Striving to overcome the middle-income trap and faced with the challenges of national development, the Thai government has embarked on a path to transform its economic model into a value-based and innovation-driven economy. Under the current administration of Prime Minister General Prayuth Chan-ocha, the Thailand 4.0 policy has been introduced which retains a focus on innovation and consists of three aims: 1) becoming a high-income nation through developing it as a knowledge-based economy, with an emphasis on research and development, science and technology, creative thinking, and innovation; 2) moving toward an inclusive society with equitable access to the fruits of prosperity and development; and 3) focusing on achieving sustainable growth and development, without destroying the environment. Thus, Thailand 4.0 places its emphasis on developing a creative economy based on creativity and innovation, and the development of new technologies.
Reforming Higher Education for Thailand 4.0
In its development of the Third Framework of the 15-Year Long Range Plan (2017–2031), the Office of Higher Education Commission has suggested a number of key changes that are required in Thailand 4.0. Since the future of the nation rests on the quality of its people, “Thai people 4.0” are the prime focus of the blueprint of Thailand 4.0. Future generations should aspire to be knowledgeable, highly skilled, socially responsible, maintain their Thai identity, and be able to use technology. For research and innovation, a multidisciplinary infrastructure, hands-on learning and research, innovative projects, and demand-led research are the focus. Public-private-community partnerships will be used as a key strategy to enhance the effectiveness of university academic services so as to make them more responsive and efficient. Digital higher education such as massive open online courses (MOOCs), digital content, open lectures, flipped learning, etc., are also highlighted in this new long-range plan.
Thus, the blueprint for Thailand 4.0 also proposes new approaches to education. But the extent to which Thailand will be able to overhaul its education remains a challenge. Most of the lecturers currently teaching in higher education institutions have been trained in the use of traditional approaches, and can have difficulty adapting to the new approaches that will be required to educate new generations. A change of mindset and a revolution in teaching practices will be pivotal to the success of Higher Education 4.0.
Creative Society for Thailand 4.0: Concepts and Challenges
Although the notion of the creative society has been used in Thailand to promote a perceived “desirable” society, there has been no clear operational definition. A study on “Public and Private Partnership in Higher Education Institutions in Promoting a Creative Society”, conducted in 2013-2015 by the present author, employed a mixed-research methodology to formulate a conception of a creative society in the Thai context, and to propose new roles and practices for higher education in order to promote a creative society. The study conducted in-depth interviews with government officials, university administrators and faculty members, document analysis, and questionnaires.
Based on the findings from the in-depth interviews and document analysis, the understanding is that a creative society in Thailand encompasses socio-cultural, economic and political dimensions and can be summarised in the following three desirable characteristics: 1) a society that uses creativity as a basis for sustainable social development; 2) economic development of creative industries; and 3) a society that promotes equality, justice, inclusivity and freedom of thought. Many respondents viewed the creative economy as a stepping stone towards a creative society, as a creative economy can spill over to other social dimensions. The concepts of a creative society that emerged from this study were in line with how Thailand 4.0 conceptualises a creative society and with its aim of sustainable development and social inclusivity through the use of creativity and innovation. The results of this study can therefore be used as a framework with which to analyse the key challenges of Thai Higher Education 4.0.
The in-depth interviews and documentary analysis suggest that the key challenges to Thailand becoming a creative society — and therefore to the success of Thailand 4.0 — are social structure, cultural values and educational practices. For example, inequalities in the socio-economic structure embedded in Thailand’s patronage system and in Buddhist beliefs about karma were regarded by some respondents as major impediments to Thailand becoming a creative society. In addition, cultural values of seniority, obedience, and cultural preservation or political censorship could obstruct freedom of thought, self-confidence and open expression.
Many respondents suggested that a conceptualisation of a creative society that views creativity as inherent to every human being regardless of race, age, gender, or socio-economic status could harness human creativity more effectively. Many studies have supported this view put forth by the respondents that diversity and divergence promote creativity. The respondents saw some important features of Thai culture that contribute to this wider view of creativity. For example, Thailand is a country of diversity with different cultures, traditions and lifestyles co-existing, and historically Thai people have been good at adopting and integrating different cultures to their own. Thai people are also flexible, have a sense of fulfilment and like to have fun.
