Srettha sees soft power as tool to lift Thailand out of middle-income rut
Thailand's soft power would be a key component in lifting the country out of its middle-income trap, as this creative culture expects to increase revenue to each household by at least 200,000 baht per year, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin said on Friday.
He made the remarks during a special speech at the "THACCA Splash Soft Power Forum 2024" opening ceremony at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre. The event is being held from Friday to Sunday.
Citing his strong belief that equal business opportunities exist for all, he said that it was the government's mission to reach out to the unskilled workforce and groom them to become the talent group, beginning with what they already have: soft power.
"While the government recognises the urgent need to upgrade our workforce with digital skills, not everyone is prepared or has the aptitude for those skills. However, soft power is already ingrained in Thai culture and lifestyle. As a result, everyone can find a way to use soft power to their advantage," he said, adding that it was the government's mission to enable each individual or family to reach their full potential.
Categorising these soft power industries into 11 categories – book, fashion, film drama and series, festival, food, design, travel, game, music, arts, and sports – Srettha pointed out that they would help the government achieve its goal of inclusively improving people's well-being by creating more jobs and revenue.
To support the move, he revealed that the government had planned a number of projects to assist all Thais in identifying and developing their strengths. These projects extend from upstream to downstream.
They include the “One Family, One Soft Power” project to groom talent, one-stop service to support the growth of each soft power business, such as marketing, data analytics, regulations, and branding, and solution facilitators for those ready to expand their soft power overseas.
The Thailand Creative Culture Agency (THACCA), along with the committees, would bear the primary responsibility for driving these soft power policies, he said, expecting the move to help Thailand transition from a middle-income to a high-income country.
A high-income economy, as defined by the World Bank, is one with a gross national income per capita of US$13,846 or more. Thailand achieved upper-middle-income status in 2011. However, the growth of income per capita remains slow. According to ceicdata.com, the current number (as of December 2023) was $7,801, up from $6,174 in 2012. This demonstrated that Thailand's per capita income had increased by an average of $135 per year over the last 12 years.
Meanwhile, Srettha stated that organising the “THACCA Splash Soft Power Forum 2024” would benefit the country's soft power industry.
He explained that the purpose of organising this event focused on three things: 1) inspire everyone to realise their own potential and empower them through the government's tools; 2) Establish an international exchange platform to help Thailand's soft power industry grow by learning from successful case studies in other countries; and 3) Increase public awareness of Thai soft power's ability to communicate in all directions in a sustainable manner.
"The event is like a splash of water that spreads everywhere. We will continue to develop the industry in a comprehensive manner, from upstream to downstream," he noted.
Paetongtarn Shinawatra, deputy chairperson of the National Soft Power Strategy Committee, expected Thailand's soft power roadmap would generate at least 1.2 trillion baht in revenue, allowing the country to emerge as one of the world's leading soft power nations.
She emphasised that the government would act as a facilitator, allowing each person's soft power to thrive and vibe. She said the support includes branding, marketing, and data.
"We already have a clear goal in mind that our move [THACCA] would create economic value no less than 4 trillion baht with more than 20 million jobs emerging," she noted.
Dhanin Chearavanont, chairman of the Charoen Pokphand Group and Thailand's exemplary senior citizen, expressed strong support for the government and the agency's efforts to strengthen the country's soft power in all aspects and dimensions.
He urged the government to relax and amend some outdated regulations in order to help businesses keep up with global trends.
As Thailand's largest food manufacturer, he emphasised the urgent need to upgrade the nation's water management and irrigation systems.
"Agriculture is one of Thailand's economic pillars. The industry contributes to our world-class kitchen status. However, our agricultural productivity has been declining due to unbalanced water supply: too much or too little. As a result, having an effective water management system in place to ensure that farmers have access to water when they need it is critical," he explained, emphasising that Thai agriculture products, particularly fruits like durian, continue to be in high demand.
