Thai politics: Many ideas, but time's running out for an accord

[webfact]

BURNING ISSUE
Many ideas, but time's running out for an accord
ATTAYUTH BOOTSRIPOOM

BANGKOK: -- THE 10-POINT proposal by Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva, aimed at providing a way out of the country's political deadlock, was not beyond expectations - although there were hopes he would suggest something more definite that could really end the on-going conflict. As it turned out, Abhisit is still viewed as another face of Suthep Thaugsuban, his former Democrat colleague who is now head of the anti-government People's Democratic Reform Committee [PDRC].

Abhisit's proposal essentially is no different from the PDRC's on three issues - resignation by the caretaker prime minister and her Cabinet, formation of an interim government to carry out reforms, and postponement of the next election.

What differs is that Abhisit's proposal sets a shorter timeframe than the PDRC's. The ruling Pheu Thai Party found Abhisit's proposal was unacceptable. Pheu Thai wanted a clear date for the next election. They questioned the practicality of Abhisit's proposal and also branded it unconstitutional.

Pheu Thai instead issued its proposal for a way out of the deadlock. Unveiled by Noppadon Pattama, a spokesman for ex-PM Thaksin Shinawatra, the five-point proposal called on all political parties to contest the next election and promise reforms in their campaign.

Pheu Thai's proposal also called on a reform council to be set up after the election, a new post-election government to focus on reforms and to be in power for six to 12 months, and to hold a national referendum on reforms that required constitutional amendments.

Another proposal came from Gothom Arya, director of Mahidol University's Research Centre for Peace Building. He suggested that a joint committee of members from both Pheu Thai and Democrat parties draft a reform-council proposal containing ideas from the Reform Now Network, the PDRC, and the pro-government United Front of Democracy against Dictatorship. He said there should be a referendum on the reform-council ideas, along with the next election.

For Gothom, the proposal for an unelected, neutral prime minister was unconstitutional.

He suggested a deputy prime minister should be appointed to head the caretaker cabinet during the reform period while the prime minister took a long leave.

He asked both Abhisit and outgoing prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra to get closely involved in the process of gathering reform ideas from their political parties. Judging from the proposals offered above, there is no lack of ideas for ways out for our country, although some proposed solutions may be more "democratic" or more practical than others.

What is important is that the conflicting parties should admit that nobody could take all or lose nothing in a negotiation. To allow the country to move forward, they should give priority to the country's benefit and reach an accord as soon as possible.

Time is running out.


-- The Nation 2014-05-08

[ramrod711]

Pheu Thai instead issued its proposal for a way out of the deadlock. Unveiled by Noppadon Pattama, a spokesman for ex-PM Thaksin Shinawatra, the five-point proposal called on all political parties to contest the next election and promise reforms in their campaign.

Here, for the world to see, is the problem. A spokesman for a fugitive felon is dictating PTPs platform to the electorate. The very first reform should be, if you hold public office and it can be proved that you associate with this man, you should be summarily banned from office for life. I don't think that many of us would expect a Democratic government to change much here, they are not above corruption themselves. One thing that would change would be police officers holding Thaksin rallies and flying off to have their badges of rank pinned on by a crook. There would be no more Skype call laying out the direction the country will go in. There would be no prior knowledge of policy which would allow the manipulation of the stock exchange.

[chainarong]

Time is not running out , this is just a load of bulls!!t and defeatist ,ask your self , what is the time running out of, there are always time for idea's and dialog , what you do need is commitment and honesty, look back at past mistakes ,move forward and improve , you have a future Thailand , the ball is in your court ,to make it even greater.

[noitom]

This Thai press is really bottom feeding for news.

[noitom]

A Thai ten point proposal. Maybe they need a 25 point proposal. This guy Abhisit should come up with a 25 point proposal then maybe he might hit one point.

Thai reform should be about law and order enforcement, the elimination of government officials approving contracts without checks and balances, and police law and order , that is no exchange of money for crimes.

[rreddin]

Time is not running out , this is just a load of bulls!!t and defeatist ,ask your self , what is the time running out of, there are always time for idea's and dialog , what you do need is commitment and honesty, look back at past mistakes ,move forward and improve , you have a future Thailand , the ball is in your court ,to make it even greater.

The real issue is not one of time. It is one of the "old money" royalist elite trying to wrest back power and to ensure that they retain it, even if that meanss disenfranchising large parts of the population. Reform is only a cover for their real intentions. These people are living in a Thailand that does not exist and is a past to which the country cannot return.

[Jack007]

What Thailand needs is a business cabinet

No members of yellow or red shirts . Let them check the government.

Thailand is now too dependent on large foreign companies with a production unit ( factory ) in Thailand places. There should be more Thai companies come up with a good management.

Foreign companies come and go easily.

So is is a very weak basic for the future.

The agricultural sector should also be a major change to endure .
Scaling and mechanization are crucial if you can stay competitively

More activities and better for the tourism industry.
Fewer accidents and better boats and buses.
Fewer drug users and alcohol in traffic

Better teachers and education on a higher level.

And one of the most important things : Addressing the corruption and collect all monies from fraud and corruption from the past 30 years and prison when they get caught,
Then there will be suddenly enough money to execute many activities

Set up as in Sweden 's political system and believe me The Thai can not , because they all want to be the ruler with a minor importance for the country and its people .
Their proud is more important.

Ask Sweden to help to set up the political system and not an Asia country, because the corruption must be ended.

But first things a business government because there is already too far behind the neighboring countries suffered .

First things first!

These changes takes at least 10 years.

ASEAN will be not good for the Thai economy and employment.

Good luck Thailand

[BudRight]

Time would be running out if next year was 1938.

[Piichai]

A Thai ten point proposal. Maybe they need a 25 point proposal. This guy Abhisit should come up with a 25 point proposal then maybe he might hit one point.

Thai reform should be about law and order enforcement, the elimination of government officials approving contracts without checks and balances, and police law and order , that is no exchange of money for crimes.

Abhisit's proposal did not list reform points. Abhisit proposed a framework, which could be used to write the reforms.

The US constitution took about 100 working days to write. One should think Thai reforms should take an equal amount of time.

I agree with the reforms you think should be included, and would also suggest steps to end nepotism, cronyism, and corruption.

Also quite like the idea that anyone convicted of abusing the public's trust, be banned from politics for life.

[Scamper]

For those who are asking the very legitimate question as to where do we go from here - will be happy to know that Pheu Thai have already decided. They are barreling towards an election with promises of reform " later " - or what is known as Pheu Thai's standard grand joke. But in the meantime we have this really odd point of view ...

" He suggested a deputy prime minister should be appointed to head the caretaker cabinet during the reform period while the prime minister took a long leave. "

" Took a long leave " ? Does he know what just happened ? The prime minister was just removed for having committed an unconstitutional act. She is not " taking a leave ", nor can we just pretend that she is. She was removed by order of the Constitutional Court. There is a provision in the constitution that allows for the nomination of a prime minister through the Senate in lieu of a parliamentary quorum, but there is no provision for what Pheu Thai is attempting to do. They are attempting to nominate a prime minister through cabinet. Not only that, but a caretaker cabinet. Not only that, but a caretaker cabinet without a parliament ! Not only that, but a caretaker cabinet without a parliament that has just had its prime minister removed for committing an unconstitutional act. Not only that, but a caretaker cabinet that has also just had its own cabinet decimated by the removal of nine of their colleagues for having committed an unconstitutional act. Pheu Thai honestly thought this would go by unnoticed ?