The government needs to know how to adapt to the age of technology and innovation, former deputy prime minister and foreign minister Surakiart Sathirathai told an international conference Wednesday.
Citing the economic integration brought about by the the Regional Comprehensive Economic Cooperation pact, the free-trade agreement of the Asia-Pacific, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank as well as anti-globalisation trends such as Brexit and the "America First" policy among recent changes, Mr Surakiart said Thailand needs to set strategies to adapt to the changes.
"We should look at the strategies pursued by other countries as well as our own, but for that we would need good funding. We have to have good knowledge, we have to have research into a strategy," he said.
"We need to be able to form strategies in the right direction for the government and private sector to proceed. That's not happening in a sufficient way at the moment," he added.
Mr Surakiart, now chairman of the Asian Peace and Reconciliation Council, emphasised participation of all stakeholders in forging a way forward.
He said that while Thailand's research and development budget is at less than 1% of GDP, funding for the studies can also come from the private sector.
He was speaking yesterday on Change in the International Economic and Political Strategic Landscape: the Rule of Law, at a conference in Bangkok jointly organised by Thailand Institute of Justice and Harvard Law School's Institute for Global Law and Policy. The participants included young scholars and policy-makers from around the world.
"How can the public, private sector and civil society come up with this country's strategy? That's something that's not happening in many countries in Asia and not happening at a level it should be happening in Thailand," he said.
"In the past, many countries in Asia studied such matters after we agreed on a strategy. Now we are doing better, we study as we negotiate on what the strategy should be. I hope that we will get to the point where we finish a study first and then we start to negotiate," he said.
"If we say we are missing the train, have we asked if we should get on this train? If we say yes, ordinary people, the poor, SMEs might ask, where is the ticket? The ticket we need to adjust to disruptive technology, for example, might lie with education," he said.
He suggested short training courses be organised for Thais to match workers with jobs in the workforce that are needed in the modern era. The government could take care of those affected over the long term. "This is one way for ordinary people to get on the train. It's unnecessary for everyone to get in the front carriage."
He said adjustment assistance and a social safety net should be provided to the underprivileged.
"Changes [in the international economic and political landscape] are drawing closer. It all seems a long way off but when it happens, it affects us right away," he said. He added some people may not be aware of the changes taking place in the world or the need to adapt.