EDITORIAL

Cabinet of top brass failed to shine

 

PM Prayut must now seek to remedy damage done by military mindset, and appoint technocrats to head ministries  

It isn’t clear whether the recent abrupt resignation of Labour Minister Sirichai Distakul, a retired Army general, was linked with pending changes at the top of government. But the controversy appears to have paved the way for Premier Prayut Chan-o-cha to reshuffle the Cabinet.

 

Some observers suggest Sirichai was pressured to stand down after failing to meet performance goals. If so, he is in good company. In truth the entire Cabinet, which is made up of mostly retired military men, like Sirichai, continues to come up short.

 

That failure to achieve benchmarks is no surprise given that these former generals, appointed by Prayut, weren’t qualified to run ministries in the first place.

 

Many were in over their heads as soon as they took their posts, and the country and its people are the ones who have paid the penalty.

 

The daily pace of social, economic and political events is moving faster than at any time in history.  In this dynamic environment there is no room for soldiers who know little or nothing about governance or administration.

 

If Prayut has any sense, he will appoint civilian technocrats to head his ministries.

 

This will be the fifth Cabinet reshuffle under his leadership, and by all rights it should be a major one. Currently, about a third of the Cabinet is made up of retired military top brass closely connected to the ruling junta, the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO).

 

Junta supporters have been willing to overlook the fact that ministers are unqualified to run the country, insisting that a military-run government was necessary to restore normalcy.

 

But over time it has become obvious that the generals are woefully out of their depth and costing the country dearly.

 

The voices of complaint have now grown so loud that Prayut’s administration can no longer feign deafness.

 

Under closest scrutiny is the Ministry of Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives commanded by General Chatchai Sarikalya. Chatchai was faced with a plummeting rubber price that pushed many farmers into distress and despair. Meanwhile the Royal Irrigation Department has been rendered near powerless by successive periods of deluge and drought, leaving farmers prey to floods and water shortages.

 

Chatchai responded to criticism of his ministry’s performance by claiming it had not been good at promoting its accomplishments, whatever they may be, and that he stood ready, as a soldier, to take whatever comes his way.

 

In what seemed a last-ditch effort to salvage dignity for the soon-to-be jobless generals, Chatchai said, “I’m a soldier. I will go back to where ever I came from [if I’m removed from the Cabinet].”

 

Deputy Prime Minister General Tanasak Patimapragorn has said the new Labour minister, or any other incoming Cabinet member, need not come from military ranks. That prompted speculation we will soon see more civilians in top office.

 

One Cabinet post that could very well be off limits to this trend – although it shouldn’t be – is the Interior portfolio held by General Anupong Paochinda.

 

Anupong was praised for his role in restoring law and order following the 2014 coup. But still lingering are controversies stemming from the purchase of overpriced military equipment when he was Army chief, and, more recently, the the Bt573-million procurement of seemingly overpriced speed guns.

 

Of course, ministers in a democratic governments can be incompetent too. But these ministers are accountable for their actions to the electorate, who can vote them out of power when they fail to perform or even make serious blunders.

 

No such safeguard has been in place in Thailand for the past three years.

 

While any move towards greater meritocracy in the Cabinet is welcome, since it would likely improve administration of the country, the military mindset in Thai government has already done much damage. The fallout from a deficit of accountability, questioning and expertise will be felt by all Thai citizens for years to come.                

 

Source:  http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/opinion/30331088

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-11-07

"Of course, ministers in a democratic governments can be incompetent too. But these ministers are accountable for their actions to the electorate, who can vote them out of power when they fail to perform or even make serious blunders."

 

The Nation was also one in the crowd cheering the loudest and spewing vitroil for the elected civilian government to be removed and it has taken them so ling to realise the blunder. Better late than never.

23 minutes ago, webfact said:

Cabinet of top brass failed to shine

 

PM Prayut must now seek to remedy damage done by military mindset, and appoint technocrats to head ministries  

 

Just when I was beginning to think that the Nation was (finally!) getting it, this piece of nonsense comes out.

 

It is true that "top brass failed to shine" and that the situation needs to be rectified. However, the Nation doesn't seem to understand the problem, so their solutions are flawed as well.

 

The root of the problem in the Thai government for the last few years has been one of leadership. We have seen unqualified people taking vital posts, we have seen (what everyone believes) is corruption on a large scale, we have seen policies that focus on security to the detriment of all else, and we have seen a stunning lack of responsibility and accountability. Moreover, we have seen little action in the way of rectifying these problems.

 

There is an old saying "the fish rots at the head". Thailand needs a new fish.

 

It has all been a lot of glorious talk.  The good general escape justice but not history.  His legacy is a wasted three years. 

1 hour ago, webfact said:

"top brass failed to shine"

Love the headline but love the story even better. Unfortunately nothing will change; the PM is autocratic and will simply  shuffle the generals around ensuring the dullness will remain. 

Can't let the experienced and qualified technocrats in the door. They would then find out what a stuff up Prayut and his incompetent generals have made of things.

And the PM is also quoted in another newspaper of asking, "Why do you hate soldiers?". Sad thing is these misleading questions do actually stifle people who can't think for themselves. Just a manipulator and not even a good one. 

 

It's not about liking soldiers. It's about not liking soldiers being in charge of big and important jobs they are in no way qualified to be in. I really don't know where he can keep going with all of this. He's getting backed in all the time.

7 hours ago, webfact said:

Chatchai said, “I’m a soldier. I will go back to where ever I came from ...”

A bit of a bummer if these generals don't even know that. Although I'm sure there are any number of Thais who could point them in the right direction.

7 hours ago, webfact said:

. The fallout from a deficit of accountability, questioning and expertise will be felt by all Thai citizens for years to come.    

Thailand set the clock back by a decade of lost opportunities, global image and a country more divided by the actions of the coups and the economy weakened by th incompetency of the post coup junta government. 

 

2 coups in just a decade and the distinction of the only country in the world post millennium to have that number of coups. Thailand self inflict this image of coup country that scare off investors and truncated long term policies to improve structural issues like education and bureaucracy. While Vietnam and Philippines atttacted most of the FDI away from Thailand, we will lost the chance to improve our standard of living and technology. This will be a big price to pay for years to come.

 

I think the damage has been done and getting civilian technocrats at this stage to improve the government are too little and too late.

 

The only way for the junta to help improve the situation is to put a date on an early election and allow political activities to resume. Denounce Acticle 44 and allow some form of free expression. 

 

 

10 hours ago, webfact said:

This will be the fifth Cabinet reshuffle under his leadership, and by all rights it should be a major one. Currently, about a third of the Cabinet is made up of retired military top brass closely connected to the ruling junta, the National Council for Peace and Order

There seems not a day that goes by that the military mocks Article 3 of the 2017 Constitution: ‘sovereign power belongs to the Thai people’.

It does not and shall never so long as the people's sovereignty is undermined by the extra-constitutional power of a minority that controls the fate of the Thai people. 

10 hours ago, saakura said:

"Of course, ministers in a democratic governments can be incompetent too. But these ministers are accountable for their actions to the electorate, who can vote them out of power when they fail to perform or even make serious blunders.

The Nation was also one in the crowd cheering the loudest and spewing vitroil for the elected civilian government to be removed and it has taken them so ling to realise the blunder. Better late than never.

I think the nation understands the situation perfectly! they know which side of the bread is buttered on! say no more!