Bank of Thailand's Young Workers Reject Civil-Service Stereotypes.

Aug. 7--A stifling bureaucracy. Low pay and incentives. Resistance to new ideas. Limited opportunities for career advancement.

For many of the country's top graduates, the civil service ranks well down the list of possible employers, especially as economic growth picks up and the job market improves.

Yet for the "new blood" of economists at the Bank of Thailand, the traditional stereotypes of the civil service definitely rings false. Most boast enviable backgrounds with advanced degrees from some of the top universities in the world. Yet they choose to work here, as technocrats truly focused on the thought of serving one's country and making a difference.

Don Nakornthab, an economist at the Monetary Policy Group, said the opportunity to work with highly skilled colleagues was one of the best rewards of working at the bank.

"There is nowhere else in Thailand that suits someone who likes economics more than here," said the Harvard and Yale graduate.

Unlike a pure research institute or academic institution, work at the central bank was not knowledge for knowledge's sake, but research directly influencing public policy.

"When you study in school, you see the mathematical models. But here, you see it put into practice," Dr Don said. "There are challenges, both in basic economics and also how to transform the excellence of research into real policy."