Push for MRA on architects' services

Many things happened last year and made it into our history books. However, there weren’t that many good stories to be told and one can only hope for a better dragon year.

Among the few good news that happened in the Thai architect community last year was the election of Dr Pongsak Vadhanasindhu – recent Architect Council of Thailand board member and chairman of the Foreign Affairs subcommittee – as chairman of the Asean Architects Council (AAC), an honorary position.

It is great to know that once in a while, a Thai architect has volunteered to do something good for the international architect community, something all of us Thai architects should acknowledge, be proud of and continue to support.

However, it is a burdensome position because what the AAC is trying to achieve may not be what the Thai architect community wants. After Dr Pongsak took over as chairman of the AAC, Thailand has been pressured by the AAC to implement the Mutual Recognition Arrangements (MRAs), which was signed by Krirk-Krai Jirapaet, the former commerce minister, in 2007.

The MRA on Architectural Services is most likely to be the same as MRAs for four other professions, namely medical practitioners (doctors and nurses), dental practitioners and engineering services, which aims at opening up Asean borders for free flow of services.

As other countries outside Asean look up to our cooperation, a lot of Asean professionals in the service sectors or more specifically Thai professionals, are still hesitant in following the objectives of the MRAs. One of the reasons is that there are too many loopholes within our governing systems, which often lead to corruption and failure to meet international standards.

Another reason is that, as Thais, we have always lived comfortable lives. Competing internationally in professional service sectors is not our nature, hence it is normal to be worried.

It is difficult to predict what will happen in the next three years when we have to open all doors to welcome our Asean colleagues. Are we going to gather all our senses and prepare ourselves to fight whatever wars that lie ahead or are we going to close our doors, fight with our own government and pretend to live happily ever after? Only time can tell.

 

The writer can be contacted at [email protected]