Dull Thai Charter Debate Is Actually A Good Thing: Burning Issue

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BURNING ISSUE

Dull charter debate is actually a good thing

Avudh Panananda

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The charter change debate appears boring although it is proof of democracy at work and a litmus test on whether reconciliation will prevail.

The Democrats and Pheu Thai MPs are into the second week of the debate and will likely continue trying to gain the upper hand over one another for at least a month.

The coalition and opposition both have high stakes in charting the political system. Thailand may have to travel a long and winding road in order to promulgate a new charter. And the rewriting process may not be completed within the year, as has been projected.

Further, the Pheu Thai Party may not have the final say on several key amendments despite its majority. But as long as the ruling party is willing to compromise, the country should, however, emerge with a stronger political system.

Proponents and opponents of charter change are equally at fault for trying to sway sentiment with oversimplified arguments, and have thus misled the public on the underlying issue for the charter rewrite - designing a political system acceptable to all sides.

The Democrats seem to have a distorted view that the Pheu Thai-sponsored change always had an ulterior motive - to rescue fugitive former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

The ruling party and its red-shirt allies see any attempts to counter their proposals as hurdles in a fight for democracy, as if they are the only advocates who can push the political system forward.

In the past eight days, the ruling and opposition parties have struck a remarkable compromise, regardless of tedious speeches the two sides have made on the House floor.

If this momentum to meet the other side half-way prevails, then it gives high hopes that reconciliation might be brought about.

After Pheu Thai invoked its controlling majority to pass the first reading of the charter amendment bill, the main opposition party cited the right of Democrats to speak on the House floor as a tactic to strike a deal in the second reading.

Many have misunderstood, saying the Democrats tried to stall the debate without justification. But the right to speak on the floor is actually a democratic means to ensure the voice of the minority.

By assigning 100 opposition lawmakers to speak per clause, the Democrats expect to gain time to push for their three demands - electoral rules for filling 77 seats in the Constitution Drafting Assembly (CDA), parliamentary rules to allocate 22 seats in the CDA and Parliament being allowed to vet the charter draft before it goes to a referendum vote.

So far, the ruling party has conceded to the Democrats' first demand on CDA electoral rules. In the initial draft, Pheu Thai wanted to adopt local polls for the CDA election. The revised draft sees the adoption of non-partisan Senate rules.

But the debate on the second reading will not conclude until the coalition and opposition parties can work out a deal on the remaining two demands.

For the Democrats, it is imperative that they must have a say in formation of the drafting assembly, otherwise the political system enshrined in the new charter will not be bipartisan and acceptable to all sides.

With Pheu Thai trying to accommodate the opposition's demands, this is a good sign for a thriving democracy.

In comparison to the disbanded Thai Rak Thai Party, Pheu Thai seems to have evolved a great deal - from treating the opposition like a pestering weed to a partner to get things done in a more bipartisan manner.

-- The Nation 2012-05-01

[craigt3365]

Good article. Democracy at work...for better or worse! I wish Thailand success with these efforts. Best of luck!

[Bakseedaa]

Good article. Democracy at work...for better or worse! I wish Thailand success with these efforts. Best of luck!

No chance... the article is bull**it...