News Forum - Thai PM tells nation to buckle up for ‘winds of change’

[Thaiger]

PM Prayut Chan-o-cha yesterday became all metaphorical at the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI) Expo 2022, “Shaping Future Industries for Stronger Thailand,” likening the kingdom to a “car” and how the nation needs to face up to “the winds of change.” The 68 year old called for more innovation from his fellow countrymen to meet the needs of evolving technological advancement at the forum which was organised under the bio-, circular, and green economic model. “Thailand has to face the winds of change, and the wind can turn into a storm. It is time for the private and public sectors […]

The story Thai PM tells nation to buckle up for ‘winds of change’ as seen on Thaiger News.

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[Graham]

He is working only for the select he does not working for the normal Thai person, how can this government seriously still be going ahead with the purchase of submarines without engines ?

[TSS]

oh, no!- he's rambling and babbling metaphoric . man, thats the worst. Total nutter now- musta picked up something from the biden visit or all the jabs he's had. Needs to get in the 'car' and, please, go easy on him as he blows away  on the 'winds of change' 

[Pompies]

So he is done with singing to us and now is the great storyteller. It is nothing but a tissue of concepts with nothing of substance behind them. The nation would not have to buckle up if he had not wasted eight years achieving nothing but buying military hardware and failing to even get one semi high speed rail line built. Indeed SRT is in such dire straits that it had to refurbish 40 year old trainsets that were gifted by Japan. Prayuth had lorded it over nearly a decade in which the country has lost all its impetus and is now languishing in the post pandemic swamp that he has created. 

[HolyCowCm]

I got an idea for him, how about get out with his cronies and that would be a great positive major change. He needs to lead by example. If not the winds of change is only his fart into the wind.

[Cabra]

Head winds or tail winds? Seems too often head winds. 

[Bluesofa]

1 hour ago, Graham said:

He is working only for the select he does not working for the normal Thai person, how can this government seriously still be going ahead with the purchase of submarines without engines ?

He must be following the example of the second-hand aircraft carrier Thailand has. Isn't that also without an engine?

[Fanta]

With announcements like this Prayut is certainly not making it easy for us to take it easy on him.

[UncleFatBloke]

The innovation he is looking from Thailand will only come from two areas:
1. An education system that promotes questioning rather than rote-learning.

But that would take 15-20 years to happen and for the first generation of innovative thinkers to move into the science and engineering sectors!

2. Make your country more foreigner-friendly and reduce most of the barriers for setting up business in the country. Just like China did 20 years ago and reaped the rewards, and coincidentally, they are now losing businesses rapidly who are re-shoring or moving to lower cost countries, which China is no longer!

NOW is the time for Thailand to offer serious alternatives to Vietnam, the Philppines and Indonesia!

[Bluesofa]

11 minutes ago, UncleFatBloke said:

The innovation he is looking from Thailand will only come from two areas:
1. An education system that promotes questioning rather than rote-learning.

But that would take 15-20 years to happen and for the first generation of innovative thinkers to move into the science and engineering sectors!
{snipped]

I agree absolutely with your point above.

For at least a hundred years the idea of questioning - and therefore critical thinking, has been suppressed.

The 'elite' know full-well that once the population start to think for themselves, that will lead to discontent and possibly a revolt, as people begin to realise how much they've been lied to.

Already I see (well, hope) the internet as the start of people thinking for themselves as the public see how things work outside of Thailand, and what a raw deal they have always had here.

[Pinetree]

Just now, Bluesofa said:

For at least a hundred years the idea of questioning - and therefore critical thinking, has been suppressed.

That is misinterpreting the history;   the common people, the Plebeians,  don't care.  Their basic instincts and actions are to survive, feed their families and try to prosper. You see this every day any village you care to visit. Millions of Thais don't care a jot who is in charge,  so long as they are left alone to trade and prosper. Don't attribute western values to Thais, it doesn't work and is a distortion of the true position. 

[BIGGLES]

I'm reminded once again of slogan we had in my RAF days it was:

KISS!

Keep it simple stupid!

Look after much more and much better, that which accounts for 20% of the nations GDP.

Stop with the overpricing of the  Baht, good for tourism and good for exports of all kinds.

Tidy up all these overpriced visas,  make them cheap and easy to get. 

Look after in a major way, those who choose to retire here and spend money all year round in local businesses.

That's 20% of the economy sorted, the other 80%, isn't worth a rap, its a third world country!!

 

[palooka]

Sadly if he is outed the incoming will quickly realize the financial mess he has left for the future of Thailand and it will be bad big time. 

Foreigners resident in Thailand are in the cross hairs and will be hit again in October, or so my friendly Immigration officer informs me. He told me to change O-A retirement to a marriage visa asap.

 

[DiJoDavO]

7 hours ago, Thaiger said:

likening the kingdom to a “car” and how the nation needs to face up to “the winds of change.”

