PUBLIC POLICY ADVOCACY IN THAILAND ???

Thailand is roughly the size of France (200,000 sq. miles). With a population of 67 million Thailand has managed to transform its economy from one that was previously agriculture-based to one of the most diverse in the region. As well as agriculture, major industries include food processing, cement, integrated circuits, automotive parts and assembly, petroleum products, textiles, footwear, toys, furniture, synthetic fibre and tourism. The country has a well developed infrastructure, a free enterprise economy and generally pro-investment policies.

The Thai military coup of May 2014 has had a number of well-publicised, negative consequences. It has restricted civil liberties; it has weakened Thailand’s position as a stable investment site and thus source of employment and foreign exchange; and it has been a blow to Thailand’s position as a force within ASEAN for regional economic integration. Nevertheless, Thailand remains open for business. The country’s manufacturing sector—it is the world’s largest rubber producer and its second-largest producer of hard drives and light pick-up trucks has weathered years of political upheaval. Thailand still has comparatively good infrastructure and low corporate taxes.

From the start the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO’s) (the Junta ruling Thailand) main priorities have been to maintain peace and order while initiating comprehensive reforms to move the country towards a fully functional and sustainable democracy. The NCPO has been working closely with civil servants, various stakeholders, and technocrats to invigorate national efforts and attention to solving the most urgent problems in Thailand in an integrated and coherent manner, such as jumpstarting the economy, addressing threats to the society, and social well-being especially corruption, illegal gambling, illegal armed possession, and criminal syndicates and activities.   The drafting of the provisional constitution has been completed and is being vetted by legal experts. It will be sent back to the NCPO for re-examination , and will then be forwarded for Royal endorsement. After the invocation  of the provisional constitution, it will take approximately 1 month to establish the National Legislative Assembly which could carry out their duties from September 2014. Regarding the establishment of the National Reform Council, whose members will be selected from all social and professional sectors from all over the country, they should start performing their duties from early October 2014. The National Reform Council will draw up recommendations for the constitution drafting committee and a new constitution can be expected by July 2015. With a new Constitution in place, and a general election expected towards 2015, the goal is for Thailand to have a full democratic regime with the King as Head of State.

In terms of interest groups, business associations ranging from the Federation of Thai Industries at national and provincial levels, to the Thai Bankers’ Association, to the Thai Chamber of Commerce, to a wide range of sectoral associations have grown in influence. These groups are continually engaged in proposing policies and arguing their positions, often in close consultation with government officials. At the other end of the socio-economic spectrum, Thai farmers in products ranging from rice, to sugar, to rubber are clearly active.

There are several factors which account for the Thai interest group landscape to be quite thin. First, Thai business associations, especially the peaks, are weakened by the lack of engagement of the multinationals who dominate several of Thailand’s key export industries (e.g. automobiles, electronics, tires). On issues that do require engagement with public officials, MNCs go right to the Board of Investments. Such direct engagement with the state is often more efficient than the complex negotiations among firms of different sizes and value chain positions required to come out with a common associational perspective.

Good policies require good institutions in both the public and private sector. But institution building in Thailand is difficult due to what might be called the country’s “disarticulated” nature: The economy is split between local and foreign firms, between formal and informal workers, between urban and rural interests, and between upstream and downstream firms; income inequality has grown; and society lacks stable, broad interest groups capable of pooling the costs and gains from investments in things like education and training. And, of course, economic problems feed back into political dysfunction; production politics affect state politics. Ending Thailand’s political turbulence requires addressing the economic – and social sources of those pathologies.

Will the coup strengthen obstacles to the organisation of stable, independent, socio-economic interest groups (interest articulation)? If so, it would further undermine the potential for habits of compromise and the likelihood of programmatic parties. Both of these are important ingredients for consolidated democracy and for sustained, inclusive development, including the ability to grow out of middle-income status.

Latest News: The National Legislative Assembly should have no more than 220 members who should be of Thai nationality since birth and no younger than 40 years old and appointed by the NCPO. The National Legislative Assembly will assume the duties of the House of Representative and the Senate.  Members of the National Legislative Assembly should be knowledgeable and come from different groups in society such as the state sector, the private sector, the social sector, the academic sector, the professional sector and other sectors that are beneficial to the National Legislative Assembly. A member of the National Legislative Assembly is prohibited from assuming office if he/she: Has assumed a position in a political party within three years prior to the date of appointment as member of the National Legislative Assembly; is a Buddhist novice or priest, is bankrupt or has caused bankruptcy through corruption, has been previously stripped of his/her right to vote, has been previously expelled, dismissed or fired as a government official or employee at a state enterprise on the grounds of corruption, fraud or misconduct, has had assets seized by the court, has been previously barred or removed from political office. The National Legislative Assembly (NLA) will be housing both chambers of the House filled with appointees of the junta, who are not politicians or have been that for the past three years (perhaps coincidentally, three years since the election victory of the government the junta has just ousted), but instead with representatives from different sectors of society.

