Bangkok: Thai Building Thailand advises the government on three proactive approaches to upgrade government communication in order to address the impact on economic confidence from the war. Mr. Pariyat Angkurakit, spokesperson for the Thai Sang Thai Party, revealed the current conflict in the Middle East between the United States, Israel, and Iran, which directly impacts energy prices and global supply chains. He believes the government can proactively increase its communication efforts to build confidence and help businesses, especially SMEs and the general public, plan and manage costs effectively in a timely manner.
According to Thai News Agency, the first approach involves creating a "Daily Economic Dashboard" that offers an easy-to-understand communication tool for the public. The proposal suggests that the government should provide a daily economic summary via online media and major websites. This should be presented as an infographic focusing on key data impacting daily life and business, such as oil reserves, fair price indices for consumer goods, and global freight status. Additionally, it should include lessons learned from other countries to help Thai entrepreneurs quickly adapt and use this information for business planning.
The second approach involves integrating data across various ministries for public benefit. The proposal emphasizes promoting the use of the "Government Spokesperson's Office" for in-depth coordination with the Ministry of Energy, the Ministry of Commerce, the Ministry of Finance, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to collect accurate cost structure data. This data should be communicated as a single dataset to aid in understanding the impact of energy prices on commodity costs and to prevent opportunistic price increases, ensuring fairness for both consumers and businesses.
The third suggested strategy is to establish a "Live Q and A" space to directly address public concerns. It is proposed that the government organize live question-and-answer sessions on online platforms, inviting representatives from operational-level economic agencies to directly answer questions from the business sector and the public. These sessions should focus on key issues such as SME assistance measures, managing transportation costs, or regulating the prices of consumer goods. The aim is to promote transparent and accessible communication and reduce the spread of inaccurate information during crises.
"In times of global volatility, accurate and clear information is the most important tool. Adapting communication methods to be easily understood and directly accessible to the public will help reduce panic and enable merchants, including SMEs, to prepare for changes with confidence. This will be a crucial factor in maintaining the country's economic stability," Mr. Pariyat said.