Public support crucial for a good Thai charter: Prawase

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Public support crucial for a good charter: Prawase
KRIS BHROMSUTHI
The Nation

Says peace in civil society more important than political or economic reforms

BANGKOK: -- The deciding factor that could create long-lasting peace and reform is the strength of the citizen sector as reformers - and charter drafters will need the public's support and cooperation in order to be successful, said a leading peace proponent.

Prawase Wasi, chairman of the King's Prajadhipok's Institute (KPI) course on promoting peace in society, was speaking yesterday at the "Connecting People for Thailand's Reform" forum organised by KPI.

The object of the seminar was to exchange reform ideas and proposals of people from a variety of sectors and places.

Prawase, who is also a chairman of the National Commission for Thai Peace-Building, said in the forum's opening speech that the starting point for the reconciliation discussion should be "peace in civil society" instead of political or economic reform, because the latter two were highly divisive topics and likely to be fiercely debated.

"When we talk about peace in civil society, no one fights about it because that's what we all want - we all want society to live in harmony," he said. "Hence a peaceful society should be the starting point of the discussion,"

Prawase said people must be more "open" with one another.

"The reason we are stuck in conflict starts from the narrow-mindedness of the people in a big society," he said.

"With such a mind condition, people only look at themselves and their associates. We ought to be more open-minded. This can significantly solve the problem."

Prawase said the characteristics of open-minded people were "the love and compassion for all humanity".

"The way we communicate also needs to change," he said. "Whatever we speak, it should be substantial and can be referenced.

Communication 'must be beneficial'

"We should speak in an appropriate and non-provocative manner. The aim of communication should always be beneficial and create collective benefits."

Prawase said the delivering of a peaceful society hinged on creating strong local communities that had high employment, justice and equal treatment, effective mechanism to manage conflict, power decentralisation, and an education system that focused on creating good character, attitudes and moral values.

Also at the forum were members of the National Reform Council and Constitution Drafting Committee, including CDC president Borwornsak Uwanno.

Borwornsak said although many people questioned how democratic reform in Thailand could be achieved under the leadership of an undemocratic administration, he would ensure it would be possible.

He said: "A lotus is born from the mud" just as "democracy can be born from an undemocratic process."

Borwornsak said the key question for NRC and CDC was how to create a long-lasting peaceful society that could undergo change and reform without being "caught in the trap of conflicts".

The second question centred on how to "structurally" reform the country and turn it into an equal and fair society.

He said such reform had been difficult to implement in the past because it lacked the political will, as politicians belonged to the "rich" class and protected their own interests.

Reform to deliver greater equality must result in "taxing the rich and giving to the poor".

Another sensitive issue that has been one of the most talked about in the past few weeks is an amnesty idea proposed by CDC subcommittee on reconciliation chairman Anek Laothamathas.

Anek, who was also at the forum, said an amnesty bill could help with the reconciliation process.

However, the recent conflict had "cut deep" amongst Thais and the proposal was a very sensitive topic. He said it would be a challenge to propose a bill that was viewed as "fair and just" for all sides.

Anek proposed that the new constitution should include an independent organisation on reconciliation consisting of committee members who were approved by all sides.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/politics/Public-support-crucial-for-a-good-charter-Prawase-30249650.html


-- The Nation 2014-12-12

[NongKhaiKid]

Public support is already assured, on paper at least, as all the hand picked people will express confidence from what they hear and see and the tame ' Happiness Committee ' poll will report overwhelming support from the ' public ' heavily disguised as the carefully chosen people they canvass.

[tbthailand]

Thailand would have a longer lasting constitution if generals were not involved in politics

[tbthailand]

Public support is already assured, on paper at least, as all the hand picked people will express confidence from what they hear and see and the tame ' Happiness Committee ' poll will report overwhelming support from the ' public ' heavily disguised as the carefully chosen people they canvass.

well, you are correct to point out that public support is a forgone conclusion.

I would add that it (public support) is irrelevant to a 'good Thai charter' as the relevant points for a good Thai charter were outlined by the 'NCPO' last summer.

[tbthailand]

Borwornsak said although many people questioned how democratic reform in Thailand could be achieved under the leadership of an undemocratic administration, he would ensure it would be possible.

He said: "A lotus is born from the mud" just as "democracy can be born from an undemocratic process."

maybe it is just the translations by the journalists, but these guys can't even get the right ordering on their bogus analogies.

[Tatsujin]

Whatever they come up with, 4.5 years (or so) later there'll be another change/coup and the cycle will start all over again ... what is it now the, 18th charter/constitution since 1932?

[Eric Loh]

Public support. Well said. First start with a public elected Constitution CDC drafters, not appointed. Ever wonder why the 1997 constitution was widely accepted and called the people' charter and accepted by the public? Simply because of the popularlly elected Constitution Drafter Assembly.