Thai Cultural and Ethical Codes in Climate Change Negotiations

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Thai Cultural and Ethical Codesin Climate
Change Negotiations
Wanee Samphantharak
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Presentation Flow

• Thai Ethics and Morals
• Thai Culture and Society
• Development, Globalization and Thai Culture
• Renewal of Ethics and Morals
• Ethics and International Environment

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Thai Ethics and Morals

• Derived from the traditional religion of Thailand
  Buddhism
• Recognize human is part of nature
• Emphasize the mutual co-existence of man and
  nature use loving-kindness as a means for
  peaceful co-existence
• Use Moderation as the key
• Consume moderately
• Live moderately
• relate moderately

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Thai Culture and Society

• Agricultural based, especially rice
• Strong community cohesion
• Agricultural labor sharing
• Participation and cooperation in community
  activities
• Self reliance Self sufficiency
• Polite, Compromise and Peacefulness
• Land of Smile

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Development, Globalization and Thai Culture

• The Cultural effects of development patterns
• Western pattern of development influenced heavily
• Social values of moderation replaced by economic
  maximization
• Overemphasize economic wealth and materialism

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Economic Crisis and Moderation Renewal

• Economic and financial crisis caused serious
  social and economic problems
• The crisis requires strong adjustments
• The King Guidance to fight the arising problems

Sufficiency Economy
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Philosophy of Sufficiency Economy

• Means Moderation and due consideration on all
  modes of conduct
• Stress Middle Path as a principle for
  appropriate conduct

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Ethics and International Environment

• Global environments are externalities and
  institutional intervention is needed
• The Principles underlying the Climate Change
  Convention has built-in Ethical and Moral
  consideration
• Precaution
• Common but Differentiated Responsibilities
• Information Exchange
• Assistance to the Needs and the Affected

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The Convention Process and Ethical Issue

• The process indicates Ethics and Moral are
  lacking in Climate Change negotiation
• Overemphasizing market and efficiency
• Lack of financial and technical support for
  vulnerability and adaptation
• Ignore inter-nation and inter- generation
  equity
• Fail to distinguish Emission for Survival from
  Emission for Luxury

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Toward Global Sustainable Development

• Ethics and Moral for international environment is
  critically needed
• Look at nature as integral part of us
• Consider all humankind, all space and time
• Moderation and Sufficiency Economy are
  important keys to dilute Greedy and Concentrate
  middle path of life toward sustainable
  development
• Leading a contented life with few desires
• Being satisfied and therefore always happy

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Thank You
Thank You