Thailand Needs a ‘Third Hand’ — Visible and Strong
A “third hand” is not something that Thai people normally would like to have around for it refers to either a person who causes the break-up of a romantic union or someone who does something evil to instigate a social or political unrest. Sometimes such an act is referred to as the work of an “invisible hand” – a term often attributed to Adam Smith, who laid down the foundation for the market economic system in the 18th century.(However, according to James Buchan in the book, The Authentic Adam Smith: His Life and Ideas, Adam Smith was not the first person to use the term “invisible hand” and when he used it three times in his writings, not once did he use it to describe what we now come to regard as the handy work of the invisible hand: in the market economy, social good is the end product although all of us pursue only our own self-interests.) But in the present social context, Thailand badly needs a third hand that is not only visible but also exceptionally strong. This is because the two hands that we now have either do not work very well or sometimes even collude to cheat the public.
In the political sphere, we are using a democratic system whereby the people choose representatives to perform the task of governing on their behalf. We may regard the people as the first hand and the representatives the second. This system is not working as intended because the people themselves have many problems. First, they are mostly not well-versed in issues confronting them. Second, they do not adhere to strict ethical standards as survey after survey shows that the majority will accept corrupt representatives as long as they receive some benefits; the latest Abac poll shows that 77.5% of respondents say corruption is acceptable. Third, many sell their votes to the highest bidders.
As to the representatives, the problems arise because most enter politics to benefit themselves, their families and their friends, not to work for the common good. Second, many of them are corrupt and will use any means to get elected, including paying for votes. Third, they are not among the most capable people in society.
In the economic sphere, we are using a mixed economic system which is based largely on Adam Smith’s market economy with some direct government participation and interventions such as government-owned enterprises, price controls and mandated minimum wages. In this sphere, the first hand is the government or the public sector comprised of politicians and civil servants who set rules and regulations and see to it that those are followed by the second hand, namely, the private sector comprised of people who pursue enterprise largely to maximize profits.
Our problems arise because the public sector is often populated with corrupt politicians as well as civil servants who seek to benefit from the rules and regulations; some even set up their own enterprises surreptitiously. At the same time, instead of trying to make profits by being the most efficient in the market place, a large segment of the private sector constantly looks for ways to skirt the rules and regulations, sometimes by outright bribing of those in the public sector. At times those in the government and private sectors even collude to fleece the public.
To solve the current problems and develop further, Thailand needs a third hand, visible and exceptionally strong, to ensure that the other two set and follow proper rules of representative democracy and mixed economy. A strongman or ‘knight on a white horse’ similar to Lee Kwan Yew of Singapore is often mentioned as that needed third hand. But that has been only a pipe dream because every strongman that has come along has turned out to be either incompetent or corrupt, or both. The alternative is a strong civil society. At present, there are two potent movements, namely of the red shirts and the yellow shirts, that may develop into something the country needs. One, however, appears to be pursuing a more parochial interest while the other the common good. The Thais, especially the relatively more educated, must be able to discern which is which and join or support that movement so that it develops into the needed third hand. If they fail to do so, they have only themselves to blame for whatever ill befalls the country next.
Sawai Boonma
First Published : Bangkok Post , October 29,2009
Leave a Reply