Broad Reforms 'needed Now'

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Broad reforms 'needed now'

By THE NATION ON SUNDAY

Published on September 6, 2009

Academics, others call for removal of root causes of problem haunting the country; Thaksin 'funding unrest'

Calls for comprehensive reform are growing as the country struggles to achieve economic and political stability.

Academics shared opinions yesterday and warned that even if ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra washed his hands of politics, the country could still be haunted by the same old problems.

Only key changes designed to remove the root causes would ensure sustainable solutions, they said.

Many political pundits and academics at a seminar in Bangkok yesterday agreed that, as long as Thaksin continued his political activities, the country would not achieve reconciliation and undertaking political reforms would be problematic.

But some, such as Professor Amorn Chantarasomboon said there was no guarantee the country would achieve political stability even if Thaksin withdrew from politics.

"Because we do not know if a new government will run the country for self interest, as Thaksin governments did, because our political system now is actually a dictatorship by capitalists,'' Amorn said.

He said political reform had to be carried out simultaneously with administrative, legal, and justice reforms, if the country wanted to achieve sustainable stability.

The most urgent task for the government was to end the political mess, Amorn said, because once political stability returned, economic confidence would return and the economy would get back on track.

"The problem is who will sacrifice and pave the way for this reform,'' he said.

Amorn did not believe political reform should be undertaken by politicians, because they had a conflict of interest in doing such. He suggested two panels be appointed - one to rewrite the Constitution and another to check whether a new charter really could help solve the country's political woes.

Yesterday's seminar was organised by Chulalongkorn University and the People's Network for Election in Thailand (Pnet).

Meanwhile, retired police general Vasit Dejkunchorn said he had been told by unconfirmed but reliable sources that Thaksin had sent a huge amount of laundered money through other people's bank accounts to fund political activities and create political disturbances in the country.

Vasit, a former deputy police chief, believed many of Thaksin's red-shirt supporters were being used by him because they did not see through him.

"Education is the best medicine [to solve this]," he said. "Our country will not come to this point if people understand the politicians' true colour."

He said dissolving the Parliament was not a solution to national problems because a general election did not guarantee that the country would get "a new breed" of MPs or Senators who put the country's interests above their own.

Vasit agreed that greater public participation in political reform and constitution amendment would ensure that reforms met what the public needed and desired.

Pnet chairman General Saiyud Kerdphol urged Thaksin's family to stop him instigating political unrest and to face the justice system.

"If Thaksin accepts the justice system, he will surely get the clemency he wants. He will be much happier than now. After all he has also done many good things for the country,'' Saiyud said.

With the red shirts threatening to stage a mass rally, Saiyud voiced concern that the government may not be able to control Thaksin's supporters, even if the government invoked the Internal Security Act.

"If this is the case, the red shirts may provoke a military coup. We have to watch out because some military men may respond to the call. We have a lesson from history that only 21 military men can stage a coup,'' he said.

-- The Nation