Thailand, the Constraints of Success


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Maize in Thailand: production systems, constraints, and research priorities


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Maize is one of five major crops grown in the uplands of Thailand, along with rice, cassava, sugar cane, and rubber trees. Government-promoted crop diversification, increased population growth, improved transportation networks, inter national trade, expansion of upland farming areas, and increased demand for grains from the domestic livestock and poultry industry stimulated Thailand’s maize production beginning in the 1980s. However, Thailand’s domestic maize supply is currently not sufficient to meet the needs of its in-country demands, and small quantities have to be imported. This study characterized the social and biophysical maize production environment of Thailand; examined its response to increasing maize demand; determined constraints to future productivity growth; indicated the potential environmental consequences, and examined the options available for promoting sustainable growth in maize production.




The Politics of Uneven Development


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Why do some middle-income countries diversify their economies but fail to upgrade – to produce world-class products based on local inputs and technological capacities? Why have the 'little tigers' of Southeast Asia, such as Thailand, continued to lag behind the Newly Industrializing Countries of East Asia? Richard Doner goes beyond 'political will' by emphasizing institutional capacities and political pressures: development challenges vary; upgrading poses tough challenges that require robust institutional capacities. Such strengths are political in origin. They reflect pressures, such as security threats and resource constraints, which motivate political leaders to focus on efficiency more than clientelist payoffs. Such pressures help to explain the political institutions – 'veto players' – through which leaders operate. Doner assesses this argument by analyzing Thai development historically, in three sectors (sugar, textiles, and autos) and in comparison with both weaker and stronger competitors (Philippines, Indonesia, Taiwan, Brazil, and South Korea).




Hazards XX


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This symposium focuses on making the best use of current safety knowledge and avoiding complacency in the chemical and process industries, applying knowledge to emerging industries, and ensuring lessons learned in the old industries are transferred to the new so that the same mistakes are not made again.








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Foreign Manufacturing Investments in Resource-based Industries


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The development of resource-based industries has featured importantly in the industrialization strategies of both Malaysia and Thailand and there is considerable potential for the further expansion of the industries. This study provides some background details of the Malaysian and Thai economies and examines some of the features of resource-based industries and their current status in the two countries.




Thailand's Growth Path


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"Thailand is one of the most successful developing countries. After decades of rapid growth, the economy rebounded quickly from the 1997-98 Asian crisis and is set to continue its expansion into the future. Nevertheless, there are doubts about the resilience of the Thai economy. The country appears to be on a lower growth projectory now than before the crisis. What growth can Thailand realistically expect? And what can the government do to sustain such growth into the future? Using a new methodology for identifying binding constraints to growth (Rodrik 2004 and Hausmann and others 2005), the author argues that Thailand's challenge is to maintain growth levels of 4 to 5 percent over the medium term. To achieve this goal, Thailand needs to continue its efforts of improving business infrastructure, trade integration, and skills, as well as intensifying its governance reforms."--World Bank web site.




Critical Hermeneutics in Thai Education


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Critical Hermeneutics in Thai Education sparks the interest to explore Thai education policy and practice in K-university level. The book focuses on innovation in Thai education and how the educational system meets the challenges of the socio-cultural identities and rapidly changing educational system. As the economy improves, the country's social structure may also assist in helping to dispel the great dichotomy between the rich and poor. It provides an understanding of the ways in which a group of teachers from are working to develop sustainable learning community among themselves in relationships with others in The Land of Smiles. It provides in depth interpretations of conversations with participants in both Thailand and United States of America. The key lies in the remarkable changes that can occur when teachers interact and learn from each other, which in turn forms a powerful force for ongoing improvement in the socioeconomic comeback as well as the continuing development of Thailand. Critical hermeneutics integrates philosophy and social sciences within the work of Heidegger, Georg Gadamer, Jurgen Habermas, and Paul Ricoeur in order to explore meaning in interactions, engagement, and conversations. These research studies imply evidence of community learning for mastering achievement and success in the Thai educational practice. Show More Show Less