EDITORIAL
Should politicians get back in shape first?
The Nation

Key elements of Thai democracy are anything but healthy

BANGKOK: -- With another major political protest looming - this time by supporters of the embattled Yingluck caretaker government - there are arguments for and against the idea of giving Thai democracy a rest of one or two years. However, as well as the question of whether genuine reform or even reconciliation could occur in such a short period in a fair and transparent manner, there is another issue to ponder. It concerns Thailand's two biggest political parties and whether they are properly equipped to lumber on under the existing circumstances.

The answer is a resounding "no". This is perhaps one of the biggest reasons why democracy should take a vacation in this country. The Pheu Thai and Democrat parties are undeniably in bad shape. They are well-loved by their own halves of the populace, but the feelings they evoke in the opposite half go far beyond dislike. They are both hated and distrusted by millions, making it virtually impossible for either one to form a representative government as things stand.

Of course, democracy is all about winning the hearts of voters and making them "hate" your opponents in the process. In Thailand, however, this process has been taken to an extreme, and for years it hasn't mattered who holds state or democratic powers. If a "break" is necessary to craft true national reform, it must also be used to allow the two parties to bring the love and hatred down to normal levels.

Along with the love-hate issue, the two major parties are crippled in terms of manpower. Pheu Thai is so bound up with the Shinawatras that it would collapse without them. The family is the reason why the party is so loved and hated. With the Shinawatras a target of fierce, relentless political attacks, what should Pheu Thai do? Maybe the party needs time to figure that out.

As for the Democrats, many senior members are leading street protests. Suthep Thaugsuban, more popular now than party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva, will not and cannot "rejoin" the party and its future quest for parliamentary power. Abhisit is still relatively young and his public support is sizeable, but the crisis rattling Yingluck Shinawatra does not change the fact that his leadership of the Democrats has always been seriously challenged.

Should the Democrats reconsider who leads them? What roles could the likes of Surin Pitsuwan, Supachai Panitchpakdi or even Jurin Laksanavisit play? Again, a "break" would allow Thailand's oldest party to think long and hard about these questions.

And the above are merely the political aspects. There are also serious legal aspects facing the Shinawatras, Suthep and Abhisit. Those who advocate a non-stop continuance of democracy will have to take into account all the legal issues. The question of how Parliament and government can function with so many of their key figures hounded by legal action is a legitimate one, no matter which side of the political divide you are on.

After all, democracy should be healthy, yet it's anything but healthy under the present circumstances. The people within the system are just as important as the system itself. There is no system so ideal that it can make incapacitated players look good. This is why the players need time to get in shape, so that if things go wrong again in the future, at least we would know exactly what and who to blame. Only when that happens will Thai politics be a game worth playing.


-- The Nation 2014-04-05

Ban everyone connected currently to politics for life, along with all their family members, scrap all the political parties, declare a 2 year break from elections whilst an elected/appointed council is in place to oversee reforms, all overseen and approved by the King and using public referendum's to gather information on what "the people" truly want to see happen. It can't be that hard.

Ban everyone connected currently to politics for life, along with all their family members, scrap all the political parties, declare a 2 year break from elections whilst an elected/appointed council is in place to oversee reforms, all overseen and approved by the King and using public referendum's to gather information on what "the people" truly want to see happen. It can't be that hard.

The Nation forgets that one over-riding factor will negate each and every attempt to instil a functioning political system based on truth, accountability, integrity and honour - and that us greed. It is far too entrenched in the Thai psyche to allow for open and responsible politicians. The lust for power and wealth is highly driven and brings out the worst in folk who do not have the moral fibre to resist it - nor, should I say, the courage to stand up to the vicious, the powerful and the unscrupulous who will stop at nothing to achieve their aims.

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Ban everyone connected currently to politics for life, along with all their family members, scrap all the political parties, declare a 2 year break from elections whilst an elected/appointed council is in place to oversee reforms, all overseen and approved by the King and using public referendum's to gather information on what "the people" truly want to see happen. It can't be that hard.

Maybe it would be better to ban some members here and give the rest of us a 2 year break.

Should politicians get back in shape first? I believe that should read Should politicians get into shape first?

Ban everyone connected currently to politics for life, along with all their family members, scrap all the political parties, declare a 2 year break from elections whilst an elected/appointed council is in place to oversee reforms, all overseen and approved by the King and using public referendum's to gather information on what "the people" truly want to see happen. It can't be that hard.

well two things 1 you would be cutting of the people who have the knowledge to run the country and

2 the King does not get involved in politics.

Should politicians get back in shape first? I believe that should read Should politicians get into shape first?

I might add should politicians not undergo a course in having good morals to work from.

