NESDB to put 'social contract' in 11th plan

The National Economic and Social Development Board will encourage all groups interested in Thailand to enter into a "social contract" as part of the 11th national development plan, in order to bring the country out of conflict.

"If we want to live in peace, it is a proper choice … If we want the Kingdom to survive, we must have a social contract," Utis Kaothien, deputy secretary-general of the state planning agency, said yesterday.

Social conflict and a lack of political ethics have hindered society's maturation over the past few years, as shown in the 10th economic and social development plan (2007-2011), according to the think-tank.

It is one of seven factors worsening people's well-being, keeping the well-being index low.

The political conflict and attacks in the southernmost provinces are the main threats to well-being that need sustainable solutions.

The social contract is aimed at creating shared value, with joint cooperation of various interest groups to help drive the new contract.

It will be launched based on a study of social value, culture and behaviour. Society's members will dig out the roots of the conflicts and determine how to correct the problems completely.

The 11th plan will also dwell on post-global economic crisis challenges - creative economy, global warming and social architecture.

NESDB director Somchai Sakdawekeeisorn said an evaluation of the first two years of the 10th plan had found that the country needed to seek remedies for social conflict and low political ethics. Moreover, the well-being index was below the 70-per-cent level that the NESDB wanted to see.

It was 65.4 per cent last year, slightly higher than 64.3 per cent in 2007 and 63 per cent in 2006.

Somchai said people's well-being needed to be improved with reconciliation, particularly by encouraging common sense and good governance.

Corruption is also a problem to be tackled by good governance, although its score had improved from 3.3 points in 2007 to 3.5 in 2008.

In the 10th plan, the strength of the economy and income distribution were supposed to be improved relentlessly, and the figures indicate some progress along these lines.

The low-income population was 8.5 per cent in 2007, declining from 9.55 per cent in 2006, while income disparity was 7.07 times, lower than 7.9 in 2006.

"We encountered the economic crisis in the fourth quarter of last year but the 10th plan remains up to date. It is because we have aimed to develop social capital, the economy and natural resources," Somchai said.

Educational achievement increased from 38.9 per cent in 2007 to 39.2 per cent in 2008, but it needs to be developed further, he said.

There were also five human diseases identified that could be prevented, he added.