Competitiveness must be on national agenda, conference hears
Thailand should make developing competitiveness a priority to ensure the country's sustainable growth, the "Thailand Competitiveness Conference" heard.
Government officials and businesspeople shared similar views on this during the seminar on “What Is the Recipe for Thailand?”
Although the World Economic Forum recently gave Thailand a better competitiveness ranking than in its last report, many things should be still be done to connect the country with other Asean members under regional integration.
Key areas for competitiveness development should be efficiency of government, business and transport. Also, after having a development plan on the national agenda, the government needs to work closely with the private sector in making the plans a reality. It should synergise all sectors of the country’s make-up – government, business and social – to make a concrete commitment and regularly check on progress.
Tevin Vongvanich, chairman of the Thailand Management Association (TMA) Centre for Competitiveness and chief executive of PTT Exploration and Production, said competitiveness should be included in every government agenda to ensure smooth implementation.
He said the government should work closely with private enterprises in drawing up development strategies as well as encouraging the private sector to do more research and development.
The TMA has just collaborated with the National Economic and Social Development Board (NESDB) to outline development plans for six industries. The aim is to support Thailand as a world leader in food, a preferred destination for travelling and investing, a world-class logistics provider, an auto?motive-industry hub, a centre for healthcare service, and a leader in rub?ber products.
To increase competitiveness, the foundations for growth should be emphasised – technology and innovation, green economic policies, corporate responsibility and sustainability, and human-resource development.
Arkhom Termpittayapaisith, deputy transport minister and secretary-general of the NESDB, said the government planned to focus on development in many areas. The ones that will be emphasised during this current military-led regime and should be adopted as national agendas are physical infra?structure, technology and innovation, and human resources.
He said the government and private sector would try to lower logistics costs as part of the plan to increase competitiveness for the country.
Last year, logistics accounted for 14 per cent of gross domestic product, slightly lower than in 2012, when it was 14.4 per cent.
