South-East Asia Destination

By: Manora

Economically, the establishment of the People's Republic of China discouraged Thailand's Chinese from sending monthly remittances and encouraged local assimilation which stimulated local growth and profits. As world demand for food products rose, the countryside began diversifying away from the rice monoculture. And in response to local demand, enterprising producers founded light manufacturing industries on city and town outskirts.

Pibul was deposed and exiled in 1957 by one of his leading generals and erstwhile supporters, Sarit Thanarat, who immediately initiated sweeping bureaucratic reforms to promote economic development. Perfectly embodying the Thai strongman concept and devoted to the Crown, Sarit became the most popular Thai leader of the post-war period. His dynamism gave Thailand the stability, security and sense of direction which had been lacking during previous years of political and economic stagnation.

Sarit met the needs of Thailand's ever-burgeoning population by stressing economic development as the government's first priority. He had willingly listened to ideas forwarded by progressive young technocrats, giving those he believed worthwhile enthusiastic backing.

The Budget Bureau, the National Economic Development Board, the Industrial Finance Corporation of Thailand, the Board of Investment and the Tourist Organization of Thailand were established to plan and administer national development and to encourage foreign investors to take an active part in the country's growth. With these instruments, Sarit set in motion a national economic plan which greatly boosted agricultural activity and exports. Major irrigation, highway, communications, educational, banking and social reforms were initiated.

The basis for Sarit's changes was a recognition that the Thai government's traditional modes of economic planning were insufficient to develop Thailand at a pace consistent with the rapidly-moving world to which the country's future was tied. By restructuring the government on more efficient lines, Sarit, by the time of his death in 1963, had provided the nation with a sound infrastructure upon which succeeding governments could safely build, demonstrating in the process that ability to adapt which had served Thais so well throughout their long history.

Diverse Forces, Unique Synthesis

Throughout its long history, Thai culture has been nourished and shaped by a variety of concepts. Some, like Buddhism, have been imported and been adapted to Thai forms. Others, the routines of village life, for example, are indigenous, and as far as we know have remained comparatively unchanged from ancient times. A third group, including the Thai language itself and numerous art forms, are hybrids in which an indigenous core has been enriched and diversified by outside influences.

Over the centuries these forces have interlocked to form a powerful, individual and complex culture which retains the ability to renew itself as the world changes and new developments exert their various pressures. The central concepts of religion, family and village structure, language and artistic expression remain firm, but permit the Thai culture they support to adapt and develop into new forms and expressions. By under-standing these concepts and their effect on the way Thais perceive the world, it is possible likewise to comprehend where the country's multi-fold culture came from, where it is now, and where it is going.

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