Interest Groups

• Advertising Association of Thailand
• Air-Conditioning Engineering Association of Thailand
• Airline Cargo Business Association (ACBA)
• Animal Health Products Association (AHPA)
• Association of Hen-Egg Farmers Traders & Exporters
  Association of Securities Companies
• Association of Thai Computer Industry (ATCI)
• Association of Thai Concrete Product Industry
• Association of Thai Software Industry (ATSI)
• Association of Thai Textile Bleaching, Dyeing, Printing & Finishing Industries
• Association of Thai Travel Agents
• Automotive Industry Club (AIC) in the Federation of Thai Industries
• Bangkok Shipowners and Agents Association
• Bobae Garment Association
• Chemical Business Asssociation (CBA)
• Costume Jewellery Association (Fashion Jewelry Trade Association)
• Customs Broker and Transportation Association of Thailand (CTAT)
• Department of Livestock Development
• Design and Objects Association
• Druggist Association
• Electrical and Electronics Institute (EEI)
• Electronic Amusement Association
• Federation of Thai Industries
• Feedstuff Users Promotion Association
• Franchise and Thai SMEs Business Association (FSA)
• Gem and Jewelry Institute of Thailand (GIT)
• General Insurance Association
• Gold Traders Association
• Herbal Products Association
• Home Builder Association
• Housing Business Association
• Housing Finance Association
• Insurance Brokers Association
• International-Thai Business Association
• Investor Club Association
• Lighter Owners Association Thailand
• Marketing Association of Thailand (MAT)
• Mining Industry Councils
• National Food Institute
• North Eastern Tapioca Trade Association
• Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers Association (PReMA)
• Press Association
• Publishers and Booksellers Association of Thailand (PUBAT)
• Real Estate Broker Association
• Real Estate Sales and Marketing Association
• Rice Exporters Association
• Securities and Analysts Association
• Society of Automotive Engineers- Thailand (TSAE)
• Soybean and Rice Bran Oil Processor Association
• Sporting Trade Association
• Sugar Industry Trade Association
• Tanning Industry Association
• Tea Merchants Association
• Technology Promotion Association (Thailand-Japan)
• Telecommunications Association of Thailand
• Thai - Chinese Promotion of Investment and Trade Association
• Thai-Hong Kong Trade Association
• Thai - Islamic Trade and Industrial Association
• Thai-Japanese Association
• Thai-Taiwan Business Association
• Thai Agricultural Merchant Association
• Thai Agro Business Association (TABA)
• Thai Airfreight Forwarders Association (TAFA)
• Thai Auto-Parts Manufacturers Association (TAPMA)
• Thai Bankers' Association
• Thai Broiler Processing Exporters Association
• Thai Chamber of Commerce
• Thai Chinese Exim Association
• Thai Coffee Exporters' Association
• Thai Condominium Association
• Thai Contractors Association
• Thai Cosmetics Manufacturers Association
• Thai Diamond Manufacturers Association
• Thai Direct Selling Association (TSDA)
• Thai Electrical and Mechanical Contractors Association (TEMCA)
• Thai Electronic Amusement Business Association
• Thai Factors Association
• Thai Feed Mill Association
• Thai Fertilizer and Agricultural Marketing Association
• Thai Fish Culture Farmers Association
• Thai Fishery Association
• Thai Fishmeal Producers Association
• Thai Food Processors' Association
• Thai Foundrymen's Society (TFS)
• Thai Frozen Foods Association
• Thai Fruits and Vegetables Exporters Association
• Thai Furniture Industries Association
• Thai Garment Manufacturers Association (TGMA)
• Thai Gem and Jewelry Traders Association
• Thai Gifts Premiums and Decorative Association
• Thai Hainanese Trade Association
• Thai Handicraft Promotion Trade Association
• Thai Hotel Association
• Thai International Freight Forwarders Association (TIFFA)
• Thai Jute Association
• Thai Lac Association
• Thai Latex Association (TLA)
• Thai Leathergoods Association
• Thai Licensed Customs Brokers Association
• Thai Life Assurance Association
• Thai Logistics and Production Society
• Thai Maize and Produce Traders Association
• Thai Manufacturers of Writing Instruments for Export Association
• Thai Marble and Granite Association
• Thai Medical Device Technology Industry Association
• Thai Metal Packaging Association
• Thai Motorcycle Enterprise Association
• Thai National Shippers's Council
• Thai Orchid Exporter Association
• Thai Overseas Fisheries Association
• Thai Paint Manufacturers Association
• Thai Petrochemical Industry and Trade Association
• Thai Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association
• Thai Pharmacies Association
• Thai Plastic Industries Association
• Thai Printing Association
• Thai Real Estate Association
• Thai Refrigeration Association
• Thai Retailers Association
• Thai Rice Mill Association
• Thai Rubber Association
• Thai Rubber Traders Association
• Thai Screen Printing and Graphic Imaging Association
• Thai Shipowners' Association
• Thai Shrimp Association
• Thai Silk Association (TSA)
• Thai Soap and Detergents Manufacturers Association
• Thai Spa Operators Association
• Thai Stainless Steel Development Association
• Thai Stationeries and Office Supplies Association
• Thai Steel Constructors Association
• Thai Sugar Manufacturing Association
• Thai Synthetic Fibre Manufacturers' Association (TSMA)
• Thai Tanning Industry Association
• Thai Tapioca Starch Association (TTSA)
• Thai Tapioca Trade Association
• Thai Textile Merchants Association (UTMA)
• Thai Tool and Die Industry Association (TDIA)
• Thai Tourist Industry Association
• Thai Toy Industry Association
• Thai Travel Agents Association
• Thai Valuers Association
• Thai Venture Capital Association
• Thai Weaving Industry Association (TWIA)
• Thailand Automotive Institute
• Thailand Incentive Convention and Association (TICA)
• Thailand Management Association
• Thailand Textile Institute
• Thailand's Electrical and Electronic Institute
• The Packaging Center
• The Real Estate Association
• The Thai Packaging Association
• Trade Exhibition Association (THAI)
• Valuers Association of Thailand