Many respondents also viewed the stricter quality control systems that the government put in place in response to low quality and a market-driven economy in higher education as actually obstructing the integrated curriculum design and learning that they believed are required to foster creativity and innovation.
Thai Higher Education for a Creative Society: Impediments and Need Assessment
There was overall agreement among respondents that Thai education has generally focused on the transmission of knowledge, testing and accreditation, all of which are found to obstruct creativity, meaningful learning, and the courage to think and act differently. Some argued that in order to foster a creative society, creative education is needed. Many respondents saw students in higher education as products of basic education and believed that creativity should be nurtured at a young age and that beginning to focus on creativity and innovation at university level is too late. Many respondents also viewed the stricter quality control systems that the government put in place in response to low quality and a market-driven economy in higher education as actually obstructing the integrated curriculum design and learning that they believed are required to foster creativity and innovation. The in-depth interviews also showed that the respondents had a range of different views on the concepts of creativity and innovation and that they perceived these differences as a barrier to an inclusive society. For example, responses from the government officers and university administrators tended to value creative ideas in the sciences and technology as important because of their economic value, whereas respondents in the fine arts, social sciences and humanities viewed creativity in wider areas as also being important in a creative society.
Socio-Political-Cultural Implications for Thai Higher Education 4.0
Since educational transformation is synonymous with cultural transformation, there is a need to reassess the effect of Thai cultural norms on creativity and individuality in the light of the accelerating pace of change. For Thailand 4.0 to achieve its goals, the socio-cultural and higher educational impediments identified from the in-depth interviews, document analysis and questionnaires in our study need to be discussed in detail.
While there are many aspects of Thai social structure and culture obstructing creativity, there are also some that can contribute to creativity. Many studies support the idea that diversity and divergence promote creativity. As noted previously, different cultures, traditions and lifestyles co-exist in Thailand, with a large degree of adaptation and integration. Its people are known to be flexible, fulfilled and fun-loving. Although Thailand is a country with a constitutional monarchy with lèse-majesté laws — which to many foreigners might signify social inequality and suppression of freedom of thought and creativity — the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej was an inventor and supporter of creativity and innovation, and was a beloved role model to many Thais in applying a problem-based approach to sustainable development, agricultural reform and the welfare of the Thai people.
The success of higher education institutions in promoting the creative and innovative society of Thailand 4.0 will require socio-cultural and institutional transformation.
Conclusion
The success of higher education institutions in promoting the creative and innovative society of Thailand 4.0 will require socio-cultural and institutional transformation. Although there have already been some important successes, there are still many reforms that will be necessary for Thailand to develop the innovation, lifelong learning and knowledge-based society required for it to remain competitive in an age of global movement and uncertainty. Although the aim of this paper has been to identify reforms that will be required in higher education institutions and the challenges that will be faced in implementing these reforms, it is clear that reforms will also be required at the political, socio-cultural and economic levels. At the political level, there should be a stronger emphasis on the importance of freedom of expression. At the economic level, it will be necessary to reduce the gap between the rich and the poor. Finally, how well the balance can be struck between socio-political, socio-cultural and institutional preservation on the one hand, and challenging old practices and being open to new ideas on the other — all of which are still neglected in the government policy documents of Thailand 4.0 — will determine the success of Thailand 4.0.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The original full article was first published in 2018 in Asian Education and Development Studies (Volume 7, Issue 2). The author wishes to thank the Thailand Research Fund for financial support that made the research underpinning this article possible.
PROMPILAI BUASUWAN
Prompilai Buasuwan is Chair of Graduate Programs in Educational Administration, and also Deputy Director of Computer Services, Kasetsart University, Thailand.
APRIL 2021 | ISSUE 10
State of the Region: The Commemorative 10th Issue
