While the government has implemented projects to drive the Thai economy toward the digital era, the conscience of the powers-that-be and the rich remain outdated and trapped in the analogue era.
In order to catch the digital train, our government has come up with the Thailand 4.0 economic agenda, a push toward a cashless society and preparations for embracing fintech, cryptocurrency and blockchain.
These technologies will transform the world of finance and many other industries.
As the digital age has facilitated information- and data-sharing, people now expect more from their leaders when it comes to transparency and ethical standards.
Wichit Chantanusornsiri is a senior economics reporter, Bangkok Post.
But many of the rich and the powerful have done the opposite. They still cling to nepotism, patronage and corruption when they want to gain a competitive edge.
These are the kind of things Thai people want to consign to the past because they have hindered the country from progressing economically and developmentally.
Three high-profile cases have emerged recently that best illustrate how many of our leaders retain their consciences from the analogue era.
The first involves Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon.
Gen Prawit, one of the "big brothers" in the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), has been scrutinised over a list of 25 luxury watches he has worn but failed to include among his declared assets to the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC).
Gen Prawit claims he borrowed the timepieces from friends.
Shortly afterwards, another high-profile leader from the corporate sector found himself at the centre of a firestorm.
Italian-Thai Development Plc president Premchai Karnasuta was allegedly caught poaching in the Thungyai Naresuan Wildlife Sanctuary in Kanchanaburi, a world heritage site.
The public has asked whether he used his personal connections or influence to gain access to prohibited areas in the wildlife park.
After the watch and poaching scandals surfaced, we saw another senior official in trouble under similarly shady circumstances.
Pol Gen Somyot Poompunmuang, the former national police chief, has admitted to borrowing 300 million baht from one of the alleged owners of Victoria's Secret Massage parlour, who is still on the run and now faces human trafficking charges.
As this business operates in a grey area, law enforcement officers are keen to keep their distance and not be called out on it.
Thailand deserves greater economic prosperity and Thai people deserve better livelihoods. We shouldn't end up as a country hosting 11 million poor people whose daily earning is less than 300 baht, which is lower than the minimum wage set for unskilled workers. Worse still, more than 5 million people live on less than 100 baht a day.
The income level of these groups of people should have been lifted so that they can live a decent life. Regrettably, progress in Thailand's economic development during the past decade has been bogged down by political instability, partly driven by corruption allegations against those in high public office.
Establishing good ethical standards for political office-holders, business leaders and members of the public is the key to tackling graft. It is as important as the government's drive to develop economic projects such as electric train services for Bangkok, and inter-provincial high-speed rail projects or the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC). Strong ethics can serve as a foundation to help stabilise Thailand in the digital era, when information flows at such a fast pace.
The government has found it hard to resist the fast pace of information-sharing on social media and other online platforms. Therefore, it should let these platforms expose the facts and reveal information that can help establish a more ethical awareness in Thai society.
Government figures should also set an example when it comes to creating such standards. For example, in the case of Gen Prawit, who may really have borrowed all those expensive watches from his old friends, his resignation would surely make the NACC's probe appear more trustworthy and independent. That could serve as a good example for others to follow.
A survey on corruption taken last July by the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce and the Anti-Corruption Organisation of Thailand reveals that 98% of respondents saw graft as a pressing concern while only 1% regarded it as irrelevant.
This shows how Thai society has become increasingly intolerant of corruption. The survey also indicates that social media is playing a bigger role in scrutinising governments and allegations of graft.
The poll also highlighted the "tea money" culture in which businesses last year had to bribe government officials and politicians equivalent to 5-15% of the value of whatever contracts they were bidding for.
Such extensive bribery peaked six or seven years ago before drawing back considerably.
Domestic surveys of two organisations involved in under-the-table payments found they were paying tea money in the range of 25-35% from 2010-2013 .
However, the situation had already improved considerably by 2015, when the same kind of bribes were reported as being "in the 1-5% range", according to local media.
If businesses are forced to pay bribes of such high proportions, CEOs who are transparent and straightforward will be unable to compete in their bids for contracts from state agencies in the future.
Moreover, the overall quality of products and services must be high.
Digital society demands greater transparency and higher ethical standards from politicians and government officials. People have become less tolerant to corruption and they are ready to expose graft whenever they discover it.
The government must cotton on to this trend. Its failure to meet these demands will become a key obstacle to its administration and eventually derail the country's economic development.
