Imagine the scene of a courtroom, a defendant is escorted in by a prison guard and seated next to his lawyer. Outside the courtroom, several angry people are gathering, with some of them cursing the defendant because of his notorious track record.
Then the judge walks into the courtroom and takes his seat. Before the prosecutor proceeding with his case, the judge announced that his panel of judges has already reached their guilty verdict for the defendant without his lawyer being given a chance to speak up.
The fictional courtroom scene is intended to draw a parallel to the instant reactions of several critics to Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha’s plan to seek help or advice from Thailand’s 20 richest people on how to save the country’s economy now reeling under the tremendous weight of Covid-19 to the verge of unfathomable abyss.
No one know exactly who the 20 super-rich tycoons are. The name list which is now circulating in the media is, at best, guesswork. But they have been treated by many critics as if they were villains who will not miss their golden opportunity to plunder the country with their demands in return for their help.
The prime minister has not yet opened his mouth about whom he has invited for the meeting or what exactly he will ask from them, but his critics have already sensed the stink emitting from his mouth. Or having foreseen the ugly head like the scourge of corruption or the image of a beggar begging for money from the super rich.
Yet, they have been judged and convicted because of the tainted background of some of them.
This is one dark side of the Thai society – one that is dominated and blinded by hate and animosity – even at a time when, not only Thailand but the rest of the world, is facing an invisible enemy which is killing several tens of thousands and devastating economies worldwide.
In Thailand, our frontline medical professionals have made some progress in containing the spread of the virus two-digit figures of daily new infections and keeping the total death toll to date at 47 – which is much better off than many countries in the world, including Singapore which has won international praise for its success in containing the virus during the initial stage of worldwide pandemic.
This will give more time for the government to shift more attention to an equally important aspect – that is the country’s mid- and long-term economy.
All the talks now about financial help for affected public and businesses such as the 5,000 baht/month handouts, electricity fee cuts, debt moratorium and etc are just short-term remedy. And these alone will cost the state more than a trillion baht that the government will have to borrow to fund the costs.
What if the pandemic drags on for several months, not only in Thailand but in many other countries as well.
We need the country’s best brains to work together, to brain storm to work out the best solutions to salvage the shattered economy. The 20 super rich may be the prime minister’s choice – which is not enough.
Since Covid-19 pandemic is a national agenda, more diverse brains, including the opposition and even the grassroot sector, should be invited to help in this herculean task to salvage our economy, to limit the damages as minimum as possible. Forget about restoring the economy, which may be possible in many years to come.
Criticising just for the sake of criticising without any workable ideas is the last thing that is needed at this critical moment when creative and constructive ideas are needed
Veera Prateepchaikul is former editor, Bangkok Post.