Thai politics: Time for public to start asking some vital questions

[webfact]

BURNING ISSUE
Time for public to start asking some vital questions
KRIS BHROMSUTHI

BANGKOK: -- THE CHARTER-drafting process that began early last month has produced some significant indicators of the vision and underlying political ideologies of the Constitution Drafting Committee's members and how they might affect the country's future.

Many of the provisions drafted so far appear to be granting more power and responsibilities to bureaucrats and reducing the influence of elected officials, both at the national and local levels.

For instance, the responsibility of organising general elections will be taken away from the Election Commission and handed over to the Interior Ministry.

Another provision is to set up a committee to deliberate on the transfer, appointment or dismissal of ministries' permanent secretaries or heads of public offices. This panel will be made up of public officials, including former permanent secretaries and representatives of ministries and those of civil servants.

In other words, elected officials will no longer have the power to move or appoint high-ranking public officials, with this power handed instead to other public officials.

Clearly, elected officials will lose the power and influence they enjoyed under the 1997 and 2007 charters.

The CDC is also scheduled to draft provisions on the country's political system next month.

Charter drafter Paiboon Nititawan said his fellow CDC members were planning to go ahead with the proposal to introduce the mixed-member proportional (MMP) voting system for general elections. As proved in Germany, this electoral system will produce many medium-sized parties, instead of a handful of large and powerful parties seen under the past charters' mixed-member majoritarian system.

This provision can also be seen as a measure to curb the power of politicians from dominant parties who may have the most seats in Parliament, taking away their negotiating power.

It is also highly likely that the proposal to have the entire Senate appointed will be approved. The CDC wants senators to be chosen from the "Five Pillars of Power" - small but powerful social groups that require an "official stance" in Parliament. These "power groups", consisting of former prime ministers, high-ranking public officials and former top military brass, will get to select their representatives for the upper house.

Also, the Senate will be granted a "super power" to regulate elected officials by such things as proposing laws and scrutinising the qualifications of ministerial candidates. This will be in addition to their already existing power under the 2007 Constitution.

Another provision drafted last week focuses on strict regulation of government spending and elected officials' ability to design public policy. The clause on state spending stipulates "financial boundaries that will not affect the country's fiscal discipline, and must consider the effectiveness and efficiency of the spending and the necessity of the government agencies' spending".

However, these drafted provisions are not final. The CDC is scheduled to submit its first draft for the National Reform Council (NRC) to examine on March 17. Then from March 26 to April 25 the NRC, the National Council for Peace and Order and the Cabinet will submit their recommendations for modifications and amendments.

All these developments make this an important period for members of society to take note of and discuss the changing trends, as well as to raise pertinent questions, such as whether we want a bureaucratic state or want to move towards a smaller, but more effective, civil government.

Do we want to centralise the country's administration or decentralise it by empowering local administrations? Do we want elected officials to be the key force of Thailand's progress or would the country's future be better placed in the hands of bureaucrats?

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/politics/Time-for-public-to-start-asking-some-vital-questio-30253234.html


-- The Nation 2015-02-03

[cloudhopper]

Too bad for the public that they have been culturally indoctrinated in school to never question anything.

[ExPratt]

I don't think "Public questions" will make a blind bit of difference .They will go ahead with what they wanted to do from the start and remove any chance of losing power and control in an election

[NongKhaiKid]

' Vital ' questions tend to be difficult even controversial so no likelihood of them being allowed anytime soon.

[arthurboy]

As the CDC operates behind closed doors, and with public gatherings out of the question, how exactly are the great unwashed supposed to ask questions or voice their opinions?

And anyway, the junta knows what's best for the people.

[chainarong]

My very word the public need to ask questions, from the rhetoric being bandied about at the beginning of the Coup the Thai people had every right to be optimistic, how the worm has turned ,best described as a dismal effort to claw back the ruling elite to restrictions and freedom of expression to arranging government to government contracts without tender, it is apparent that the people need to ask questions, but will the Junta want questions or to be questioned is another thing.

[Pib]

Hard for the public to speak up when the govt is suppressing free speech and gatherings.

[garrya]

People hardly ever speak up apart from the regular red-yellow bashing.

[gchurch259]

The Septic Tank did not get full in one year !! Therefore, It will take a while to purge it, in the mean time the Good General/PM is continuing to flush out corruption.

In the US the Declaration of Independence was 1776, but the Constitution was not ratified until 1787. Yes, I know communication/things move faster now.

The important thing is a good result however long it takes. In the mean time I believe the country is running quite well, except the Taxi's want another raise or two. The minimum wage is 300THB a day and the average Taxi Ride cost 100THB you will need more buses and BTS/MRT Trains.

[manchesterlalala]

So,

1.) government appointed bureaucrats for previously elected positions?

=

dem-supporting, crypto-fascist, monarchist elites back in their gravy train positions, unchallenged where they apparently exclusively belong.

2.) a military/dem/monarchist/elite-controlled senate with veto powers over policies proposed by MPs voted for by the great unwashed?

=

forget about progressive albeit tokenistic policies such as micro credit for farmers and elementary health insurance, which lift the poor from a miserable to a dignified poverty.

3.) super powers for the senate?

=

so even if their new, German-style voting structure does not eliminate the latest incarnation of the PT party, and PT still get the largest number of votes, PT politicians will not be allowed in the cabinet for more spurious reasons (perhaps for appearing on a cooking show on a Tuesday)

My reading has always been that the drafters of the 1997 constitution sought to do away with unelected bureaucrats and open up positions with decision-making powers to make the entire system less cumbersome, more accountable, not least more efficient from the decades of non-too-mysterious fund-siphoning and cronyism.

