Thailand' s NRC gives NACC until April to get its house in order

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NRC gives NACC until April to get its house in order
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- THE NATIONAL REFORM Council president Thienchay Kiranandana yesterday dismissed the possibility of the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) being dissolved, saying the anti-graft agency just needs restructuring to boost its efficiency.

Thienchay, who is tasked with monitoring and evaluating the NACC, made the remark after meeting the agency's high-ranking officials to discuss restructuring it to ensure it is in line with the new charter's organic laws.

"I am not guiding them on changes as it is up to the NACC on how it wants to change the agency in detail,'' he said.

He said the agency had until April to come up with a plan streamlining its works in three aspects: asset investigation, prevention and campaigns against corruption and the suppression of corruption.

Thienchay said the NACC's weakest point was its efficiency and it needed to work faster - it needed to cooperate and coordinate efficiently with other agencies with which it would have to work when they are established.

NACC secretary-general Sansern Poljiak said part of |the reform of the agency involved responding to the United Nations Convention against Corruption.

Another change involved amending regulations to remove obstacles and boost its efficiency in fighting graft, he said.

Meanwhile, the Election Commission yesterday submitted a letter to the five core agencies to oppose the proposal to reduce its power and authority.

The letter was sent to the National Council for Peace and Order, the National Reform Council, the National Legislative Assembly, the Cabinet and the Constitution Drafting Committee. The media also received copies.

The agency opposes the move to have two agencies handle elections - one to control polls and the other to manage them.

In the letter, it said more than 90 per cent of countries had one agency in charge of elections.

It also said that if it lacked authority over civil servants and politicians, it may not be able to ensure clean and fair elections.

The EC also disapproves of the proposal for it to maintain its power to give a yellow card to election candidates while allowing the courts to give them red cards.

It said having to go through the judicial system would cause delays in the process and loopholes that would enable election candidates to carry out their duties and thus have the power to intimidate witnesses in court cases.

The agency also opposes the move to allow it to call a new election before the election results are announced and remove its power to revoke the election rights of candidates.

It said this would allow candidates who had adequate financial resources to run in elections as many times as they wished without fear of the law.

The agency hailed the scrapped 1997 Charter that gave it the full power to call a new election and revoke the election rights of candidates before and after election results were declared.

It said politicians committed less electoral offences under that charter.

The EC also disapproves of the proposal to stop it promoting democracy education in state agencies.

It said education and campaigns against vote-buying were the most important factors in a democracy.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/politics/NRC-gives-NACC-until-April-to-get-its-house-in-ord-30253511.html


-- The Nation 2015-02-06

[PatOngo]

Thailand' s NRC gives NACC until April to get its house in order.

It will be ready on the 1st.

[oneday]

Wow, I love these phrases, "...charter's organic laws...". Does that mean they will spoil, get rotten and have to be thrown away? Just curious.

[Fat Haggis]

The new "buzzwords" for the week "organic laws"

[Eric Loh]

So the NACC house was never in order. I agree.

[Xrey24]

" l April to come up with a plan streamlining its works in three aspects: asset investigation, prevention and campaigns against corruption and the suppression of corruption."

[rickirs]

" it said more than 90 per cent of countries had one agency in charge of elections."

So then put the EC entirely under the Minister of the Interior. Problem solved. But I suspect what the EC wants is to do is continue being its own independent agency, accountable only to the supreme court. Nice misuse of statistics if they are accurate.

It also said that "if it lacked authority over civil servants and politicians, it may not be able to ensure clean and fair elections."

But notice it didn't provide any statisitcs to show that 90% of countries allows their election commissoin to have any such authority. Nice selective use of statistics. In fact why should any [democratic] country allow an independent agency to decide when and where elections should be held and who can be a candidate. If a country has sufficient laws in place to address such issues, it need only to enforce the law with existing governmental authorities.

The EC members do not want to lose their powers!

[Robby nz]

The first thing that needs to be done is to reinstate the NACC budget to the same level it was before PT cut it in their quest to fight corruption.

Because of the budget cuts staff was laid off and investigations had to be put on hold.

It has been boosted from the low that cut left it at but not up to the previous level.

That boost is the main reason why we now see corruption cases coming to the courts, that and of course, that the worst offenders are PT politicians and their cohorts who, now they are out of power and their red friends can no longer intimidate and threaten can be properly investigated.

[Fat Haggis]

yes restore the full budget and go after ALL those involved in corruption, regardless of their political persuasion, whether they be Red, Yellow or Digital Cammo !!!

Soon we will see someone hauled in for the BOSE microphone system that's still in Parliament, despite assurances it was returned to sender

Edited February 6, 2015 by Fat Haggis

[Robby nz]

" it said more than 90 per cent of countries had one agency in charge of elections."

So then put the EC entirely under the Minister of the Interior. Problem solved. But I suspect what the EC wants is to do is continue being its own independent agency, accountable only to the supreme court. Nice misuse of statistics if they are accurate.

It also said that "if it lacked authority over civil servants and politicians, it may not be able to ensure clean and fair elections."

But notice it didn't provide any statisitcs to show that 90% of countries allows their election commissoin to have any such authority. Nice selective use of statistics. In fact why should any [democratic] country allow an independent agency to decide when and where elections should be held and who can be a candidate. If a country has sufficient laws in place to address such issues, it need only to enforce the law with existing governmental authorities.

The EC members do not want to lose their powers!

How do you know they didn't show the NRC statistics ? Just because they didn't show you or it wasn't reported in the media doesn't mead it didn't happen.

As usual you twist things out of context, they have been the authority that is in place to decide the eligibility of politicians and run elections and it is best that an independent agency does this.

But of course that doesn't suit the corrupt politicians you support.