EDITORIAL

Why the election is more crucial than ever

By The Naton

 

Give the generals credit where it’s due, but the world is now counting the months until democracy returns to Thailand

One of the factors cited by the European Union’s Foreign Affairs Council in restoring full political contacts with Thailand is that the country is expected to hold a general election in November 2018.

 

That was the pledge made by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha during his recent visit to the US, signalling to the international community Thailand’s readiness to return to democratic governance four years after the 2014 coup d’etat.

 

The international community will be closely monitoring further development in this country leading up to the polls in late 2018 – something that Prayut, in his capacity as head of the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), will have to carefully manage to maintain foreign confidence and support.

 

Over the past three years, Thailand has successfully restored law and order in the wake of unprecedented national divisiveness just before the coup. Asia’s political and economic powerhouses, led by China and Japan, were among the first major countries expressing support for the military-led government. The US and EU, on the other hand, downgraded their relations with Thailand after the coup.

 

However, Thai-US relations have improved considerably since Donald Trump was elected in the US. The new president hosted Prayut at the White House this past autumn. The outlook is positive – as long as Thailand sticks to its roadmap to return to democracy as announced earlier.

 

On the economic front, the country bounced back to a higher growth rate of nearly 4 per cent per annum in the third quarter of this year, after years of lacklustre performance, even though a more even distribution of wealth is needed to tackle chronic economic inequality.

 

The Prayut government has also launched the ambitious Eastern Economic Corridor mega-development programme, which will usher in a new era of higher-technology industries in three provinces along the eastern seaboard over the next two decades. This will help make Thailand competitive in the era of digital economy and society.

 

In addition, the International Civil Aviation Organisation recently removed its red-flag warning on the safety of Thailand’s aviation sector. This resulted from a wide range of efforts aimed at overhauling the regulatory system to ensure the safety of foreign travellers.

 

The Thai fisheries sector also has adopted multiple regulatory and other measures to tackle over-fishing, human trafficking and related issues after the EU issued a yellow-card warning to Thailand about three years ago. The country’s status regarding this Illegal, Unregulated and Unreported fisheries issue will likely improve, with the EU expected to remove its warning shortly.

 

In general, the majority of the population is considered satisfied with the military’s efforts in restoring peace as well as political and economic order, but the country cannot go on like this forever. The NCPO roadmap to return democracy, as announced by Prayut, is therefore a crucial blueprint for longer-term national development and revival.

 

One of the most important items on that timetable is the government organising the general election within an appropriate period. Any attempt to further postpone the polls without a good cause will inevitably jeopardise the country’s creditability internationally and risk hurting many achievements overseen by the NCPO and Prayut.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/opinion/30333990

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-12-15

32 minutes ago, webfact said:

On the economic front, the country bounced back to a higher growth rate of nearly 4 per cent per annum in the third quarter of this year, after years of lacklustre performance, even though a more even distribution of wealth is needed to tackle chronic economic inequality.

While I applaud the Nation for an editorial advocating a return to democratic governance, there are several areas in it where praise is given but isn't actually warranted.

 

The paragraph quoted above is a great example. Thailand may or may not have achieved 4% growth per annum in the third quarter (these numbers are almost always revised at a later date), but one quarter does not a strong economy make. The simple fact is that for the last three or four years, Thailand has massively under performed economically relative to its neighbours. The data that goes into finalizing the number is wide and varied, but one has to assume that the primary reason has been the Junta and the lack of confidence in their handling of the economy/nation; few other large variables changed in that time period. 

 

Thailand desperately wants to achieve 'developed status' (whatever that means), but can not and will not ever do that until it manages to enact sustained civilian rule with demand-responsive governance. 

30 minutes ago, Samui Bodoh said:

On the economic front, the country bounced back to a higher growth rate of nearly 4 per cent

The other factor to remember is that this quarterly "growth" figure of 4% is based on the accountable "white" economy which is only 59% of the total economy. 

It has been reported that Thailand has one of the largest "black" economies in the world running at 41% of the total economy so any statistics on the true economy are meaningless; particularly if the "black" economy is showing negative growth, which I doubt that it is. If anything with this military government it has risen.

 

A very poor editorial. They must have got a slap on the wrist from the Junta after the Nations previous editorials finding fault with our ruling elite. Fishing reports say that the the actual catch is seven times that reported by the Junta and there is no mention of the loss of freedom of speech or the unrestrained spending on military hardware or the poor performance of the judicial system or the unexplained wealth of government officials. The majority of the Thai population is not satisfied with the present state of affairs.

6 hours ago, webfact said:

the majority of the population is considered satisfied with the military’s efforts in restoring peace as well as political and economic order, but the country cannot go on like this forever.

There is something peculiar about this statement. Maybe something missing.

 

If the majority of the population is satisfied with junta peace, political and economic order, would would it not want that to continue forever - a societal Nirvana?

 

"but the country cannot go on like this forever" implies there is something flawed with satisfaction of junta performance -  to which Nation has published articles identifying public dissatisfaction with  junta performance! In fact Prayut's recent cabinet reshuffle was in part to correct economic policy failures.

 

Perhaps what is unsaid or not understood is that junta-led peace, political and economic order comes at the price of lost human rights and liberties now guaranteed by the 2017 Constitution. Such deprivation cannot continue if democracy is to get a foothold in Thailand.