Thai
Culture Fights off Economic Crisis
Year 1998 is to be sadly remembered
as the year that Thailand was caught in a grave national economic
crisis. The baht currency which had been in study decline in value
since it was allowed to float in mid 1997, resulting in price increases,
bankrupcy of businesses, and mass lay off. There is a sense of urgency
and need for all Thai to rally for alleviating suffering, to turn
crisis into opportunity and to weather the crisis until recovery
of national economy. 
The Office of the
National Culture Commission in doing its share of
responsibilities has mastered its cultural
resources which include its cultural network and
its allies to launch a national campaign. Its
objective is to urge the Thai to buy Thai, eat
Thai, visit Thailand first, and join in the
movement to step up saving and become more and
more self-reliant. With the cooperation of both
private and public organizations, the Project
“ Thai Culture Fights off Economic
Crisis” is launched with the following
objectives
 First: To help
strengthen individuals and communities in their determination to
become self-reliant -economically, psychologically and socially
and to rediscover the values of Thai traditional wisdom with a sense
of pride.
Second: To
campaign for the Thai to cut down on spending ,
consume less and espouse the notion of simple
living.
 Third : To campaign
for the Thai to hone their awareness on Thai cultural values, sense
of pride and satisfaction in buying Thai, eating Thai and visiting
Thailand first.
Fourth : To
encourage the Thai to unite their effort and
determination to fight off economic crisis with
compassion toward one another, to disseminate
Thai cultural values through Thai products and
services to be used by non Thai and visitors to
Thailand -with the aim of persuading non-Thai to
buy Thai, eat Thai and visit Thailand.
T o realize the five objectives,
the Office of the National Culture Commission organizes a series
of festivals on “ Thai Culture Fights off Economic Crisis”
-
The first Festival was organized during
2-5 April B.E.2541 at Thailand Cultural Centre, Office of the National
Culture Commissions.
The second Festival was organized during
13-15 August B.E.2541 also at Thailand Cultural Centre, Office of
the National Culture Commissions.
 The activities of the festivals feature inter
alias:
-Pro Thai
-Thai food
- Health food
- Motivating songs
-Production of
cultural media in several foreign languages
-Introduction
home-industry products from various
communities
-Exhibition on
the theme “Thai Culture Fights off
Economic Crisis”
-Research findings
on cultural needs
-Cultural
campaigns
-Supporting
voluntary organizations in the fight to ward
off economic crisis
-Cultural
passports
-Follow up and
assessment of Project
-Low-cost
basic commodities
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