EDITORIAL
We, as a society, need to grow up
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- For Thailand's democracy to be successful, our bureaucracy requires capable people

It isn't exactly a new issue, but the timing makes it interesting. At a recent forum, bureaucrats from 19 ministries came together to voice their concerns about interference by politicians and called for a more transparent process for recruiting government officials.

The event, "Uniting Government Officials' Ideas towards Drafting the Constitution", was organised by the Constitutional Drafting Committee (CDC) panel on public participation and gathering opinions. The topic that garnered the most attention was the "authority and jurisdiction of government officials and politicians".

The task at hand, said Suthep Benjapakeesakul from the Labour Ministry, was how to come up with a mechanism that limits politicians from putting forward policies and allows state officials to implement them unhindered.

Some offered placement testing for bureaucrats and suggested that it had to be better managed so politicians can't put their own flunkies in positions for which they are not qualified.

Another group suggested that the appointment of permanent secretaries should be approved and proposed by a panel of senior government officials and politicians whose job it would be to scrutinise these appointments.

Coming up with a fair system in which bureaucrats can be rewarded for their work has long been a wish of Thai government officials.

Theoretically, people's mandate gives power to elected representatives who may or may not be as competent as government officials who have been in the job pretty much their entire career. So the idea of a clearly defined division of labour is a good starting point while we are on the subject of reform.

But all this could become blurry because nobody really knows where the line is drawn. Shouldn't politicians be able to select bureaucrats? Shouldn't competency outweigh seniority?

Like every other sector of Thai society, bureaucrats must strive to improve themselves to meet the challenges of this rapidly changing world. Bureaucrats like to blame politicians for their predicaments. And yet too many of these officials are just going along for the ride, treating their work as little more than a secure paying job.

A strict guideline to ensure integrity and transparency is one thing, but having too rigid a system cannot accommodate the need for flexibility, especially in an urgent situation where rapid action is required.

Moreover, the current crop of reformers might want to think about making it easier for officials to switch to other ministries or agencies to attract the needed expertise.

We might want to come up with a salary scale that is equivalent to the private sector's in order to attract the same kind of calibre.

The armed forces are designed to be a fighting force - the leaner, the better - and the military is outsourcing many jobs to the private sector or permitting civilians to enter the Defence Ministry to take up non-combat jobs.

In other words, reform should also include the Defence Ministry and the armed forces. Do we really need all these colonels and generals, many of whom walk around without a contingent under their command?

In many developed countries, commissioned officers who get passed up for promotion one too many times are decommissioned. But in Thailand, our military officers treat their career as another bureaucracy that thrives on the notion that bigger is better.

And yet not even half of the defence budget is being spent on enhancing military capability. Most of the money goes to things like pensions and salaries.

As long as one can remember, the Thai military has not been able to come to terms with the notion of civilian supremacy.

But with an indifferent society that keeps electing idiotic politicians, Thailand's political and democratic foundation will continue to rest on shaky ground if we keep turning a blind eye to these irregularities.

In short, all sectors of society need to grow up. We can't really reform one sector without thinking about changing others.

Not doing so would be nothing less than selfishness. And in the end, nothing fundamentally will change.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/opinion/We-as-a-society-need-to-grow-up-30251078.html

-- The Nation 2015-01-02

… in the end, nothing fundamentally will change.

Took a while to get to the important part.

As an incisive statement to rock the country, provoke thought and create action it's far too late as the horse is long gone.

You can draft the Constitution a 1000 times. In the end, money is still above the laws.

The RTA has far too much to lose to consider any kind of meaningful reform.

Never a truer word said, Thai society needs to grow up, the only thing stoping this of course is Thai society itself.

Thailand has no capable leaders. It is an ineptocracy. Fumbling, bumbling, stumbling idiots as the Thai press indicates.

Have Europeans play the role of administrators. This was done in Thailand over 100 years ago in ministries governing logging, railways, etc. Working day in day out under European management would lead to much more competent and effective performance by civil servants.

