President U Thein Sein has urged all ethnic groups to work together to establish a “federal system” of government, in one of the strongest indications yet that his administration plans to push through constitutional amendments to give more rights to ethnic groups.

From the Myanmar Times, by Wa Lone and Thomas Kean

Vice President U Sai Mauk Kham gives an address on February 12 to mark Union Day. (Hsu Hlaing Htun/The Myanmar Times)

In his annual Union Day message on February 12, the president called on all ethnic groups “to establish the national unity based on the ‘Panglong Spirit’ and then march toward a peaceful, modern and developed democratic nation through a federal system”.

While many ethnic groups have pushed for decades for a federal system, the central government has always insisted that Myanmar be a union, with power concentrated in the centre. The reference to the Pang-long Agreement of 1947, the signing of which is marked by Union Day, also marks a break from the past.

The president said he believed that “national unity and reconciliation” would lead to “an era of peace and prosperity”, and urged all ethnic minorities to contribute to the process of democratisation.

Read the full article here: http://www.mmtimes.com/index.php/national-news/9603-president-promises-federal-political-system.html

This is exactly what Thailand should do, like Malaysia (the north and northeast, Sarawak, Sabah), Indonesia (Aceh), the Philippines (Mindanao), and now Burma: keeping the country together by giving ethnic groups and regions much greater autonomy. And Burma is supposedly the most backward country in the region! By comparison, Thailand is stuck in the nineteenth century. Embarrassing! What will it take for the Bangkok snobs to look outward and notice?

well burma is slightly more complicated than thailand... and "autonomy" for several states was on the agende BEFORE independence...

They have a chance to avoid the mistakes made in the creation of Thailand government. Put the military under civilian control, put the police under local jurisdictional control, provide for a bill of rights to assure due process of law and equality, and allow for state's rights. Take small but deliberate steps and keep the whole country engaged in the process to provide for transparency and accountability.