After three months in office, the Srettha Thavisin government has raved on about populist policies in the guise of digital wallets and soft power projects that will create income to boost our declining economy. With optimism, we learned that Paetongtarn Shinawatra, Pheu Thai party leader and head of the National Soft Power Strategy Committee (NSPSC), has drafted a budget of 5.1 billion baht to boost festivals and creative industries. It is welcoming news to hear this government is priortising art, music, literature, design, fashion, film, food, games, sports and festivals as essential sources for the creative economy. Where this enormous chunk of budget will come from, like digital wallets, remains to be seen.
Robert Winder's Soft Power: The New Great Game offers shrewd insights on this slippery subject. With reference to superpowers including America, the UK, France, Japan and China, Winder offers various views of friendly persuasion instead of hard power and command. The sphere of influence varies and it takes time to build trust and assurance. Soft power has enormous potential when applied in supple ways and means, especially in areas of foreign diplomacy. Certainly, soft power should not be used blatantly for an election platform to lure people's votes, a majority of whom do not understand or care about differences in soft, sob, sod or soap power.
Instead of throwing the budget down the drain on lavish events like a long water festival when sustainable water usage is critical, the Thailand Creative and Content Agency (THACCA) under the NSPSC should revisit some ambitious art and culture projects initiated under Thaksin Shinawatra's Thai Rak Thai government. In fact, these unfinished projects can be revived immediately as Thaksin's cronies, now acting as the Pheu Thai Party, can claim success of grandiose ideas initiated two decades ago. The THACCA must realise that soft power is a delicate process of cultural diplomacy and long-term planning, which is opposite to pushy salesmanship and quick-win campaigns for popularity.
The National Art Gallery, as part of the expansion of the Thailand Cultural Centre in the Ratchadaphisek area, has been Thaksin's brainchild since he became prime minister. Then, 35 rai of land was purchased by the Central Bank to expand the complex into the "Asean Cultural Gateway" with state-of-the-art technology to support the art gallery, concert hall, theatre, library and Ministry of Culture. Thaksin's vision went so far that Khunying Pojamarn, his wife, acquired a plot of land near this mega project for their new home. Their dream collapsed when the Royal Thai Army staged the 2006 coup and both fled the country amid accusations of conflict of interest and malfeasance in connection with corruption and the land deal. The first phase of the construction of the Ministry of Culture and National Art Gallery slowly went ahead and was completed only after lengthy delay. Sadly, the National Art Gallery, with its cracked and peeling façade, has not been officially opened two years after completion. The culture permanent secretary office has done little in the way of exhibition programmes, budget allocation and training. With brain-dead vision, there have been few displays of anything from this office. Entering the National Art Gallery is like entering a morgue of galleries and emptiness and dead air. Why are there so few national art collections on display? Over 500 works are kept in storage because the Ministry of Culture has no budget for electricity and air conditioning. Such a diabolical situation needs to be urgently resolved as an unused art gallery does not comply with the THACCA's soft power policy.
Instead of blindly spending without a roadmap and research, the THACCA should study past Thai Rak Thai projects to promote Bangkok as a city of art and culture. In 2008/9, the Ministry of Culture together with the Central Group, the embassies of India and Japan, and ThaiBev launched a public art project to celebrate King Bhumibol Aduyadej's 80th birthday at CentralWorld. The masterplan was to place permanent sculptures as public landmarks at various sites in Bangkok. The CentralWorld site was to feature outstanding sculptures by Indian, Japanese and Thai artists in celebration of the Thai monarchy, cultural diplomacy and international collaboration. As soft power, this programme truly promoted Bangkok as a destination for art and culture. Grievously, in 2010 when angry Red Shirt protesters outside CentralWorld went on a rampage of arson and looting, a world-class sculpture by Indian artist Ravinder Reddy was badly damaged resulting in a tarnished image of Bangkok. Reddy's The Head is a symbol of humanity and affection that poignantly demonstrates art as a connecting force of goodwill and international relations.
The National Art Gallery.