Have Europeans play the role of administrators. This was done in Thailand over 100 years ago in ministries governing logging, railways, etc. Working day in day out under European management would lead to much more competent and effective performance by civil servants.

I recall reading about some Greek guy that was a top advisor to the monarchy around the turn of the last century. He got murdered.

EDIT: He was an advisor to King Narai in the 1600's & got executed in 1688.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constantine_Phaulkon

Have Europeans play the role of administrators. This was done in Thailand over 100 years ago in ministries governing logging, railways, etc. Working day in day out under European management would lead to much more competent and effective performance by civil servants.

I recall reading about some Greek guy that was a top advisor to the monarchy around the turn of the last century. He got murdered.

EDIT: He was an advisor to King Narai in the 1600's & got executed in 1688.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constantine_Phaulkon

better leave the greeks out, may that why country is like that

I think there are many Thais capable of running the country or ministerial positions. The problem is the

corruption. They want to fatten there bank accounts while doing there jobs. No ethics taught in schools I guess.

This is not just a problem of Thailand. Look at the corruption on wall street yet nobody has been charged

let alone sent to jail from the 2008 collapse. A Harvard and London School of Economics professors writing a paper

of the soundness of the Icelandic banks and banking system only months before they went bankrupt. No discloser

in the paper that they were handsomely paid for writing the paper by the government of Iceland. AS far as I know these

ethically bankrupt professors think they did nothing wrong and they are still professors at these institutions.

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Have Europeans play the role of administrators. This was done in Thailand over 100 years ago in ministries governing logging, railways, etc. Working day in day out under European management would lead to much more competent and effective performance by civil servants.

I recall reading about some Greek guy that was a top advisor to the monarchy around the turn of the last century. He got murdered.

EDIT: He was an advisor to King Narai in the 1600's & got executed in 1688.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constantine_Phaulkon

All intrigue at the big house , someone else was murdered their 2 in later years.

What is the fixation with childish habits that they never grown out of, Disney characters, childish animated figures on all manner of clothes, endless children singing out of tune all seem to be embraced by society, do they still wish to children all their lives? In many ways it is a very child like society and maybe that is where the problems stem from, where gangs fight to get their own way, rules apply to others. Look at LINE versus SKYPE, Line looks as if has been designed for kids and Thais love it. I dont see any sign of society growing up here in the near future.

If you grow up people expect you to act like an adult

Never a truer word said, Thai society needs to grow up, the only thing stoping this of course is Thai society itself.

Yea.... not part of "Thainess."

Have Europeans play the role of administrators. This was done in Thailand over 100 years ago in ministries governing logging, railways, etc. Working day in day out under European management would lead to much more competent and effective performance by civil servants.

Meet me at six on the verandah old chap and we'll have a few gin and tonics and discuss the natives.

Just joking, but Orwell's Burmese days came to mind.

Have Europeans play the role of administrators. This was done in Thailand over 100 years ago in ministries governing logging, railways, etc. Working day in day out under European management would lead to much more competent and effective performance by civil servants.

Great idea, however I believe Thailand and the "owners" are more inclined toward China (the real motherland) than Europe or any functioning democracy.

A generation or two needs to die before Thailand sees any change.

Having people in their 90's running the show behind closed doors doesn't instill much confidence for change.

"BANGKOK: -- For Thailand's democracy to be successful, our bureaucracy requires capable people"

so nothing to do with those generals now in a high governement position, not willing to give up their military $$$$

thailand and many other places : it is not important that you are an expert in what you do, the import thing is : WHO DO YOU KNOW, to get the job

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Have Europeans play the role of administrators. This was done in Thailand over 100 years ago in ministries governing logging, railways, etc. Working day in day out under European management would lead to much more competent and effective performance by civil servants.

