Country Profile
From The Report: Thailand 2012
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This chapter features interviews with His Majesty Bhumibol Adulyadej, King of Thailand; Yingluck Shinawatra, Prime Minister of Thailand; Surin Pitsuwan, Secretary-General, ASEAN; Lyonpo Khandu Wangchuk, Minister for Economic Affairs, Kingdom of Bhutan; William Hague, UK Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs; and Tony Blair, former Prime Minister of the UK.
Articles from this Chapter
Life in colour: A diverse ecosystem and population help the country thrive
Rising tides: A democratic ethos and populist politics carry the nation forwardOBGplus
Today, Thailand is undergoing its most profound transformation of the last 30 years. The military coup d’é- tat of September 19, 2006 that deposed the populist prime minister, Thaksin Shinawatra, radically altered the nation’s political dynamic, launching the country into five protracted years of domestic strife and weakened international standing. However, last year’s peaceful landslide election win by Yingluck Shinawatra, Thaksin’s younger sister, has restored much confidence…
Back to business: Rebuilding international standingOBGplus
The 2011 elections gave the government a strong mandate to regain a proactive international role, stressing commitment to democracy, justice and reconciliation. Following the 2006 military coup d’état, Thai prime ministers were denied meetings with the US president, a historically routine matter for a close US ally in Southeast Asia. The November 2011 meeting between Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and President Barack Obama at the East Asia Summit, just three months after her appointment,…
His Majesty Bhumibol Adulyadej, King of Thailand, on his philosophy for sustainable developmentOBGplus
When considering development, first and foremost we must keep in mind humanitarian considerations. If we are to be kind to our fellow countrymen, known to be in dire need, the authorities endowed with both knowledge and wealth must go to their assistance. When the country is faced with difficulties and people in the remote areas are suffering, we cannot simply stay put in this paradise of a capital. If we want the people to be prosperous, we have to invest in development projects which will involve…
Heal and grow: OBG talks to Prime Minister Yingluck ShinawatraOBGplus
Interview: Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra How did the floods of late 2011 affect the administration’s priorities? What reforms are most pressing following such a natural disaster? YINGLUCK SHINAWATRA: The government has given high priority to alleviating the impact of the floods and putting in place measures that will help to prevent such crises from occurring again in the future. We are turning the flood into an opportunity to make Thailand’s infrastructure and economy safer from such…
OBG talks to Surin Pitsuwan, Secretary-General, ASEANOBGplus
Interview: Surin Pitsuwan How will a free and open investment regime help increase investment into ASEAN? SURIN PITSUWAN: ASEAN’s vision for an integrated regional economy includes the free flow of investment and services. To this end, set out several strategic initiatives in the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) Blueprint and has taken concrete steps to realise these by 2015. One of the bold steps that ASEAN took to establish this free and open regime is the ASEAN Comprehensive Investment Agreement…
OBG talks to Surin Pitsuwan, Secretary-General, ASEANOBGplus
Interview: Surin Pitsuwan How will a free and open investment regime help increase investment into ASEAN? SURIN PITSUWAN: ASEAN’s vision for an integrated regional economy includes the free flow of investment and services. To this end, set out several strategic initiatives in the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) Blueprint and has taken concrete steps to realise these by 2015. One of the bold steps that ASEAN took to establish this free and open regime is the ASEAN Comprehensive Investment Agreement…
Burying the hatchet: Regrouping, recouping and ready to move onOBGplus
Reconciliation was central to Pheu Thai’s (PT) 2011 election platform, a sentiment that continued to resonate with voters despite five years of confrontation following the 2006 military coup that had ousted and exiled the prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra. Since receiving her overwhelming mandate in the 2011, Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, Thaksin’s sister, has stuck to the specifics of the campaign promise. Reconciliation has remained a priority despite hurdles, yet finding the…
OBG talks to Lyonpo Khandu Wangchuk, Minister for Economic Affairs, Kingdom of BhutanOBGplus
Interview: Lyonpo Khandu Wangchuk What is the thrust of the bilateral economic relationship? How high do economic ties rank? LYONPO KHANDU WANGCHUK: As two Buddhist kingdoms whose monarchs are revered for their benevolence, love for their people and vision, Thailand and Bhutan enjoyed close relations even before the establishment of formal diplomatic ties in 1989. The links have grown rapidly over the years. There is a close affinity between our royal families, people and governments. There is…
William Hague, UK Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, on UK-ASEAN relations in the 21st centuryOBGplus
Today the idea of the “developed West and developing rest” is all but irrelevant. The world has changed and so must the UK if we are to prevent our role and influence in international affairs from declining. Key to this will be making the most of opportunities presented by a new international paradigm in which economic power and influence is moving east and south. We are doing this by shifting our diplomatic weight to reflect these changes and by building our relationships with emerging powers.…
William Hague, UK Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, on UK-ASEAN relations in the 21st centuryOBGplus
Today the idea of the “developed West and developing rest” is all but irrelevant. The world has changed and so must the UK if we are to prevent our role and influence in international affairs from declining. Key to this will be making the most of opportunities presented by a new international paradigm in which economic power and influence is moving east and south. We are doing this by shifting our diplomatic weight to reflect these changes and by building our relationships with emerging powers.…
Tony Blair, former Prime Minister of the UK, on challenges and opportunities of globalisationOBGplus
In the light of the devastation caused by flooding, I have huge sympathy and admiration for the courage, dignity and determination of Thai people. Thailand is open for business and can be confident of its future, and the world should be confident as well. It is important that Thailand has increasingly focused on English proficiency in its schools, because success today is not only measured by a nation’s pride in its own culture, but in its openness to others. Thailand has big advantages: its culture,…
