Thai talk: What exactly will the 250 'reformers' be doing?

[webfact]

THAI TALK
What exactly will the 250 'reformers' be doing?
Suthichai Yoon
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Premier Prayut Chan-o-cha has pleaded with the public to refrain from making critical remarks about how the 250 members of the National Reform Council (NRC) were picked. He promised to replace anyone who doesn't prove to be qualified.

That means we will never know how the more than 7,000 persons nominated from around the country, plus those names submitted by "non-profit professional groups", were screened and what selection criteria were applied. But then, even if those conditions had been made public, the final say rested with Gen Prayut alone anyway.

That means he will have to take on the whole burden of making sure that the "reformers" deliver what the public expects of them. And there is no doubt that expectations are indeed very high.

We have yet to be told how the NRC will operate. The nominations were divided into 11 categories, covering everything from energy to education. It was first thought that the NRC members would be working on their respective issues so that they could propose reform measures accordingly. But if the premier's latest statement is anything to go by, that is no longer the rule of the game. The 250 members will handle all 11 issues in a collective manner. And if that's the case, one can imagine how cumbersome the whole process will be.

Will the NRC form working groups, recruit advisers and experts and parcel out the search for solutions to the country's most critical problems that require reform? That isn't clear either.

Will an expert on the environment be allowed to propose an agenda to reform the local administration system? Can an education expert make suggestions on whether the new Senate should be appointed or elected? Nobody so far in the powerful National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) has offered any clue on that question.

Most importantly, how much power does the NRC possess over the drafting of the new Constitution which, after all, is the most vital piece of work in determining whether real reform can materialise.

So far we only know that the new charter will be drawn up by another group of people, known as the Constitution Drafting Committee, whose members, again, will be picked by the NCPO. They will come from the NCPO, the Cabinet and the NRC. But it has yet to be established whether they will be there as individuals or as representatives of the views of their respective agencies.

All these questions should be clarified from the outset, because the reform process will be judged not only by the output but also the transparency and accountability of the process of selection, discussion and conclusions.

Also, the premier will have to make clear from the beginning whether the draft of the Constitution will need approval from the Cabinet before being considered by the NRC and finally passed by the National Legislative Assembly (NLA).

Then comes the other question, of equal significance: Does the final draft have to be voted upon in a public referendum?

I also have my own questions about whether the NRC, in its wide-ranging discussions on the 11 categories for reform, will have to propose what is to be included in the Constitution, aside from what its representatives may or may not propose in the Constitution Drafting Committee.

It would seem futile for the "reformers" to go through the motions of working out new measures to reform the country without making sure they are somehow referred to in the highest law of the land.

The prime minister has publicly complained that the country's problems are "daunting" although he clearly indicated that he wasn't discouraged by the magnitude of the issues. But if he doesn't lay down clear ground rules from the very outset, he could find that the highly challenging task is made insurmountable by public questioning.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/opinion/What-exactly-will-the-250-reformers-be-doing-30244545.html


-- The Nation 2014-10-02

[NongKhaiKid]

The general has often said he wants to know what the public thinks, feels etc then reminds them not to be critical !

Happiness is agreeing with everything so that's all good.

[ramrod711]

Then comes the other question, of equal significance: Does the final draft have to be voted upon in a public referendum?

I hope so, if a referendum can be held in neutral unbiased locations with oversight from just about anyone other than village headmen.

[noitom]

It's all rigged for the benefit of the Thai people and all Thais will be happy rest assured.

[casindonet]

NRC job is to form committees that will form more committees to tackle so call reforms, which at the end of the day ends with nothing other than pocketing tax payer money.

[kriswillems]

In other words: Please don't ask questions, criticize or even think, it's not good for your happiness....

[Boxclever]

Easy question...all the 250 hand picked NRC members will be working very hard to keep El Generalissimo in power for as long as possible. Oh and to plunder as much money as they can whilst they are at the trough.

[Just1Voice]

MESSAGE FROM ALL POWERFUL:
Dear Thai Buffalo, er, I mean people, please do not worry about what we are doing, or how we are doing it. Trust me when I say we have our, er, your best interest at heart. Please don't think about political divides, and don't think about oppression or suppression, as I assure you, we are doing everything we can to restore (our version) of "happiness" to our superior and wonderful country. Don't think about.....well....we would actually prefer that you just not think at all. It could be dangerous for you to do that.

Thank You,
Your All Loving, Benign, All Wise Government.

[toybits]

It's like Saying "TRUST ME! I know what I'm doing."

[khunpa]

So happy for the Thai-people that it is all down to one person, to ensure happiness and order for all.

This country is sooooo fuxked!

[fab4]

What exactly will the 250 'reformers' be doing?

More importantly, just where exactly are all those posters that said, don't worry, the country needs reforms and this will be carried out with transparency and will reflect the will of the people with no junta involvement or bias whatsoever. Anybody who pointed out the obvious pitfalls was labelled a cynical red lovin' Thaksin apologist.

Give the junta time, they said.

Just how well is that going?

[slipperx]

The very first thing to do is demand the immediate arrest of the murderers of the kids in Koh Tao with independent international verification of the DNA evidence to take the spotlight away from the police who have proven their incompetence and suspicion of corruption running at bear 100% which is making Thailand a laughing stock internationally.

The nect thing they should do is immediate police reform and reform of the Justice system which is patently not just and is horribly inefficient and ineffective.

Next introduce and emergency anti- corruption no tolerance law that is rigidly and rapidly enforced.

On the fourth day they can start looking at the next million things to do.

[rickirs]

What exactly will the 250 'reformers' be doing?

Whatever it takes to provide a reliable financial base from which the military and royalists can access to ensure their continued position of power over Thai society. Google "oilgarchy" for more details.

[ratcatcher]

What exactly will the 250 'reformers' be doing?

Whatever it takes to provide a reliable financial base from which the military and royalists can access to ensure their continued position of power over Thai society. Google "oilgarchy" for more details.

Well I Googled "oilgarchy" and this is what I got.

http://www.hiddenmysteries.org/news/america/usa/092001p.html

I then Googled "oligarchy" and this is what I got.

oligarchy

noun, plural oligarchies.

1. a form of government in which all power is vested in a few persons or in a dominant class or clique; government by the few.

2. a state or organization so ruled.

3. the persons or class so ruling.

http://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-echochambers-27074746

Which do you prefer?

[toybits]

I don't even think we are allowed to post our opinion on this matter....