Political leaders agree to join discussions on reforms

By THE SUNDAY NATION

 

Anek Laothamatas

 

KEY figures from five parties have agreed to hold discussions with the political reform committee to help draft the national reform plan in line with the legally binding 20-year national strategy.

 

Abhisit Vejjajiva (Democrat Party), Khunying Sudarat Keyuraphan (Pheu Thai), Nikorn Chamnon ( Chartthai Pattana), Anutin Charnvirakul (Bhumjaithai) and Suwat Liptapanlop (Chart Pattana) are all set to meet with the committee next week.

 

Anek Laothamatas, president of the junta-appointed committee, said yesterday that his panel would seek the politicians’ opinions before finalising the first draft of their political reform plan.

 

Among issues to feature highly in the discussions, Anek said, would be meritocracy, fair elections, building a political culture and public participation under the constitutional monarchy, conflict resolution by peaceful means, unity building, decentralisation in local governance and a fair distribution of resources.

 

The talks would also fall under the national reforms required in the 2017 charter, he added.

 

The Constitution requires that the current junta-backed government work on the long-term national strategy to “set goals” for the country. It will abide by future governments, who will have to report to Parliament on their follow-up on the strategy plan.

 

Any government that fails to do so could risk legal punishment.

 

The government has established a strategy committee, involving several Army generals, as well as several reform committees, with many members who have a record of working with previous junta-appointed bodies.

 

Rames Ratanachaweng

 

Meanwhile, Democrat Party deputy spokesperson Rames Ratanachaweng called for the junta to once again seek ways for political parties affected by the junta’s ban on political gatherings of five or more people.

 

The order, which has been enforced since the 2014 coup, has severely hampered political parties, including preparing themselves for the new political bill.

 

PM General Prayut Chan-o-cha has previously said the ban would remain despite the fact that the bill requires specific deadlines for parties to follow since its enactment last month.

 

Prayut then promised that “one way or another” the deadlines could be expanded either by the parties making special requests to not-yet-appointed registrars or by him invoking his special powers under Article 44.

 

However, Rames said yesterday that political parties were still powerless because the Election Commission had also said that it could not allow parties to follow the bill’s Article 141 since the ban was still in place.

 

Article 141 requires that all parties notify changes of members in their registration lists within 90 days of the law being enacted, or October 7. “It is more than 40 days and they should provide more clarification,” he added.

 

Meanwhile, Government Spokesperson Lt-General Sansern Kaewkamnerd yesterday urged |people to “stop speculating” about the Cabinet reshuffle and to have faith in Prayut, who had handpicked the new Cabinet members. “Guessing will only discourage those ministers and the government,” Sansern said.

 

Prayut said on Friday that he had finalised his Cabinet list and it was in the process of seeking royal endorsement. He expected everything to be settled by next month.

 

Though the official list has not yet been publicised, there has been some speculation, mostly concerning generals who are ministers and those related to the economy.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/politics/30331973

 

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-11-19

Quote

KEY figures from five parties have agreed to hold discussions with the political reform committee to help draft the national reform plan in line with the legally binding 20-year national strategy.

If they each bring one board of wood to the discussion they can make an open casket in which to bury democracy as the results of any election will be a farce after the 20-year strategy has been implemented.

4 hours ago, rooster59 said:

Political leaders

I was not aware that such thing exist over here.

Three years on and the discussions have not changed at all.  A few years from now there will be sit ins on the junta just for boring people to death.   Road maps are nice things, but rarely take in to account chaotic, random events.  

Good luck on that one, reforms on reforms etc.

KEY figures from five parties have agreed to hold discussions with the political reform committee to help draft the national reform plan in line with the legally binding 20-year national strategy.

If they each bring one board of wood to the discussion they can make an open casket in which to bury democracy as the results of any election will be a farce after the 20-year strategy has been implemented.
Bob i partly agree, but things like flood control setting a part of the budget aside for it for 20 year would be good. Now now government want to invest too much as it takes too long to see results.

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1 hour ago, robblok said:

Bob i partly agree, but things like flood control setting a part of the budget aside for it for 20 year would be good. Now now government want to invest too much as it takes too long to see results.

Sure it will be good to have long term plans, but these plans have to be created with a mandate of the people. It is their country and the plans are paid for with their money. So elect representatives first, let them assign the people making up the committee, and then start making plans.

 

And still it should only be a general non-binding direction of where to go. If people 4 years from now decide that flooding is less important than, for example, new submarines the 20-year plan needs to be revised. There should be a way out in case the 20-year plan loses popular support. Sure it will come with a cost (lost investments) but that decision is up to the people and their representatives.

 

Btw, i know of few governments worldwide making 20-year plans. Maybe some communist countries did (5-years at least) but those countries should not serve as examples of good governance for obvious reasons.

9 hours ago, rooster59 said:

by him invoking his special powers under Article 44.

Prayut never leaves home without it.