Thaksin's government received worldwide praise for effectively handling the tsunami aftermath in 2005 that destroyed lives and property along the coast of the Andaman Sea. Art and culture played an integral role in the healing process for all victims and their families through recreational projects and art therapy. Thai generosity and caring became a potent soft power that won the hearts of people across the world. Thaksin laid the foundation stones of the Tsunami Memorial Museum in Khao Lak-Lam Ru National Park, Phangnga, with international representatives and a poetry reading by renowned performance artist Marina Abramovic. Generously, world-famous French artist Louise Bourgeois, donated her priceless sculpture Hold Me Close to the memorial garden at Hat Noppharat Thara-Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park in Krabi. Bourgeois' public sculptures were soft power indeed. Krabi became a world-class destination as tourists flocked to view the one and only public work by Bourgeois in Southeast Asia. Unfortunately, due to negligence, the famous sculpture garden was badly maintained and left in ruins. The sculptures were moved to Krabi Provincial Office and forgotten for many years. Various attempts were made to again display Bourgeois' work, and the Thailand Biennale in Korat attempted to reproduce replicas without consent from the artist.
Louise Bourgeois' Hold Me Close.
The Easton Foundation oversees Bourgeois' art and archive, and stressed that Krabi Provincial Office must get permission in terms of display and reproduction. Bourgeios' intention with her donation was to have the sculpture shown at the original site only. The THACCA should take action in reviving this famous art sanctuary to its original glory. Krabi must realise that long neglected gems by Bourgeois will bring enormous income through cultural tourism. Bourgeois' Hold Me Close is an example of missed opportunity due to local negligence and lack of coordination.
Much hype was made about turning Chiang Mai into a destination for movies and digital content. The US$220 million Chiang Mai Wood (CNX-Wood) by Creative Kingdom was hoped to be the new Hollywood of Asia. The megaproject, announced by the Board of Investment, planned to transform Sankampang into a movie-based theme park with state-of-the-art film production studios, cutting-edge animation and special effects facilities with hotels and residential villas. Chiang Mai was slated to be a hub of the creative economy, investment and connectivity with job opportunities for creative workers in the film, animation, gaming and digital industries. Chiang Mai Wood came crashing down due to lack of funding and political change. Such failed projects demonstrate how foreign investment is dependent on government policy and long-term commitment.
Official visits by Thaksin to Paris and then-President Jacques Chirac to Bangkok in 2005 and 2006, respectively, led to the Tout À Fait Thai festival that marked the strong bonds between both nations through art and culture. To celebrate King Bhumibol Adulyadej's 60th year as monarch, a khon masked dance was performed at the Palace of Versailles west of Paris, along with a Thai market, puppetry, and contemporary art and music at various museums and art institutions in the city. The grandiose events ended abruptly due to the 2006 coup. In 2025, celebrations for 340 years of relations between France and Siam will be a chance to display Thai art and culture on the international stage.
There is still much confusion on the definition and potential of Thai soft power. It took about two years for the Office of the National Economic and Social Development Council, and various ministries, to understand a book like John Hawkins' The Creative Economy: How People Make Money From Ideas. Not surprisingly, announcements of soft power by members of the THACCA have been very hit-and-miss. By proposing fiscal budgets willy nilly, its poorly thought-out projects have received much criticism. The THACCA's announcements of grilled pork, choc-mint drinks, ice cream with Si Thep patterns and lengthy Songkran celebrations as soft power have opened heated debate on its definition.
The THACCA should consider constructive programmes that are sustainable and acceptable by stakeholders. They must be open to advice from artists, cultural workers, veterans and youth, and not to be trapped by outdated ideas such as having the TCDC in every province or outrageous proposals like One Family One Soft Power.
By letting unimaginative people run haywire, 5.1 billion baht will not be enough to buy back the votes and confidence of the people.
Soft power is like building with jelly, not cement. Certainly, we do not want to experience endless, empty publicity stunts from any member of the THACCA as part of some soft and soggy NSPSC plan.
Prof Apinan Poshyananda is the author of The Future: Post-Cold War, Postmodernism, Post-Marginalia (Playing With Slippery Lubricants) In Tradition And Change.