Very interesting to see how the Thaksin phenomenon has brought the elite full circle.

(edited for paragraphing)

Edited February 3, 2015 by manchesterlalala

[Utley]

The following views were recently expressed by The Wall Street Journal in a 2 Feb 2015 editorial:

"The U.S. offered muted criticism of Thailand’s military coup last May—no doubt because the country is designated a “major non-NATO ally” and the coup plotters promised to restore democracy quickly. But the junta’s decision last month to abandon political reconciliation and impeach former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra for alleged corruption has prompted the Obama administration to speak up.

Assistant Secretary of State Daniel Russel, the most senior U.S. official to visit Thailand since last May’s coup, used a speech at Thailand’s most prestigious university last week to call for an end to martial law and restrictions on free speech and assembly. With classic diplomatic understatement he warned that “the international community is left with the impression that [the prosecution of Ms. Yingluck] could be politically driven.” The U.S. has also scaled back the annual “Cobra Gold” joint military exercise."

CLICK HERE to read the complete article.

[bkkgooner]

This country is wrapped up and in control of the army for the next five years obviously they are waiting for something to happen that I am not allowed mention.

[wowfactor10]

Its clear what they try to do here...

Its all about bringing back happiness to the people

[dragonfly94]

vital questions

why is Thailand still a feudal society with a thin veneer of westernism on top and how to change it?

why does 0.5 percent of the population have more than 50% of the wealth?

how to stop the elite overturning democratically elected governments?

why is Thailand so insecure that real questions about the structure and future of the country dare not even be asked for fear of imprisonment?

[dragonfly94]

This country is wrapped up and in control of the army for the next five years obviously they are waiting for something to happen that I am not allowed mention.

upps you just did see you in a couple of weeks!

[Ozziepat]

The junta set up the current quasi-government/legal structure and retained control of literally everything, so all decisions of import reflect their aims. And as dissent is not allowed, there cannot be any open discussion of issues. In fact, there cannot be any issues. So please explain again what purpose approved "questions" would serve?

[wowfactor10]

They just want to make it sure that if in case they are unable to prevent the reds to win again the new upcoming elections.

So then they draft their new constitutions solely with the purpose that the next winner of the elections has hardly any power what so ever.

The control of the country will be with burocrats...and influence groups of friends behind the scene etc.(not chosen politicians)

I guess the political party that wins elections and tries to change any of these new undemocratic rules going to be banned and or be put in jail...

I think now they do not want farangs here much cause farangs are more critical thinkers then Thais are.

[hugh2121]

Apologies if this is in the wrong forum but unable to find a more appropriate one.

I'm somewhat confused, but many things in Thailand mystify me.

Yingluck is being impeached for negligence over the rice scheme. However, I saw on t.v. that the law she is being impeached under was scrapped when the constitution was scrapped last year. Anybody know how she can be impeached for something which appears no longer to be an offence, since the law making it an offence has been scrapped?

[SamMunich]

It looks very much as if the generals are trying to turn back the clock by about 50 years.

No freedom of speech, so nobody can pinpoint corruption of the powerful. Who is corrupt is being defined by the military, depending on who is their enemy. Too bad, the military - by definition - have got no clue of the meaning of "personal oppinion" or "free speech". Military and "personal oppinion" is contradictory.

Where Taksin tried to shut up his opponents by million Baht libel suits, the generals use not only paragraphs but also corruption charges.

Meanwhile the world - except Thailand - moves further on...

[rickirs]

Does Kris have a tanslation problem or just used a poor example?

"Many of the provisions drafted so far appear to be granting more power and responsibilities to bureaucrats and reducing the influence of elected officials, both at the national and local levels.....For instance, the responsibility of organising general elections will be taken away from the Election Commission and handed over to the Interior Ministry."

The EC members are not elected under the 2007 Constitution, they are appointed as part of an Independent Organization, ie., independent from the executive branch of government. The NRC is proposing either an elected cabinet or a cabinet appointed by an elected prime minister. So the proposed merger of the EC into an elected executive branch of government would be removing it from unelected officials of an Independent Oragnization. That's the opposite of what Kris states.

[halloween]

Does Kris have a tanslation problem or just used a poor example?

"Many of the provisions drafted so far appear to be granting more power and responsibilities to bureaucrats and reducing the influence of elected officials, both at the national and local levels.....For instance, the responsibility of organising general elections will be taken away from the Election Commission and handed over to the Interior Ministry."

The EC members are not elected under the 2007 Constitution, they are appointed as part of an Independent Organization, ie., independent from the executive branch of government. The NRC is proposing either an elected cabinet or a cabinet appointed by an elected prime minister. So the proposed merger of the EC into an elected executive branch of government would be removing it from unelected officials of an Independent Oragnization. That's the opposite of what Kris states.

You think the Interior Ministry is "an elected executive branch of government"?

[halloween]

"......scrutinising the qualifications of ministerial candidates."

I think this means "Thaksin's mate" doesn't ensure you a job any more. How many ministers were appointed by Yingluk as the "best person for the job (until proven incompetent)" in her revolving door cabinet?

Edited February 3, 2015 by halloween

[Shaunduhpostman]

Is there an oxymoron in the room?

[KhnomKhnom]

My number one "vital question" is why not use the Thaksins' seized assets to help pay off the loss from the rice scheme; and then why not seize more of their assets to pay it all off??????

This seems so simple.

[heybruce]

As predicted shortly after the coup--a flimsy veneer of democracy with real power being held behind the scenes.