Meeting here in Bangkok and coming from different countries in Asia and elsewhere, and comparing the experiences of our economies and people; listening to the stories and cries of farmers, women, indigenous peoples, fisher folk, the urban poor and slum dwellers of Thailand, and hearing similar stories from India, Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia, Nepal, the Philippines and Sri Lanka; we are struck by the commonality of the consequences of debt and the globalization of the economy on our societies and on nature.

Economic globalization and the international funding institutions together whipped the people of Thailand. The basic sector of our society, workers, farmers, the urban poor and indigenous people suffer most of the economic lashes while being pushed deeper into the whirlpool of poverty. They, together with our women and children, cry but remain unheard.

While the Thai baht has nose-dived continuously since 1997, unemployment has soared. Bankruptcies have increased while those companies that barely survived restructured, laying off sizeable numbers of workers. The prices of products rose without ceasing, widening the gap between the haves and the have-nots. Consequences worsened when the fibre of the family structure shattered, separating married couples, while domestic violence against women and children grew. Suicides shocked Thai society. These were all unexpected.

People expected the government of Thailand to act swiftly to solve the malady and avert economic collapse. But instead of challenging the economic aggressors, it connived with these butchers in slaughtering the economy. Policy makers obeyed the impositions of the IMF and the World Bank, intensifying the misery of the deprived and poor.

We heard the cry of the Thai people. Their representatives in this forum voiced their predicament and their sole demand: a just and more humane life.

We therefore propose the following:

The Thai government should reject IMF and World Bank impositions; they worsen rather than improve national situations.
Government authorities should adopt better development strategies based on:
1. Total partnership with the national business sector in developing the economy. The latest developments prove that we cannot rely on foreigners for genuine growth. Local businessmen, therefore, should be motivated to participate fully in economic and social development.
2. Complete alignment with the people whom the government should serve and trust. Instead of leaning on foreign institutions that cripple our economy and tie our hands, the government should depend on the strength of its people.
We should address the preservation of our national patrimony, culture and environment. It is good to know others' cultural identity, but we should preserve the greatness and glory of our own. The national patrimony, eg, lands and other natural resources, should be preserved for the Thai, and foreign ownership should be limited. Environmental protection programmes should be strictly implemented, not only to conserve our environment for future generations, but to maintain the beauty mother earth gives.

The symposium was jointly organized by the World Alliance of Reformed Churches, the World Council of Churches, the Christian Conference of Asia, the Church of Christ in Thailand, and the Asian Cultural Forum on Development. It was attended by over 60 people from various sectors of society in Thailand and from 19 other countries, namely, Canada, China, Costa Rica, France, Germany, Great Britain, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Nepal, the Netherlands, the Philippines, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Uganda, and Vanuatu.