POLITICS

Democrats plan to write blueprint for Thailand

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The Democrat Party will set up a new institute on Friday to help write a new blueprint for the country, the party's leader Abhisit Vejjajiva said.

The institute, which will be led by the former Asean secretary-general Surin Pitsuwan, will hold a three or four-day long seminar on policy design next month.

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Abhisit added that at present some ten academics and their teams meet every week to put together basic information needed for this blueprint.

All statistics, including those related to the economy and social problems, will be compared to those of foreign countries and studied in retrospect for ten years.

The party will base its future policies on this blueprint, Abhisit said.

-- The Nation 2013-02-06

At least someone is thinking ahead for the betterment of Thailand, but ten years is a long time to wait for any implementation and by then the PTP/Thaksin will have spent all the reserves, thrown the country into huge loan deals and the western backers will be in like Flynn.

In principle a good idea, but I certainly hope that Dr. Surin and Khun Abhisit, both IMHO very wise and capable men, will not succumb to the age old dem paty problem of slowness.

Chuan Leek Pai, IMHO a good man, did the dems a great disservice with his extreme slowness and personal attention to every small detail when he was PM, always slowing everything to a snails pace.

Please Abhisit, make haste and make sure the public are both well consulted and kept very well informed of ongoing discussion, decisions, rational, and a very clear picture of what the results will look like.

Ensure the plan is and can easily be seen to be beneficial to all, and contains workable and easily understandable policies and implmentation plans which make big gains in equal opportunity and lift millions as fast as possible to a much better quality of life through their own productivity.

And actions to really fix the problems of corrupt police, poor education, lack of fairness in application of the law, etc.

Good luck.

Edited February 6, 201313 yr by scorecard

At least someone is thinking ahead for the betterment of Thailand, but ten years is a long time to wait for any implementation and by then the PTP/Thaksin will have spent all the reserves, thrown the country into huge loan deals and the western backers will be in like Flynn.

"compared to those of foreign countries and studied in retrospect for ten years."

The last 10 years will be studied.

Of course, you may have been referring to the 10 year wait before the Democrats get the chance to implement anything.

set up a new institute

I'm disappointed they decided not to call it a "think tank".

At least someone is thinking ahead for the betterment of Thailand, but ten years is a long time to wait for any implementation and by then the PTP/Thaksin will have spent all the reserves, thrown the country into huge loan deals and the western backers will be in like Flynn.

"compared to those of foreign countries and studied in retrospect for ten years."

The last 10 years will be studied.

Of course, you may have been referring to the 10 year wait before the Democrats get the chance to implement anything.

This report will make interesting reading at the very least - what could they hope to learn from the one year period of Military Junta rule?

General (ret.) Surayud Chulanont was made head of Thailand's interim government between 2006 and 2008.

He commanded troops during Bloody May, the violent 1992 crackdown on anti-government protestors, but he denied giving his men the order to shoot protesters.

Surayud's government was a controversial one. There was a significant worsening in perceived levels of corruption during his government

Surayud raised the military budget by 35% and was accused of economic mismanagement, rampant human rights abuses, and flip-flopping on numerous policies. Article 19 ranked Thailand as falling behind Cambodia and Indonesia in terms of freedom of expression. Thailand's economic growth rate slowed to the lowest level in five years and was ranked the lowest in the region

Then again......................

This report will make interesting reading at the very least - what could they hope to learn from the one year period of Military Junta rule?

General (ret.) Surayud Chulanont was made head of Thailand's interim government between 2006 and 2008.

He commanded troops during Bloody May, the violent 1992 crackdown on anti-government protestors, but he denied giving his men the order to shoot protesters.

Surayud's government was a controversial one. There was a significant worsening in perceived levels of corruption during his government

Surayud raised the military budget by 35% and was accused of economic mismanagement, rampant human rights abuses, and flip-flopping on numerous policies. Article 19 ranked Thailand as falling behind Cambodia and Indonesia in terms of freedom of expression. Thailand's economic growth rate slowed to the lowest level in five years and was ranked the lowest in the region

Then again......................

Clearly there is a lot to learn from that period.

set up a new institute

I'm disappointed they decided not to call it a "think tank".

Well at least they didn't call it a 'hub'.

This report will make interesting reading at the very least - what could they hope to learn from the one year period of Military Junta rule?

General (ret.) Surayud Chulanont was made head of Thailand's interim government between 2006 and 2008.

He commanded troops during Bloody May, the violent 1992 crackdown on anti-government protestors, but he denied giving his men the order to shoot protesters.

Surayud's government was a controversial one. There was a significant worsening in perceived levels of corruption during his government

Surayud raised the military budget by 35% and was accused of economic mismanagement, rampant human rights abuses, and flip-flopping on numerous policies. Article 19 ranked Thailand as falling behind Cambodia and Indonesia in terms of freedom of expression. Thailand's economic growth rate slowed to the lowest level in five years and was ranked the lowest in the region

Then again......................

Clearly there is a lot to learn from that period.