I recall reading about some Greek guy that was a top advisor to the monarchy around the turn of the last century. He got murdered.

EDIT: He was an advisor to King Narai in the 1600's & got executed in 1688.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constantine_Phaulkon

All intrigue at the big house , someone else was murdered their 2 in later years.

By whom? I dare yer.....

Grow up? What's that mean?

What is the fixation with childish habits that they never grown out of, Disney characters, childish animated figures on all manner of clothes, endless children singing out of tune all seem to be embraced by society, do they still wish to children all their lives? In many ways it is a very child like society and maybe that is where the problems stem from, where gangs fight to get their own way, rules apply to others. Look at LINE versus SKYPE, Line looks as if has been designed for kids and Thais love it. I dont see any sign of society growing up here in the near future.

Kidults mostly, many of them are emotionally retarded, cannot take the slightest criticism and will never accept personal responsibility. I know as married to one, she's excited about children s day next week, and she's 42! Loves hello kitty and that Doeramon crap.

What is the fixation with childish habits that they never grown out of, Disney characters, childish animated figures on all manner of clothes, endless children singing out of tune all seem to be embraced by society, do they still wish to children all their lives? In many ways it is a very child like society and maybe that is where the problems stem from, where gangs fight to get their own way, rules apply to others. Look at LINE versus SKYPE, Line looks as if has been designed for kids and Thais love it. I dont see any sign of society growing up here in the near future.

What we found charming on first arriving turns to frustration and contempt.

Have Europeans play the role of administrators. This was done in Thailand over 100 years ago in ministries governing logging, railways, etc. Working day in day out under European management would lead to much more competent and effective performance by civil servants.

Meet me at six on the verandah old chap and we'll have a few gin and tonics and discuss the natives.

Just joking, but Orwell's Burmese days came to mind.

Actually "Burmese Days" starts with

"U Po Kyin, Sub-divisional Magistrate of Kyauktada, in Upper Burma, was sitting in his veranda."

More like the Natives discussing

Sounds like someone accidentally stumbled over a history book and discovered the centuries-old Chinese mandarin/bureaucrat system. It actually worked for a while, more or less, until mandarins (a farang term) began to regard themselves as elites. Then they were dispatched and replaced by the even older "It's who you know or are related to." system. Nothing ever changes when human nature is involved. Why revert? Just skip the mandarin step and embrace the present. /sarc-off

There are enough grown-ups to manage the country. The rest of the population can depend on those "grown ups" to take care of them. No need for them to bother trying to "Think". Those grown ups will to the thinking for them. Nuf said.

"Do we really need all these colonels and generals, many of whom walk around without a contingent under their command?"

"But in Thailand, our military officers treat their career as another bureaucracy that thrives on the notion that bigger is better."

"And yet not even half of the defence budget is being spent on enhancing military capability. Most of the money goes to things like pensions and salaries."

"As long as one can remember, the Thai military has not been able to come to terms with the notion of civilian supremacy."

Bravo!

Yes, please do grow up.... I know I won't see it in my time on this planet!

Sorry.... but this is going to be slightly off topic (yet within the realm of ANY post....) THERE = a place over yonder, THEY'RE = they are, THEIR = a form of the possessive case of they used as an attributive adjective, before a noun: their home, etc.

Have Europeans play the role of administrators. This was done in Thailand over 100 years ago in ministries governing logging, railways, etc. Working day in day out under European management would lead to much more competent and effective performance by civil servants.

I recall reading about some Greek guy that was a top advisor to the monarchy around the turn of the last century. He got murdered.

EDIT: He was an advisor to King Narai in the 1600's & got executed in 1688.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constantine_Phaulkon

Good article, and explains a lot. As it says 'Phetracha then proclaimed himself the new king of Siam and began a xenophobic regime which expelled almost all foreigners from the kingdom.'

Which still seems to be going on in the background, 300+ years later ...

I suggest looking back in history and find the last PM that balanced the budget.