn stupidity into intelligence. Building fancy toys like high-speed trains isn't going to turn superficiality into sensibility. Giving lip service to democracy while practising feudalism isn't exactly democratic development, either.
Individually we may be brilliant in so many ways. But collectively, we are dumb where our education suffers, superficial where our culture suffers and backward where our democracy suffers.
Ask which reform Thailand needs the most _ which disease requires a cure _ most urgently. The three most popular answers would be education, education and education. And the rest of the problems that Thailand faces are symptoms of this crippling disease.
The symptoms _ from corruption to ineptitude to closed-mindedness and all the rest _ can be solved with a sharp and critical mind, knowledge and a sound conscience. It begins and ends with education.
The government's development plan under the two trillion baht borrowing scheme is sound in principle. The upcountry region _ Pheu Thai's stronghold _ could benefit from high-speed trains, dual track trains, roads and such, thereby strengthening its voting base.
The main worries over the scheme are of course corruption and ineptitude.
After more than two years, the focus of the Pheu Thai government remains on amnesty, subsidies and an infrastructure development scheme.
Amnesty is a special issue on its own, but while subsidies and infrastructure may be beneficial they would hardly solve Thailand's true dilemma; they are merely superficial makeovers.
Subsidies are cookie money, while high-speed trains, dams and the like are cosmetics. They might help Thailand to be more competitive with Laos and Cambodia (no offence to either). But none would usher the country into the ranks of the developed world _ not even put it on the right track.
If education is not reformed the best Thailand would achieve is becoming a country that wears a lot of makeup and brand-name clothes, holding a cookie jar, but still bogged down by chronic back pains and constant migraines. Frankly, the country would be low in both emotional quotient (EQ) and intelligence quotient (IQ).
Thailand would be little more than a sagging Bangkok super hi-so socialite, with scheduled Botox injections and liposuction every three months just to keep from falling apart _ while the brain and the soul are both effectively poisoned by the chemicals.
This is an apt description of Bangkok, while the two trillion baht development programme in seven years would at best turn upcountry into a cheaper version. The Thai malady needs the right medicine. True reforms must tackle education reform, cultural values and democratic governance. For the first, free tablets won't solve anything.
Thailand's image, a PR obsessed face-value culture, conservative and anal retentive, banning and censoring left, right and centre, highlighted by hierarchy, tribalism and cult of personalities, and all the rest _ these all continue to persist and arguably manifest even stronger within the present sociopolitical climate.
With democratic governance, the nature of appointed provincial governors and the upcoming reshuffle in 31 provinces that I discussed in Thursday's column tells but a fraction of the story. We continue to feed and feast on feudalist structure and practices at the expense of democratic development, while we lie to ourselves _ and our PR team lies to the world.
Education addresses the mind. Culture addresses the heart. Democratic governance addresses the physical body. A sharp mind, an open heart and a fit body is what Thailand needs _ not the perpetuation of a narrow mind, a superficial heart and a sagging body. Bring real reforms _ subsidies and populism would be few and far in between. The benefits of the infrastructure development _ whether high-speed trains or roads _ will flourish where corruption is minimised, while ingenuity and effectiveness is maximised. Two trillion baht is needed but needed elsewhere first _ expensive toys are luxuries, not necessities. We can get them later.
The true challenge facing the Thai government, no matter which political party is in charge, is to turn Thailand into an advanced democracy adapted to the 21st century, with a strong IQ, progressive cultural values and transparent democratic governance.
It may take 10, 20, 50 or a hundred years, but it starts now.
While policymakers keep ignoring fundamental development, keep putting it off, keep making excuses, keep giving lip service but take little action _ keep bickering from behind the curtains of tribal colours _ at the end of the day when looking in the mirror, without the makeup and the brand names, all that stares back at us is just a dumb, old broad. And since we can't charge foreigners a double price to fix it for us we'd better start fixing it ourselves, sooner rather than later _ because later likely means never.
Contact Voranai Vanijaka via email at voranaiv@bangkokpost.co.th.