Thai politics: Doubts hang over reforms being put into action

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Doubts hang over reforms being put into action
NITIPOL KIRAVANICH
THE NATION

Changes may not be implemented if next elected govt doesn't back plans

BANGKOK: -- MORE THAN 10 new organisations will be set up to carry out reform under the new constitution, but there are doubts over whether they will be able to achieve their goals within the given time of five years.

The Constitution Drafting Committee (CDC) has introduced these organisations in the chapter on National Reform and Promoting Reconciliation.

The new charter stipulates that this chapter, along with the organisations it empowers, will become defunct after five years.

However, it also stipulates that if a minimum of 50,000 eligible voters sign a petition, Parliament or the Cabinet can request a public referendum on whether the chapter should be extended.

If most people want that, the chapter would be extended for no more than five years.

CDC member Thawilwadee Bureekul, who is also a National Reform Council (NRC) member, said that national reform could be promoted once every side cooperates.

Thawilwadee, chairwoman of the NRC committee on gathering public opinion and public participation, added this included the people as well, because the people were the key towards national reform.

"National reform is everyone's responsibility," Thawilwadee said.

She explained that the member makeup of these reform bodies was still uncertain, but each body would have its own area to push for reform.

She said if national reform could not be accomplished in five years the process should be extended.

Process had 'wrong perspective'

However, independent political scientist Sirote Klampaiboon warned that the reform process would fail because it started with the wrong perspective towards the problem.

He said the government, the NRC, the National Legislative Assembly (NLA) and the CDC claimed that there must be economic reform in order to reduce inequality, reasoning that it was the cause of past conflicts.

But he said the origins of disputes stemmed from the inability of the authorities and other people to accept different ideas.

"Perhaps national reform cannot eradicate social disputes, because the disputes have no relation to the national reform these reform bodies will do in the future," he said.

Sirote also voiced concern over the composition of these bodies - that they will consist of members who think similarly.

He obviously believes national reform will not be achieved in five years.

He said the bodies would be more effective if there were contrasting ideas within their ranks.

"If the members from the NRC and NLA will be included in the reform bodies, I think that they will only be a decoration of these new reform organisations," the political scientist said.

'Reformers have no authority'

Reformers and other junta bodies are supposed to only propose the plans and construct the framework for elected governments to follow, said Sirote.

"These people have no authority or jurisdiction in implementing their plans. Implementing national reform plans should be done by the people who are selected by the public," he said.

"How can we be certain that the NRC has proposed its plans in accordance with the people's ideas."

Sirote's issue with the pending reconciliation bodies also relates to reconciliation committee chairman Anek Laothamatas stating that conflicting groups such as the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship and the People's Democratic Reform Committee be represented on the pending reform bodies.

But Sirote said this was a flawed approach because the "main conflicts do not cover only these people, who I believe are just characters on a |bigger stage".

Another NRC member, Sombat Thamrongthanyawong, chairman of the committee on political reform, said the success of the reformed process hinged on the next government.

"If the new government comes into power and they are not interested in implementing these new reform bodies' plans, national reform will never be promoted," he said.

Sombat supports the idea of setting up the new reform organisations but said its members would only make proposals to the government, which would implement the ones it liked.

However, he warned the new government could have many reasons not to continue the reform plans.

He said the next government could halt reform plans by arguing that those plans hindered its policies.

When asked if he thought reform could be achieved in five years, Sombat said he has hoped for national reform since 1973.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/politics/Doubts-hang-over-reforms-being-put-into-action-30256545.html


-- The Nation 2015-03-23

[chooka]

5 years, Geez you can get two coups in during that time, tear up the reforms and rewrite the constitution a couple of times. I think we are due for a coup in twelve months.

[NongKhaiKid]

More than 10 new organisations, more jobs for handpicked boys, and girls ?

[NongKhaiKid]

The reform process hinges on the next govt !

Isn't that as good a reason as any to make sure the next one is the most ' suitable ' ?

[NongKhaiKid]

5 years, Geez you can get two coups in during that time, tear up the reforms and rewrite the constitution a couple of times. I think we are due for a coup in twelve months.

Many a true word ... !

As time rolls along I wonder when the PM will start looking over his shoulder ?

[Fat Haggis]

And Sutheps PDRC expected to have quick reforms as part of his protest and so far not a single reform has been implemented after 10 months of power, all we are reading now is stalling tactics about delays if there is a referendum on the constitution being put to the people.

It's all smoke and mirrors till the event happens and then everything will be out right back to day 1 week 1, elections in 2016? Not in Thailand ?

[yellowboat]

More than 10 new organisations, more jobs for handpicked boys, and girls ?

What a surprise. The Thai elites will be happy. The country will fall further behind.

[JOC]

The reform process hinges on the next govt !

Isn't that as good a reason as any to make sure the next one is the most ' suitable ' ?

The next government??

2016: We need a little longer to implement reforms

2021: We need a little longer...................

2026: We need a little longer....................

All to create a free an and fair Thailand for all Thais, of course....................

[rubl]

And Sutheps PDRC expected to have quick reforms as part of his protest and so far not a single reform has been implemented after 10 months of power, all we are reading now is stalling tactics about delays if there is a referendum on the constitution being put to the people.

It's all smoke and mirrors till the event happens and then everything will be out right back to day 1 week 1, elections in 2016? Not in Thailand ?

To do nothing doesn't seem a helpful alternative, I think.

[EnglishJohn]

I wonder how reform can be forced on politicians who don't want it who are elected by people who don't care about anything except what they can get out of it for themselves.

As soon as the Junta release power, the next set will simply set about changing/re-interpreting/ignoring the new rules to get right back where they were and on target for another coup in 5 years.

It's a bizarre fact that Thai society does not produce people trustworthy enough to govern. That isn't going to change any time soon.

[NongKhaiKid]

The reform process hinges on the next govt !

Isn't that as good a reason as any to make sure the next one is the most ' suitable ' ?

The next government??

2016: We need a little longer to implement reforms

2021: We need a little longer...................

2026: We need a little longer....................

All to create a free an and fair Thailand for all Thais, of course....................

I did mean the next suitable govt would be one suitable to the current powers that be which gives them lots of room to maneuver.

[Strangebrew]

So the departments created will self dysfunctional in 5 years Got news for them seems there ahead of schedule now.

[Strangebrew]

oops my error misread it all was a misunderstanding sorry.

[Srikcir]

" it also stipulates that if a minimum of 50,000 eligible voters sign a petition, Parliament or the Cabinet can request a public referendum on whether the chapter should be extended."

How about if a minimum of 50,000 eligible voters sign a petition, Parliament or the Cabinet can request a public referendum on whether the chapter should be TERMINATED?

Let's see the CDC restore Thai people's right to determine their own destiny.

[rubl]

" it also stipulates that if a minimum of 50,000 eligible voters sign a petition, Parliament or the Cabinet can request a public referendum on whether the chapter should be extended."

How about if a minimum of 50,000 eligible voters sign a petition, Parliament or the Cabinet can request a public referendum on whether the chapter should be TERMINATED?

Let's see the CDC restore Thai people's right to determine their own destiny.

"charter", not chapter, although in a way it's like closing a chapter.

So, you want more Thai people to provide input in what should be in the charter? That's a good idea. Mind you, last year the NCPO was asking for cooperation, but lots of political parties declined, choose to non-obstruct by non-cooperating. Only when the CDC started without them, there was some indignation that they had been believed when stating not get involved.

Anyway, going back to the 2007 Constitution, or the even more faulty 1997 version wouldn't be a useful, practical choice as 'lots' of people wanted to modify those constitutions.

Edited March 23, 2015 by rubl