Thailand Govt to work on social equality. In USA? Not so much (until Obama wins maybe)
Govt to work on social equality
Published: 14/09/2012 at 04:45 PMOnline news:
The government will try its best settle the problems of social inequality and the income gap, Deputy Prime Minister for economic affairs Kittiratt Na-Ranong said on Friday.
His remark was made at a seminar on ‘Thailand’s Strategy over the Next Two Decades (2013-2032) under the Sufficiency Economy Philosophy’, held by the National Economic and Social Advisory Council.
Mr Kittiratt, who is also finance minister, said the government will work to try and ensure social equality and to the income gap between rich and poor, particularly by raising workers’ incomes.
Moreover, the government will give importance to aliens working in Thailand as they have also played crucial roles in mobilising the economy, he added.
At the same seminar, Surakiat Sathirathai, former deputy prime minister, said the mapping of the country’s strategy for the next 20 years must be in line with the global economy.
The European debt crisis, which was likely to be prolonged for at least five years, and the debut of the Asean Economic Community in 2015 would lead to a significant change in the region, Mr Surakiat said.
Thailand’s socio-economy will also change, as a result, from relying mainly on exports to more dependence on domestic consumption, he added.
He said Thai society now is not strong enough due to ongoing social divisions and too much demand for people’s participation.
Mr Surakiat suggested that a national strategy committee should be set up to link the work in mapping out the country’s strategies for the next economic and social development plan.
The next plan must focus on people’s security, especially their living standards and the suitability of the strategies. The strategy on a sufficiency economy must also be mapped out simultaneously, to ensure sustainable economic growth, he said.
Meanwhile in the US and A: