EDITORIAL
Reform must cater to ordinary citizens
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- We focus on abstract political concepts while basic needs go unfulfilled

Is political reform so difficult to achieve because we attach too much importance to the word "political", or because we automatically associate the term with politicians, so often the spurs to our divisiveness? What's occurring here right now in the name of reform could be simply sowing the seeds for another round of turmoil.

We should be reforming society for the benefit of ordinary citizens. Their needs are simple enough. They want a clean environment, cheap food on the table, a good education for the young, reliable healthcare - and an honest political system that addresses these needs. There's not much more than that at stake.

The ongoing reform process is much too politicised. The questions being discussed have to do with how politicians come to power and how they are best removed from power, whether the Senate and prime minister should be elected, and how much power "independent" agencies wield. We mull over alternative ways to impeach politicians. We wonder how many electoral constituencies Thailand should have and how they are best organised. We have entered a new political era, and yet these questions are old and familiar.

Admittedly, Thailand’s political crisis is rooted in the essential questions at hand. But reform that seeks to address them exclusively without heeding what the people really would merely set another time-bomb ticking. These questions are purely political, meaning they will be opposed, or changed, or enforced according to how the political wind blows. To achieve long-term, sustainable reform, measures must serve the basic needs of the man on the street.

We have been doing it all wrong. Abstract matters can be discussed, but ultimately we need a political system that serves the basic needs of the people. Once this is done, correct values will follow. Politicians must first be made accountable to those fundamental needs. They must be made to serve the people first and foremost. Vested interests in the system must be eradicated, or at least minimised.

What happens when vested interests overshadow basic needs? Let's take education for example. The choice of who becomes education minister is never dictated by who might serve Thai students’ basic needs, but instead by how to mollify a politician left disappointed by not getting a Cabinet post viewed as more prestigious. As a result, Thailand’s education system lags far behind global standards. The same applies to the ICT and agriculture portfolios, which are surely as important as the finance and interior ministries.

Democracy is supposed to deliver a qualified education minister. In fact, democracy is supposed to deliver a qualified government. But instead we undergo reforms that cater to the needs of politicians rather than those of the people.

When there is affordable, nutritious food on the table, when Thai students can compete with the world's best, the air is clean, medical services are available to all, crime is contained - and when the bureaucracy is efficient and honest - then we can begin to address issues like electoral zoning and ways to keep the military out of politics. As long as citizens' fundamental needs go unfulfilled, there will be street protests that politicians can manipulate while their own children study abroad.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/opinion/Reform-must-cater-to-ordinary-citizens-30253024.html

-- The Nation 2015-01-31

Too bad that the junta is autistic because this article shows good points.

It's all about Thailand as usual. Not that the writer doesn't make some good points, but saying "that's all it's about" is blind. It's also about trade, economy and international relationships at which Thailand is getting worse and worse.

Without a growing and thriving economy participating on the international stage, there won't be the things the author wants. Very poor people don't have those things including education and health care.

As long as Thailand is always inward looking and xenophobic it will continue to miss the brass ring and be passed by other developing nations which are working hard at joining the world economy.

Points raised here are valid inasmuch that they aim right at the cause of the problem, the establishment elite and members of Parliament , Thailand's political system is weighed heavily in favour of the members and the in crowd not in favour of the person that is actually their employer( They wouldn't like to hear that), a complete re-think on the mind set needs to happen before the ordinary man in the street is truly represented in the corridors of power in Thailand, points raised with reforms suggestions so far doesn't indicate that this latest Coup will greatly help the man in the street.

Is the iPad app screwed up or is it my device as I have to log in every time I post a reply - every few minutes log in - mad.

Anyway the article is, in true Thai style, ass about face. Yes people do want all those things world over and the people who get the earnest to their desires are those in countries with working democracies.

Thailand is full of selfish, ignorant but self-important parts with neither the aptitude nor intent to serve the country they are so vocal in saluting the flag of and mouthing off their xenophobic prattle and nationalist nonsense whilst stealing all they can and chucking their trash everywhere.

Before the people can start to get the things they need, they need to find a way of electing politicians with true moral compass and dedication to beliefs that are socially beneficial. Until the political issues and dare I say it cultural problems are dealt with there will be no one n power to manage the country in a way that benefits the whole of Thailand and all its people.

It's not hard, you just need some responsible socially minded individuals in power with a mission to root out corruption and engage the international community in trade as well as the gamut of socially correct causes instead of being so introspective and naive.

Thais are experts at "sowing the seeds for another round of turmoil."

It's all about Thailand as usual. Not that the writer doesn't make some good points, but saying "that's all it's about" is blind. It's also about trade, economy and international relationships at which Thailand is getting worse and worse.

Without a growing and thriving economy participating on the international stage, there won't be the things the author wants. Very poor people don't have those things including education and health care.

As long as Thailand is always inward looking and xenophobic it will continue to miss the brass ring and be passed by other developing nations which are working hard at joining the world economy.

Thailand is a nationalistically obsessed nation. There is far too much false pride to go looking answers outside Thailand

The Taiwanese came up with their own representative government, but their populatoin was and demanding of and obsessed wtih education.

"When there is affordable, nutritious food on the table, when Thai students can compete with the world's best, the air is clean, medical services are available to all, crime is contained - and when the bureaucracy is efficient and honest ..."

That will happen as one western leader responded to the questions as to when will there be world peace? "Not on God's lifetime".

Edited January 31, 201511 yr by jaltsc

That article is complete nonsense, the problem is very much political because those that are elected to office continually divert funds that should be going to the people to support all the things mentioned into their own greedy pockets - something that needs to be stopped - mechanisms and powerful agencies put in place to remove those that try - hence the reform and it's current focus on rogue governments and individuals who try to thwart the system

Transparency and accountability and severe penalties for those that try to break the rules the system and the law with powerful enforcement agencies to swiftly remove them and prosecute them

Edited January 31, 201511 yr by smedly

"Their needs are simple enough. They want a clean environment, cheap food on the table, a good education for the young, reliable healthcare - and an honest political system that addresses these needs. There's not much more than that at stake."

Holy Shit! A Nation reporter spoke the simple truth.

I'm shaving my head and going to the wat to join Suthep.

I was of the understanding that there are various groups (committees) looking at different reform areas such as education, health, transport, police, civil service.

Just that the ones doing the political bit are getting all the publicity.

There is a glaring need to clean up politics and all the others certainly need urgent attention.

But then everything comes back to the people voted into power and their policies .

If they have bad policies that are only used to attract votes, are corrupt, self serving or just have no idea what they are doing then that filters down to corrupt even good systems by diverting budgets and sidelining previous good ideas because they are not part of 'their policy' or just because it was someone else's idea.

Starting at the top and getting it right is not a bad idea.

A post flaming another poster was removed along with replies quoting that. Please keep it civil.

What a stupid article. It actually opened with stating that issues were beyond politicial them identified all the problems that need addressing as being politicial. Don't look now the Nation but the Junta actually seems to be three steps in front of you dealing with those issues. Perhaps your writers have lost their way by reading to much of the garbage presented by the all things thai are crap, and democracy is elections only, and we should have elections now so we can go immediately back to the destroy your opposition with bombs, guns and your police and other beauracracy brought Thaksin style of third world dreamed up democracy.

And well noted Smedly. Wrote this then read yours before posting and see someone with positive outlooks and a care for the future of Thailand had already hammered the nail.

I am a friend of Thailand.

Thais are experts at "sowing the seeds for another round of turmoil."

Because no one has a vision to make the system be uncorruptible and aimed at lasting a lifetime.

Any solution is always biased to the incumbents and built long enough to last till the next coup.

Somehow missed is the common man's need for participatory governance, freedom of expression, and freedom of association. Instead the author dribbles out snatches of communist-like dogma that relates mankind to an economic animal who is distinguished from the animal kingdom only by his methods of organized production. If you cater to the needs of the body, you satisfy man's life. "From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs." - Louis Blanc, populized by Karl Marx.

I am a friend of Thailand.

Aah, that's so nice.............would you like to talk to us about it a bit more?

As long as FACE-ism rules, no matter the ruling party, nothing will ever change,...

more like forestalling the inevitable and make the majority think they are being catered to.