Reform council choices fail to dodge whiff of corruption: Thai politics

[webfact]

BURNING ISSUE
Reform council choices fail to dodge whiff of corruption
ATTAYUTH BOOTSRIPOOM

BANGKOK: -- THERE HAVE been allegations of favouritism in the selection of National Reform Council (NRC) members, particularly those from the provinces.

It is said that selection panels in certain provinces already have their predetermined candidates who are family members or cohorts. In some provinces, people with political connections are expected to be nominated.

Selection committees from all 77 provinces are to nominate five people from their province to be chosen by the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) for the NRC, which is to consist of no more than 250 members.

There is also a suspicion as to whether the 11 selection committees appointed by the NCPO to nominate people for 11 areas of reform may be practising favouritism. The growing doubts have prompted the government and the NCPO to assure that they do not condone such practices and will take action against them.

The NCPO's chief adviser, General Prawit Wongsuwan, who is also a deputy prime minister and the defence minister, appeared annoyed when asked by reporters about suspicions of favouritism in the selection of NRC members. He said it would be unusual for members of the many selection committees to agree over predetermined candidates.

"If you know how to do it, please let me know," he said, referring to making selection panel members agree on selecting certain predetermined candidates. "They all are respectable people and they want to do their job as best as they can. Please don't say anything bad about them."

Suspicions over the selection committees are not surprising, as the selection process has been kept secret. People in general do not know how the committees work. The 11 selection panels meet inside the First Infantry Division of the Royal Guards and no observers are allowed inside the military camp.

The lists of candidates from the provincial selection committees and from the 11 "central" selection panels have been kept secret. We just know that a total of 7,370 applied to be nominated for the NRC but we do not know who will be nominated by the selection panels.

It was explained that the selection committees did not want anyone to pull strings in order to get nominated for the NRC. This excuse, in fact, was quite lame. Keeping the selection process secret was unlikely to prevent ambitious candidates from seeking favours.

It is important for the selection committees to ensure transparency in their work in order to silence critics and sceptics. They should let the public know what kind of candidates they have now and whether those candidates are suitable to be NRC members.

Suspicions about the NRC selection process have adversely affected the credibility of the reform efforts, which in the end could have negative impacts on the reform process as a whole.

The NCPO, which has gained governing power in an undemocratic way, should make sure that its reform process is transparent and legitimate.

If the opening stages of the reform, by selecting people to become reform council members, are done wrongly or unfairly, the entire process will be questioned and wasted. And that is unlikely to lead to the desired result - a success of the reform efforts that would benefit all.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/politics/Reform-council-choices-fail-to-dodge-whiff-of-corr-30244063.html


-- The Nation 2014-09-25

[hanuman2543]

Democracy Thai style 2.0

[Mango Bob]

I wonder how many military officers will be selected as NRC members.

[KarenBravo]

The NCPO's chief adviser, General Prawit Wongsuwan, who is also a deputy prime minister and the defence minister, appeared annoyed when asked by reporters about suspicions of favouritism in the selection of NRC members. He said it would be unusual for members of the many selection committees to agree over predetermined candidates.

"If you know how to do it, please let me know," he said.

The answer is ............brown envelopes and/or favours, as if he didn't know.

[chainarong]

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I wonder how many military officers will be selected as NRC members.

Far too many

[NongKhaiKid]

I'm sure I read yesterday that someone from one of the provincial selection committees said something about so many candidates many of who were unknown so they couldn't be checked properly.

Poor excuse for not wanting people with no connections to join an exclusive club.

[BSJ]

Transparency would quell any criticism. But it would expose some candidates to unwanted pressure from certain anti-government groups.

[HUAHIN62]

Slowly the seams are splitting open and the ugly head of corruption is rearing its head (again). So much for the NRC representing all sides. Another dead end in sight.

[chotthee]

The NCPO's chief adviser, General Prawit Wongsuwan, who is also a deputy prime minister and the defence minister, appeared annoyed when asked by reporters about suspicions of favouritism in the selection of NRC members. He said it would be unusual for members of the many selection committees to agree over predetermined candidates.

"If you know how to do it, please let me know," he said.

The answer is ............brown envelopes and/or favours, as if he didn't know.

Favouritism is the act of offering the best job to the most capable person in your opinion.

Favouritism is not a crime.

Thai people favour Prayuth as PM, so he was elected by more than 97% of the voters.

Is that a crime to favour Prayuth? No. And he was technically elected.

[AGareth2]

let the people elect them

[Thailand]

Huge surprise.