He knows that a car doesn't work like a sailboat, right? 

[Naanlaew]

it's all in the aerodynamics. put a spoiler on it.

[HolyCowCm]

3 hours ago, palooka said:

Sadly if he is outed the incoming will quickly realize the financial mess he has left for the future of Thailand and it will be bad big time. 

Foreigners resident in Thailand are in the cross hairs and will be hit again in October, or so my friendly Immigration officer informs me. He told me to change O-A retirement to a marriage visa asap.

And how will foreigners be hit harder? Reason or reasoning please. 

[Marc26]

6 hours ago, Pinetree said:

That is misinterpreting the history;   the common people, the Plebeians,  don't care.  Their basic instincts and actions are to survive, feed their families and try to prosper. You see this every day any village you care to visit. Millions of Thais don't care a jot who is in charge,  so long as they are left alone to trade and prosper. Don't attribute western values to Thais, it doesn't work and is a distortion of the true position. 

I don't think that is what he was talking about

 

I will give you an example

I just spent the better part of a month travelling with my 21yr old stepson

He gets all A's and B's at Thamassat University in an extremely tough major, Physical Therapy. He's an intelligent kid.

 

And it is like he shuts his brain off 80% of the time

He wanted to go on this long trip all over Thailand yet had absolute zero interest in where we were going, would just pass out as soon as we got in the car

 

Just zero curiousity whatsoever and I do blame the way he was taught

[rc1]

Thais won't feel the winds of change until they uncover their faces.

 

[Metoo]

12 hours ago, Bluesofa said:

I agree absolutely with your point above.

For at least a hundred years the idea of questioning - and therefore critical thinking, has been suppressed.

The 'elite' know full-well that once the population start to think for themselves, that will lead to discontent and possibly a revolt, as people begin to realise how much they've been lied to.

Already I see (well, hope) the internet as the start of people thinking for themselves as the public see how things work outside of Thailand, and what a raw deal they have always had here.

Nail on the head!

My wife knows this, and many others are starting to realise (via the internet as you say) how they've been shafted for the past hundred years.

It would be good to see the guillotine resurrected.....I'd book ringside seats.

[Metoo]

12 hours ago, Pinetree said:

That is misinterpreting the history;   the common people, the Plebeians,  don't care.  Their basic instincts and actions are to survive, feed their families and try to prosper. You see this every day any village you care to visit. Millions of Thais don't care a jot who is in charge,  so long as they are left alone to trade and prosper. Don't attribute western values to Thais, it doesn't work and is a distortion of the true position. 

They would certainly care if they had an education that made them think....exactly the point (you missed) that @Bluesofa was making.

[Bluesofa]

12 hours ago, Pinetree said:

That is misinterpreting the history;   the common people, the Plebeians,  don't care.  Their basic instincts and actions are to survive, feed their families and try to prosper. You see this every day any village you care to visit. Millions of Thais don't care a jot who is in charge,  so long as they are left alone to trade and prosper. Don't attribute western values to Thais, it doesn't work and is a distortion of the true position. 

It's not only about politics, even though I did say about people eventually realising they have been cheated by the elite.
Critical thinking is also needed for trading, as you mentioned. It's also needed to allow people to see the results of actions they may take, before undertaking them.
You can't say this is only 'attributing western values' to Thais. People all over the world think for themselves, not only western countries.

[palooka]

8 hours ago, HolyCowCm said:

And how will foreigners be hit harder? Reason or reasoning please. 

Apparently the Insurance requirement will be raised again, plus already have an extra form for visa renewals - Police report.  Some cops will do it for nothing others want a fee which varies from cop to cop.

[Skip]

And yet his administration keeps making square tires for his "automobile"

[Bluesofa]

I take it this 'wind of change' won't involve any Hi-Tech - not by our esteemed leader anyway.

I see Khaosod English have posted on their Facebook page a photo of a schoolgirl apparently helping our esteemed leader to use a computer mouse.
The photo has since been deleted from government websites, but not soon enough to allow some pish-taking:

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid025KiZQydWpVR7qKgvPYSc15FFHfMi8LGUn1eDk3oKabfHHqXqpA2M4HcBx2a1vnJjl&id=100064875510284

edit: I've just noticed one of the FB comments says "military intelligence"
That phrase appears to be an oxymoron  here.

[Pinetree]

8 hours ago, Marc26 said:

I don't think that is what he was talking about

I will give you an example

I just spent the better part of a month travelling with my 21yr old stepson

He gets all A's and B's at Thamassat University in an extremely tough major, Physical Therapy. He's an intelligent kid.

And it is like he shuts his brain off 80% of the time

He wanted to go on this long trip all over Thailand yet had absolute zero interest in where we were going, would just pass out as soon as we got in the car

Just zero curiousity whatsoever and I do blame the way he was taught

I think that is kind of what I was saying, badly obviously.