Yes I'm sure you agree the democrats could hone their existing talents by referring to the old ex Generals particular skills.

Yes I'm sure you agree the democrats could hone their existing talents by referring to the old ex Generals particular skills.

Are you saying that you've never learnt from other peoples mistakes??

set up a new institute

I'm disappointed they decided not to call it a "think tank".

Well at least they didn't call it a 'hub'.

Tanks so much more frightening than hubs.

Hey, if it means they can come up with sustainable alternative developments to the situation there is now, its all good.

I just have always felt that the Dems are very distant from reality in the poorest areas of Thailand, and have always clung to the "status quo" in terms of planning for the development ofthese parts Thailand. I don't like what PTP is doing to the rice market, but clinging to the old status quo wouldn't have changed an exploitative and outdated model also. This goes for just about every commodity agribusiness export in the country.

If they can come up with a viable alternative to prevent farmers getting exploited by the middle men, then I will take their hat off to them. Problem is, they will lose a lot of backers politically if they start messing with these marketing systems too much. Then education, well, where to start and where to stop in any analysis?

If they really do this properly, it will be an enormous tome of great value, because there are very few things that can't be tweaked or improved if one puts one's mind to realising the issues facing Thailand at the moment.

Edited February 6, 201313 yr by Thai at Heart

I dont think this is a bad idea, I just fear that nothing tangible will come of it. Actually i cannot really understand the article, when will this be ready? Will it be reported in the seminar next month? I feel that not a lot of new will be put forward, but hopefully a few decent ideas can be raised.

Would be interesting to know who the ten academics are, I cannot imagine anything tangible will come out of it, if its just 10 old members of the Democrat Party sitting around the table. Hopefully they will have some youth and new ideas involved in the process.

I dont think this is a bad idea, I just fear that nothing tangible will come of it. Actually i cannot really understand the article, when will this be ready? Will it be reported in the seminar next month? I feel that not a lot of new will be put forward, but hopefully a few decent ideas can be raised.

Would be interesting to know who the ten academics are, I cannot imagine anything tangible will come out of it, if its just 10 old members of the Democrat Party sitting around the table. Hopefully they will have some youth and new ideas involved in the process.

It doesn't need to be ready until a couple of months before the next election.

The best thing they could ever do, is put the former Singaporean education minister on a retainer, and get him over here. Give him whatever he needs to come up with a step by step plan to pull the system up by its bootstraps.

Yes I'm sure you agree the democrats could hone their existing talents by referring to the old ex Generals particular skills.

Are you saying that you've never learnt from other peoples mistakes??

Ah, the old skool off topic technique - this thread is not about me - its about the democrats going back over the past 10 years to see where it all went wrong.

All well and good, but they need to be seen as well as actually doing something constructive, like getting their hands dirty, being out and about talking to and involved in the day to day struggles of the poorer people of this country, like the subsistence farmers, the lowly paid labourers, and those living on the streets with nowhere to go. Grandiose plans have never cured any real problem - they are mainly hot-air, mirrors, and slight-of-hand.

Yes I'm sure you agree the democrats could hone their existing talents by referring to the old ex Generals particular skills.

Are you saying that you've never learnt from other peoples mistakes??

Ah, the old skool off topic technique - this thread is not about me - its about the democrats going back over the past 10 years to see where it all went wrong.

No, it's not about you. It's about learning from other peoples mistakes. That seems to be a foreign concept to some people.

At least someone is thinking ahead for the betterment of Thailand, but ten years is a long time to wait for any implementation and by then the PTP/Thaksin will have spent all the reserves, thrown the country into huge loan deals and the western backers will be in like Flynn.

"compared to those of foreign countries and studied in retrospect for ten years." The last 10 years will be studied. Of course, you may have been referring to the 10 year wait before the Democrats get the chance to implement anything.

This report will make interesting reading at the very least - what could they hope to learn from the one year period of Military Junta rule?

General (ret.) Surayud Chulanont was made head of Thailand's interim government between 2006 and 2008. He commanded troops during Bloody May, the violent 1992 crackdown on anti-government protestors, but he denied giving his men the order to shoot protesters. Surayud's government was a controversial one. There was a significant worsening in perceived levels of corruption during his government Surayud raised the military budget by 35% and was accused of economic mismanagement, rampant human rights abuses, and flip-flopping on numerous policies. Article 19 ranked Thailand as falling behind Cambodia and Indonesia in terms of freedom of expression. Thailand's economic growth rate slowed to the lowest level in five years and was ranked the lowest in the region

Then again......................

Also true that freedom of expression was severly curtailed by the paymaster who had no respect for journalists and reporters, even having yes and no signs which he flashed when asked questions. 'no' meaning 'I will answer that question'. He also intimidated reporters etc by lawsuits, having foreign reporters who asked 'awkward' questions instantly deported and by manipulating state media, radio and TV to report events etc., to look good for his government him.

Can you substantiate the "instantly deported foreign reporters" ???

Who, when, why, etc ??