[PREM-R]

The NCPO's chief adviser, General Prawit Wongsuwan, who is also a deputy prime minister and the defence minister, appeared annoyed when asked by reporters about suspicions of favouritism in the selection of NRC members. He said it would be unusual for members of the many selection committees to agree over predetermined candidates.

"If you know how to do it, please let me know," he said.

The answer is ............brown envelopes and/or favours, as if he didn't know.

Favouritism is the act of offering the best job to the most capable person in your opinion.

Favouritism is not a crime.

Thai people favour Prayuth as PM, so he was elected by more than 97% of the voters.

Is that a crime to favour Prayuth? No. And he was technically elected.

"Thai people favour Prayuth as PM, so he was elected by more than 97% of the voters."

Hey Chottee, you have tried that wind up line before, it didn't work then, it's not working now.

[rubl]

Slowly the seams are splitting open and the ugly head of corruption is rearing its head (again). So much for the NRC representing all sides. Another dead end in sight.

Still wondering about that Surin family with too many members willing to 'help' the junta.

[chotthee]

let the people elect them

Cannot.

Too many poor and educated people still vote for the wrong person (proxy from Dubai).

[Mango Bob]

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let the people elect them

The election commission could not handle it.

[rubl]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

let the people elect them

The election commission could not handle it.

The E.C. is not setup to handle election of committee members.

[rickirs]

Ever been to Disneyland’s Fantasyland? It might be closer than you think.

1) General Prawit Wongsuwan: "If you know how to do it, please let me know,"

2) Attayuth Bootsripoom: “The NCPO, which has gained governing power in an undemocratic way, should make sure that its reform process is transparent and legitimate.”

How can anyone expect a reform process born out of disregard for and destruction of democratic institutions be expected to follow any democratic process? A reform process instigated by an institution of absolute power cannot be expected to transform itself into a democratic process without the continuing goodwill and permission of the ruling class. Reform becomes only an intransigent device with no majority support of the People affected by it and its maintenance will require the permanent reinforcement by absolute power.

A ride on “Dumbo the Flying Elephant” would pale in comparison to such folly.

[SiggiCM]

The NCPO's chief adviser, General Prawit Wongsuwan, who is also a deputy prime minister and the defence minister, appeared annoyed when asked by reporters about suspicions of favouritism in the selection of NRC members. He said it would be unusual for members of the many selection committees to agree over predetermined candidates.

"If you know how to do it, please let me know," he said.

The answer is ............brown envelopes and/or favours, as if he didn't know.

Favouritism is the act of offering the best job to the most capable person in your opinion.

Favouritism is not a crime.

Thai people favour Prayuth as PM, so he was elected by more than 97% of the voters.

Is that a crime to favour Prayuth? No. And he was technically elected.

do you think about before you post something?

Prayuth make a armed putch, this is a crime in every country in the world and this is also punished in Thailand with death sentence,

Prayuth put peopel in prison who only use their democratic rights, university discussion are shut down,

it is a crime to choose the people who elect you, it is a farce, and one day he will get his punishment for what he did.

take people their rights, suspend the constitution is a crime, may be not for you, but for every educated a intelligent person

[MZurf]

let the people elect them

Cannot.

Too many poor and educated people still vote for the wrong person (proxy from Dubai).

Yes, let the educated elite rule the unwashed masses forever and ever!

[Roadman]

The NCPO's chief adviser, General Prawit Wongsuwan, who is also a deputy prime minister and the defence minister, appeared annoyed when asked by reporters about suspicions of favouritism in the selection of NRC members. He said it would be unusual for members of the many selection committees to agree over predetermined candidates.

"If you know how to do it, please let me know," he said.

The answer is ............brown envelopes and/or favours, as if he didn't know.

Favouritism is the act of offering the best job to the most capable person in your opinion.

Favouritism is not a crime.

Thai people favour Prayuth as PM, so he was elected by more than 97% of the voters.

Is that a crime to favour Prayuth? No. And he was technically elected.

do you think about before you post something?

Prayuth make a armed putch, this is a crime in every country in the world and this is also punished in Thailand with death sentence,

Prayuth put peopel in prison who only use their democratic rights, university discussion are shut down,

it is a crime to choose the people who elect you, it is a farce, and one day he will get his punishment for what he did.

take people their rights, suspend the constitution is a crime, may be not for you, but for every educated a intelligent person

Do you think before you write?

Try reading the Thai Martial Law Act (yes that is Act as in passed in a democratic parliament) before writing emotive claptrap

[BSJ]

Ah, Thai Visa Forum. Among the interesting and well balanced posts there are always some that are seriously lacking in facts or are complete claptrap as mentioned in the previous post!