Thai politics: Relying on military 'is not sustainable'

[webfact]

Relying on military 'is not sustainable'
PRAVIT ROJANAPHRUK
THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- TECHNOCRATS have relied on military dictators over the past five decades to push for their preferred policies, but this is not sustainable due to the lack of legitimacy, Thammasat University economist Assoc Prof Apichat Santitniramai said.

"[Technocrats] are ready to work with those in power without considering the issue of legitimacy," Apichat said yesterday. He was speaking as keynote speaker to mark the 99th anniversary of the birth of the late Puey Ungphakorn, former rector of Thammasat University and former Bank of Thailand governor. The event was organised by the Foundation for the Promotion of Social Science and Humanities Textbook project at the university's Tha Prachan Campus.

Apichat said Thailand's five decades of history shows that technocrats have been closer to military regimes instead of elected governments, because they don't care about political legitimacy. As long as they have the ears of those in power and if they can achieve their goals, then they have no qualms about working for military dictators, the macro economist said.

He said technocrats found it easier to work with dictators because they do not need to compete with policy advocates in an open system, in which the electorate has the final say. Apichat said technocrats were essentially sceptical and distrustful of the electorate, often looking down on them as lacking in democratic conscience.

Apichat said history from the time of military dictators like Field Marshal Sarit Thanarat in the 1960s proved that corruption and policy manipulation usually occurred under military regimes, and technocrats failed to successfully oppose it. However, he pointed out that though Puey was a technocrat, he was a rare example of someone who fully backed democracy. He also said that technocrats working for military dictators could not avoid politics, though it was suppressed in Sarit's time, when union leaders and journalists were imprisoned.

However, he said, the times are changing despite the existence of Thailand Development Research Institute (TDRI), which he cited as a top organisation for technocracy considering its long history of serving numerous unelected regimes.

Apichat said soon after the coup last year, TDRI's incumbent president Somkiat Tangkitvanich allegedly told his staff that anyone wanting to take up a position at one of the junta-appointed panels would have to quit the institute first. Yet, despite that, four of TDRI's 25-member board of directors accepted places at the National Council for Peace and Order. Now, he said, TDRI was trying to advocate its policies publicly to win support. Yet, change is irreversible regardless of what technocrats may want, Apichat warned, adding that working with military leaders is not sustainable due to the lack of legitimacy.

"They cannot reverse the clock of democratisation. Thai society and economy have opened and become more complex. Since the Chatichai Choonhavan administration [in the early 1990s], we can no longer be considered an agrarian society, not to mention the country's gender diversity. It's impossible to avoid difference in thought," he said, adding that the electorate would increasingly be the deciding factor in public policy.

"This is in line with what Puey advocated, adhering to democratic principles in which justice is the power and not power is justice."

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/politics/Relying-on-military-is-not-sustainable-30255675.html


-- The Nation 2015-03-10

[tbthailand]

Thammasat University economist Assoc Prof Apichat Santitniramai

adjust him...

[Thian]

Living with bombings, shootings, roadblocks, huge protests, corruption, extortion is also not sustainable and not good for any business.

[Chris Lawrence]

'Apichat said Thailand's five decades of history shows that technocrats have been closer to military regimes instead of elected governments, because they don't care about political legitimacy. As long as they have the ears of those in power and if they can achieve their goals, then they have no qualms about working for military dictators, the macro economist said.'

'The political divides in Thailand that have led to the current crisis are not as simple as corrupt elected leaders versus trusted technocrats. Thailand’s politics is multi-layered, geographically divided and reflects a series of differing agendas and ideologies. and goes on to say 'The more powerful lines of influence are not based simply on class, but divides among Thailand’s oligarchy, which shares a patronising top-down approach to all politics. This then reflects competing ethnicities (various language groups of Chinese-descendant Thais are dominant), patron-client networks and a traditional urban-rural divide that casts rural Thais in derogatory terms.' Professor Damien Kingsbury, Deakin University.

What they need to do is remove the power of the military as the last arbitrator in the system.

[Thailand]

The only ones relying on the military as those they cannot get in to government legitimately with a mandate from the people!

[lildragon]

Great article. Some here believe mass corruption started and ended with Thaksin. It was going on way before he was even on the political scene.

Constant coups benefit no one but the ruling elite. Thing is we are in a modern world now where Thai people can access many things beyond the authorities control. The elite can't keep this up forever.