Also true that freedom of expression was severly curtailed by the paymaster who had no respect for journalists and reporters, even having yes and no signs which he flashed when asked questions. 'no' meaning 'I will answer that question'. He also intimidated reporters etc by lawsuits, having foreign reporters who asked 'awkward' questions instantly deported and by manipulating state media, radio and TV to report events etc., to look good for his government him.

Is this where I say "I see your Thaksin and raise you one Abhisit"? - Same same but more recent and with the addition of the Computer Crimes Act as well.

And now we have Yingluck:

The Press Freedom Index published by Reporters Without Borders does not take direct account of the kind of political system but it is clear that democracies provide better protection for the freedom to produce and circulate accurate news and information than countries where human rights are flouted,” Reporters Without Borders secretary-general Christophe Deloire said.

There is an improvement of Thailand's ranking. In 2013 Thailand's 135, while 2011-2012 it was at 137. It comes to no surprise that in 2010, when Abhisit Vejjajiva was the Prime Minister, that the country's rank was at 153. Now in ASEAN, Thailand is at second place.

http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-917904

Can you substantiate the "instantly deported foreign reporters" ???

Who, when, why, etc ??

http://www.ifex.org/thailand/2002/02/25/thailand_to_deport_foreign_reporter/

Can you substantiate the "instantly deported foreign reporters" ???

Who, when, why, etc ??

Of course he can't. It's just part of the fallout from hundreds of posts (probably thousands) decrying anything that is Shiniwatra or PTP or UDD when unattributable "facts" are spewed out left right and centre and left to fester until they are accepted as "facts".

Can you substantiate the "instantly deported foreign reporters" ???

Who, when, why, etc ??

http://www.ifex.org/...reign_reporter/

But they were NOT deported, were they ??

Can you substantiate the "instantly deported foreign reporters" ???

Who, when, why, etc ??

http://www.ifex.org/...reign_reporter/

But they were NOT deported, were they ??

Don't you think the threat is bad enough?

All well and good, but they need to be seen as well as actually doing something constructive, like getting their hands dirty, being out and about talking to and involved in the day to day struggles of the poorer people of this country, like the subsistence farmers, the lowly paid labourers, and those living on the streets with nowhere to go. Grandiose plans have never cured any real problem - they are mainly hot-air, mirrors, and slight-of-hand.

But the red shirts do not normally allow anyone remotely Democrat anywhere near their people in case they actually learn something different apart from red propaganda.

hope there is something in there about thong lo police.

Can you substantiate the "instantly deported foreign reporters" ???

Who, when, why, etc ??

http://www.ifex.org/...reign_reporter/

But they were NOT deported, were they ??

Don't you think the threat is bad enough?

Yes I do, but the point is that scorecards strongly made statement and your support of it are patently false and untrue.

Lies and exaggerations, as it were.

You should have the good grace to admit it.

Can you substantiate the "instantly deported foreign reporters" ???

Who, when, why, etc ??

http://www.ifex.org/...reign_reporter/

Shawn Crispin, South East Editor of Asia Times Online, owned by Sondhi Limthongkul - Couldn't possibly be any bad blood between crispin and Thaksin at all there then . I mean what possible reason could he have to stir up trouble?

A Matciton analysis (at the time) of the article you refer to compared the allegations (about thaksin) made, being as grievous as a certain shout in a cinema, so pretty high on the insult front shall we say. The "threatened" deportation never happened.

.

You're going to have to dig deeper than that but no doubt what you've said happened will be come part of the anti's folk lore.

Interior Minister Purachai Piemsomboon, who must formally sign any deportation order, told reporters that it was purely an immigration issue. "This matter has nothing to do with the prime minister's personal anger over FEER," Purachai told the Associated Press. "Please do not speculate that the government has ordered the police to do such kind of thing."

Edited February 6, 201313 yr by muttley

Can you substantiate the "instantly deported foreign reporters" ???

Who, when, why, etc ??

http://www.ifex.org/...reign_reporter/

Shawn Crispin, South East Editor of Asia Times Online, owned by Sondhi Limthongkul - Couldn't possibly be any bad blood between crispin and Thaksin at all there then . I mean what possible reason could he have to stir up trouble?

A Matciton analysis (at the time) of the article you refer to compared the allegations (about thaksin) made, being as grievous as a certain shout in a cinema, so pretty high on the insult front shall we say. The "threatened" deportation never happened.

.

You're going to have to dig deeper than that but no doubt what you've said happened will be come part of the anti's folk lore.

Interior Minister Purachai Piemsomboon, who must formally sign any deportation order, told reporters that it was purely an immigration issue. "This matter has nothing to do with the prime minister's personal anger over FEER," Purachai told the Associated Press. "Please do not speculate that the government has ordered the police to do such kind of thing."

Go ahead, twist the report to your own agenda.

Crispin & the others (blacklisted) worked for the Far Eastern Economic Review - nothing to do with Sonthi. As for Purachai's piece - usual government propaganda not worth reporting except for journalistic balance.