Selected Comments Samdech Moha Bovor Thipadei Hun Manet, at the closing ceremony of the 2023 stocktaking and the 2024 directives-setting of the Ministry of Planning [Unofficial translations ]

CMF: 09/04/2024

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(1) Planning work and data collection and analysis is especially important
[…] Accurate data leads to accurate planning. Comprehensive data helps us develop a plan that is feasible and sustainable. Whatever one is doing needs to be scientifically founded. We cannot use fortune-tellers to predict what to do next year. We need to have a long-term plan by comparing and monitoring developments in the areas of politics, national security, and global economic changes. This is the basis of planning, especially the long-term strategic planning, such as the pentagonal strategy, which will last for 25 years […] the planning work requires accurate data collection and analysis […]
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(2) The Ministry of Planning plays the role of facilitating the collection, management and analysis of data
In this sense, data collection, management and analysis are important. Each ministry (institution) has built the capacity of its respective officials (to work in) collect data collection/compilation. The Royal Government has 30 institutions. If each institution uses only its own data to plan, there will be problems. It requires a main institution acting in (facilitation or coordination). Even in the vaccination (experience in the course of fighting against Covid-19), we had noticed that in some places, the data provided by the districts differed from the data provided by the communes, and also were unlike the data provided by the Ministry of Planning […] (based on this experience, it is necessary to) have a main actor who will synthesize and lay out common data for analysis, in which sense, the Ministry of Planning (plays an important role) […]
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(3) By 2050, the elderly population will outnumber those in their 15 years of age
In the latest presentation, the presenter gives us the impression that we all see that by 2050, the number of elderly people will outnumber those in their 15 years of age. Those at their 15 years of age will proceed to enter middle age, and eventually, they will reach their middle age, and the current middle age people will come to their old age. As of now, this segment of the (middle age) is still large. If the number of people born is less than the number of people (who are entering old age,) sooner or later (we will lack labor). This is already the case encountered in neighboring countries. In another instance, the birth rate among our population (which is approximately) 2.1% is going to decline, whereas in 2050, although we still have a large (labor force), first, they are still small, although we still have a lot of potential to take from the population, and secondly, the decrease in the percentage between young and old is also a problem. We now export a lot of labor abroad. Many countries in Asia are lacking (labor) and need to import labor gradually […]
(4) By 2050, the birth rate will decrease due to higher living costs as well as the mindset of the people
Again, although forecasts based on the census data suggest that we do not have a problem by 2050, we do see signs of increasing gap between older population (in comparation to) the middle-aged or full-grown people. If the birth rate drops further, we may face challenges. (At the same time) having children these days is easier than having children by 2050. In some countries, when they relax the plans (to limit the number of children) and encourage people to have children by 2050, the cost of raising children and securing children is different from the present. (This shall include also) the mindset of the people. In China, about six or seven years ago, the Chinese government encouraged people to have two children. Among the 10 million families who can afford to have two children, only 900,000 applied. Another 9.1 million families do not want to have children at all because of the cost of raising them (is high) and on the other hand, s/he used to be the only child in the family. (That) is a problem. This is where predicting the future and planning needs to right. People are resources because people are the basis of everything […]
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(5) Strengthen National School of Planning and Statistics to provide human resource to assist the Ministry of Planning and other ministries
We are talking about scientific data. Scientific data training must have a clear framework. Of course, we have officials who come out of training in various disciplines and who have used and done researches […] however, working in the government needs to perfect (those skills). The National School of Planning (and Statistics – NSPS) has an important role to play. Regarding the staff shortage, it is the case everywhere, in all departments, but at this moment we must focus on where there is the major need. The NSPS is also a priority that the Ministry must consider in terms of both quantity and quality. Recruiting more staff, supplementing and upgrading the qualifications for the officials working in this data field is essential. I would like to encourage and support the direction in strengthening the School of National Planning and Statistics, an important assistance for human resource production, to help the Ministry of Planning and other ministries concerned […]
(6) Develop a common planning index requires scientific data skills
In the near future, planning index needs to have a common standard. We cannot allow a ministry to adopt one standard on its own. For administrative work, we have the (Royal) school (of administration). Officials in charge of finance must go through a course set by the Ministry of Economy and Finance (as) a common standard for all ministries and institutions. Scientific data work is necessary. In the future, the school will not only play a complementary role in the ministry, but for the whole nation to achieve consistency. Talking about data, one number wrong (will cause) wrong analysis […] in econometrics, one numerical number keyed in, the whole data will go wrong. Which means we will put together a plan that is not inconsistent. For a common standard for the nation, we need to strengthen this work […]
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Regarding the location of the Ministry (of Planning), I accepted to study your request, but I have not answered. We need to think carefully. Whatever we do, we must think of the officials first. Are we to think about reinforcement on the current place or we should do something else? We will consider this matter. This arrangement is to take into account the increased workload and the difficulty, especially in the city center, where parking is a problem and there are more and more cars now. In some ministries, they have parking space underground. At the moment, I do not give you the answer yet […]./.