[Robby nz]

Could that possibly be because elected governments tend to rely more on nepotism when choosing who to put into positions such as cabinet posts rather than those so called technocrats, that is those who have expertise in their particular field.

Seems to me that it would be better to have people who actually know what they are doing in decision making posts, particularly in cabinet, rather then, as with the previous administration, 5 or 6 reshuffles to give friends and relations a turn.

We have all seen the sustainability of that policy. Although some still support it.

[lildragon]

Yeah... because right now we are seeing government positions being given to cronies and relatives with military back grounds that of course have experience in their respective minister roles right?

Lord have mercy....

[greenchair]

Living with bombings, shootings, roadblocks, huge protests, corruption, extortion is also not sustainable and not good for any business.

Well they should arrest themselves for the road blocks and the bodies in the klongs and the taking of government offices and blocking of airports to hold the entire country to ransom.

Maybe they could channel all that effort into campaigning for voters and make clear policies that people would like to vote for.

Oh that's right they can't do that, because they are having a paddy tantrum and don't want to join elections. ??

[Fat Haggis]

Living with bombings, shootings, roadblocks, huge protests, corruption, extortion is also not sustainable and not good for any business.

Never seen any of these up here in Korat, never seen any of those in saraburi, Pattaya, Patong either, don't think many business apart from the tourist business suffered and that was down to the declaration of martial law and curfews.

Is there a point to your post? Or are you thinking that Bangkok is the whole of Thailand?

Oh I just caught on, your actually talking about the South of Thailand aren't you?

[northernjohn]

Great article. Some here believe mass corruption started and ended with Thaksin. It was going on way before he was even on the political scene.

Constant coups benefit no one but the ruling elite. Thing is we are in a modern world now where Thai people can access many things beyond the authorities control. The elite can't keep this up forever.

You are quite correct. Corruption was around long before Thaksin came on the scene.

Thaksin took it to a new level. Not going to comment on that.

But the fact he did it with such a in your face manner no attempt to hide it has with the new communication opportunities made it into a much more contentious issue.

Let's face it when you have a government owned by a on the run convicted criminal who calls in to give instruction at cabinet meetings you have an out of control situation. Thailand is going through growing pains that highly offend some people how ever they are necessary and their impact will take a while to be felt. It is change that we are feeling now.

The result of it we will not know until after the next election and even then it will take a while for people to become aware of it.

In the mean tie sit back and enjoy the show. Thai Visa will have no impact on it.

[h90]

The only ones relying on the military as those they cannot get in to government legitimately with a mandate from the people!

That would be who? Can't remember when you could vote for Prayut

The others who cannot get into government legitimately with a mandate from the people rely on vote buying.

[elgordo38]

Living with bombings, shootings, roadblocks, huge protests, corruption, extortion is also not sustainable and not good for any business.

The key word is business people do not count or so it would seem

[Srikcir]

Relying on the military has shown that it is sustainable to the oligarchy. That's one of the major problems.

The oligarchy believes that it does not have to be held accountable to any democratic process, thus the repeated cycles of abolishment and re-creation of constitutions. The rule of law is forever a moving standard defined by changing policies of the oligarchy, and not by the changing needs of the Thai people.

[heybruce]

Great article. Some here believe mass corruption started and ended with Thaksin. It was going on way before he was even on the political scene.

Constant coups benefit no one but the ruling elite. Thing is we are in a modern world now where Thai people can access many things beyond the authorities control. The elite can't keep this up forever.

You are quite correct. Corruption was around long before Thaksin came on the scene.

Thaksin took it to a new level. Not going to comment on that.

But the fact he did it with such a in your face manner no attempt to hide it has with the new communication opportunities made it into a much more contentious issue.

Let's face it when you have a government owned by a on the run convicted criminal who calls in to give instruction at cabinet meetings you have an out of control situation. Thailand is going through growing pains that highly offend some people how ever they are necessary and their impact will take a while to be felt. It is change that we are feeling now.

The result of it we will not know until after the next election and even then it will take a while for people to become aware of it.

In the mean tie sit back and enjoy the show. Thai Visa will have no impact on it.

You comment, then you post:

"Not going to comment on that."

Then you comment quite a bit more.

All I can say is, you posted nothing worthy of comment. But it is kind of amusing.

Edited March 10, 2015 by heybruce