The more things change, the more they stay the same

The more things change, the more they stay the same

I'm in the hotels and resorts industry, so most of my staff are local to each hotel's location. The majority of my people have few if any formal qualifications apart from the undying will to work hard and to make something of their lives. As the chief executive, I'm constantly called on stage to make the opening speech at our annual staff parties.

This can be quite a daunting experience, because speaking to a marauding bunch of over-excited youngsters is a real challenge. These guys don't want to hear me sing, thank God. They don't want to listen to a long boring lecture about how wonderful I am. And they certainly don't want to be talked down to as if they're juvenile halfwits. So, every year my speech begins by thanking them for their efforts, but it always ends with this message to them: "I couldn't give a toss whether you have a degree or not, what religion you believe in, or who your parents are. In this organisation, if you work hard and play by the rules there is always a future here for you.''

I hope these youngsters have learnt something from me, as I have learnt so much from spending time with them. And the one thing I know for certain, is that given the opportunity in a healthy environment and with a little guidance, very ordinary people are capable of achieving very extraordinary things. One of the proudest moments in my business career came a couple of years ago when I promoted a young man to managerial status at the hotel. This lovely young man came to work for me eight years ago as a confused 17-year-old without even a high-school diploma. He started off cleaning the floors and toilets, did the heavy lifting and never once complained or made a fuss. Now he attends senior staff meetings, runs a division with 15 people under his command, has a wife and kids and just bought a new house.

So what is the point I'm trying to make? If we want to see Thailand thrive in the modern world we must make sure we are able to engage all 67 million people in the process. To do this, we must create a society that celebrates aspiration, where our best and brightest people can succeed. A society that protects and nurtures those who work hard, are willing to take risks and play by the rules. Most importantly, a society not of equal outcomes but of equal opportunities. In short, a country based less around the system of patronage but based more on the modern requirements of a meritocratic arrangement.

From our present system we keep producing leaders with as much vision as the common earthworm. Our leaders consistently fail to harness the full potential of the vast resources we have to offer. And why is that? Because we live in a "daddy knows best" society, where the merit of what is said, is not as important as who said it and where success is determined largely by who you know rather than what you know. What kind of society do we create when those without merit have more chance of success? How can Thailand survive in the modern age when those who are charting our course towards the future are the very ones that are living in the past? And when does the garbage that's been piling up for decades start to pollute the air that we all breathe?

In Thailand, the more things change, the more they remain the same. This is the story of our lives. It seems clear now that the Charter Drafting Committee wants to take Thailand back to the 1980s. The new constitution will seek to weaken major political parties and neuter the power of the executive. It will reinforce the drawbridge and buttresses of the bureaucracy, which will ensure Thailand returns to an age of unstable coalitions, governmental deadlock and the occasional military strongman being summoned to play the role of "Dear Leader". It's sad to see, but unstable coalitions and government deadlock was exactly what we all wanted to abolish back then. That's why we drafted the 1997 People's Constitution. So basically, Thailand has jumped out of the frying pan, into the fire and now we're leaping headfirst back into the frying pan once again!

Therefore, I implore the same tired faces that are leading this country to step aside and let the new generation make their own mistakes. The modern world requires modern thinkers and a new way of tackling our problems. Growing up can be painful, but if we can learn from those mistakes we can create a better society. In my humble opinion, the real divide in Thai society today is not red versus yellow or Democrats versus Pheu Thai. The real divide in Thailand is between those with all the opportunities in the world who don't deserve it, versus those with none who do.


Songkran Grachangnetara is an entrepreneur. He graduated from The London School of Economics and Columbia University. He can be reached at Twitter: @SongkranTalk

Songkran Grachangnetara

Entrepreneur

Songkran Grachangnetara is an entrepreneur. He graduated from The London School of Economics and Columbia University.

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