Ban everyone connected currently to politics for life, along with all their family members, scrap all the political parties, declare a 2 year break from elections whilst an elected/appointed council is in place to oversee reforms, all overseen and approved by the King and using public referendum's to gather information on what "the people" truly want to see happen. It can't be that hard.

well two things 1 you would be cutting of the people who have the knowledge to run the country and

2 the King does not get involved in politics.

1. Those "qualified" have consistently acrewed it up, both sides.

2. The King is always involved in Politics, behind the scenes. However my point was that at this stage of the game, the King is the ONLY person that both sides (I think) will follow advice/instructions from.

 
As for the Democrats, many senior members are leading street protests. Suthep 
Thaugsuban, more popular now than party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva, will not and 
cannot "rejoin" the party and its future quest for parliamentary power. Abhisit 
is still relatively young and his public support is sizeable, but the crisis 
rattling Yingluck Shinawatra does not change the fact that his leadership of the 
Democrats has always been seriously challenged.

I don't think his ability has ever been in doubt. He showed remarkable ability in leading the country when he had a minority government and the opposition had an armed militia they used against him.

The problem is he is to honest to give a load of pie in the sky promises that are both intractable and in the end hurt the people they are supposed to serve. If you are wondering about what that means ask any rice farmer.

With a better educated citizenship Thailand would thrive under Abhist lead. He had started to make steps in that direction but was not in power long enough to accomplish any thing.

Ban everyone connected currently to politics for life, along with all their family members, scrap all the political parties, declare a 2 year break from elections whilst an elected/appointed council is in place to oversee reforms, all overseen and approved by the King and using public referendum's to gather information on what "the people" truly want to see happen. It can't be that hard.

well two things 1 you would be cutting of the people who have the knowledge to run the country and

2 the King does not get involved in politics.

1. Those "qualified" have consistently acrewed it up, both sides.

2. The King is always involved in Politics, behind the scenes. However my point was that at this stage of the game, the King is the ONLY person that both sides (I think) will follow advice/instructions from.

How did Abhist screw it up he had a hostile minority government yet he still managed to halt the rise of corruption and stop a coup?

You seem to forget that a minority government does not allow free reign such as the PTP enjoyed.

Also policies that will work out for the long term permanent good of Thailand are not what the people want. They want money in their hand rite now and dam the future.

Now there is a real screw up all the power and the best they could do to create unity was widen it. while they bankrupted the treasury so it can not pay it's bills.

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Ban everyone connected currently to politics for life, along with all their family members, scrap all the political parties, declare a 2 year break from elections whilst an elected/appointed council is in place to oversee reforms, all overseen and approved by the King and using public referendum's to gather information on what "the people" truly want to see happen. It can't be that hard.

Maybe it would be better to ban some members here and give the rest of us a 2 year break.

You first.

Ban everyone connected currently to politics for life, along with all their family members, scrap all the political parties, declare a 2 year break from elections whilst an elected/appointed council is in place to oversee reforms, all overseen and approved by the King and using public referendum's to gather information on what "the people" truly want to see happen. It can't be that hard.

well two things 1 you would be cutting of the people who have the knowledge to run the country and

2 the King does not get involved in politics.

1. Those "qualified" have consistently acrewed it up, both sides.

2. The King is always involved in Politics, behind the scenes. However my point was that at this stage of the game, the King is the ONLY person that both sides (I think) will follow advice/instructions from.

How did Abhist screw it up he had a hostile minority government yet he still managed to halt the rise of corruption and stop a coup?

You seem to forget that a minority government does not allow free reign such as the PTP enjoyed.

Also policies that will work out for the long term permanent good of Thailand are not what the people want. They want money in their hand rite now and dam the future.

Now there is a real screw up all the power and the best they could do to create unity was widen it. while they bankrupted the treasury so it can not pay it's bills.

Yes, Abhisit "could" have been a good leader, but when the "poor" don't like him or the policies that are promoted to better the country as a whole, the only thing that happens is more protests and rioting.

There is a bigger picture at play here that moves this country forward, and despite claims to the contrary, Thaksin and PT just don't want that to happen. They like their "majority" to remain poor and uneducated and blindly following orders in exactly the same way they claim the Dems/Elites/Amart want the same.

Shortsighted as always.

Sad. Thailand has no leadership. Thailand has no one capable of leading form the business or government sector. No one with vision, character, intelligence, charisma, decisiveness, inspiration, energy, fairness, very sad for this country of 70 million that they can't find a soul from the high class country clubs or the regular Thai commercial leader. That no Thai from the prosperous commercial sector or agricultural sector steps forward as a potential leader is very sad. They can't find someone from the public sector without countless stains and double crosses on their ledger. Why doesn't a powerful Thai from the commercial sector voice out on this and take charge or voice out for someone else to take charge. Very sad that they just pick up their chips and invest elsewhere and let their own country just sink further.

'Give Thai democracy a rest for one or two years'.

I thought Pheu Thai already had?