Thailand's advancement will persist at a snail's pace if this country continues to be a childcare centre babysitting 65 million children.
From subsidies of rice, rubber and LPG to the numerous corporate tax breaks and favours. From big, bloated state agencies and protected monopolies, to barriers and protection against foreign and international competition. From the different populist policies and all the handouts, to the 38-million-strong workforce, of which only two million actually pay any income tax. From past to present, Thai governments are busy babysitters.
Subsidies are prudent and necessary at times. The 300-baht minimum wage is one. Certain industries may have to be protected as a matter of national security. As with any country, the agricultural industry is protected. Our food source is a matter of national security.
But industry protection isn't the same as populist handouts. As well, these should be the exception, not the norm.
In the private sector there are those highly professional and able to compete against anyone. But they are extremely few and even farther in between. For most of the country, we are so spoiled and subsidised that we simply just don't know how to stand on our own two feet. So spoiled children will act spoiled.
That's why the private sector complains over the 300-baht minimum wage. That's why rice and rubber farmers march if they feel they are not subsidised enough. That's why taxi drivers and others block the streets if the LPG subsidy is threatened. That's why state enterprises are bloated and inept, but refuse to change.
That's why with the coming of the Asean Economic Community (AEC), people wonder how we are to compete, because we never actually had to compete before - not really.
That's why activists are worried and protesting against the trade agreement with the EU, because the agreement would likely cover intellectual property (IP) rights. This would affect, among other things, the price of medicine. Thailand after all is a hub for producing cheap, generic medicine that otherwise violates IP.
For Thailand in general and the 38 million workers in particular, we are quite spoiled by our babysitter. We enjoy handouts, discounts, copies, knock-offs and the like. Our private sector is well protected.
So we cry when we don't get enough subsidies. So we whine when we have to face real competition. So populism becomes the viable strategy for political parties.
True story: At the swimming pool, there were two kids about 10 years old. They were of different nationalities. Neither knew how to swim.
One kid's parent gently lowered him into the pool, muttering ''be careful, please be careful''. Holding hands and wrapped in a floatation device, the parent gently guided the kid around the pool, all day long and for many days.
The other kid's parent, after showing him the strokes, told him to jump into the pool and swim. The parent stood by to rescue in case he sank. This was all on the first day.
Guess who learned to swim faster and became the better swimmer? But this is not just about swimming; it's about the mentality.
Guess who learned to grow up to take risks and make waves - to go forth and discover. Meanwhile the other kid, fearing to venture out and take risk, always looked for mummy's comforting arms and handholding.
I will let you guess the different nationalities of those two kids.
If Thailand continues to treat its citizens as children - spoiled, whining and crying children - we will continue to be. We won't ever grow up.
If we want to play with the big boys like the EU, we may bargain to protect ourselves to a certain extent, but in the end we will have to play by international rules.
If we want to play with the not-so-big boys like the AEC, we have to get our own boys ready as well.
But we are not getting anything ready as long as we continue to be a nanny state, as long as this country continues to be a childcare centre.
The best way to raise a child is to teach him how to stand on his own feet and brave the world, not to carry him in your arms even when he's 40 years old, still wearing a diaper and all. Mummy needs to take away the cute Hello Kitty floatation device. Mummy needs to let go.
There needs to be a change of vision, a re-engineering of cultural attitude and mindset - and a reformation of the education system.
Thailand needs to grow up and compete in the real world.
Contact Voranai Vanijaka via email at voranaiv@bangkokpost.co.th.