CDC’s Lt Gen Navin: People must be the driving force of Thailand

[Lite Beer]

CDC’s Lt Gen Navin: People must be the driving force of Thailand

BANGKOK, 24 May 2015 (NNT) - A member of the Constitution Drafting Committee has stressed the importance of the nation's people and their key role in driving the country forward.

Lt Gen Navin Damrigan, a CDC member, said that the mixed-member proportional representation electoral vote, both for the constituency and the party-list system in the new Constitution, is intended to truly empower the people.

Mr. Navin stated that an election is the prime element in defining the framework of the political concepts of the people.

He added that, in the current reform process, the people will have to be informed of their rights and their duties to direct the path of Thailand, while challenging politicians who fail to follow through with the implementation of their policies.

Under the draft charter, he also gave an assurance that there would be a mechanism to verify the qualifications of members of parliament and the Cabinet, in order to ensure transparency and to allow only people who are both ethical and moral to hold office.

-- NNT 2015-05-24

[Always18]

Beware Khun Damrigan - your hymnsheet is not the official issue and I suspect you will soon be offered a period of attitude adjustment........................

[catterwell]

Under my proposal [350 Constituency MPs and 100-120 Party List MPs), the simplified ballot form in an election would still be quite complicated, when 15 parties are competing and, I guess, each with 20 party list candidates.

The voter would have to choose one candidate from each of the 15 constituency MP candidates, and then one from 300 names (15x20) party list candidates.

All the voter has to do is remember two numbers, and have pretty good eyesight.

[candide]

Empower "appointed people" would be more precise!

[heybruce]

"Under the draft charter, he also gave an assurance that there would be a mechanism to verify the qualifications of members of parliament and the Cabinet, in order to ensure transparency and to allow only people who are both ethical and moral to hold office."

How about a little transparency here--what is this mechanism and who will decide which people are good and ethical?

Currently jobs and promotions through-out government are determined by connections and bribes, not by ability. This is a problem that has existed under all forms of government in Thailand. The charter formalizes power in the hands of appointed people, making the problem worse, not better.

Edited May 24, 2015 by heybruce

[toybits]

People? OH! I Get it. The RIGHT People.

[PETERTHEEATER]

They are the driving force but only 40 percent have licences!

[oneday]

"...in the current reform process, the people will have to be informed of their rights and their duties to direct the path of Thailand..."

They have been informed via article 44 and the NCPO.

Freedom of speech...GONE!

Freedom to assemble peaceably for political discussion...GONE!

Freedom of the Press...GONE!

There is only one person directing the path of Thailand and he is omniscient.

[phoenixdoglover]

For an example of this supposed "driving force", let's take a few excerpts from...

The Draft Charter:

Section 74. The ethical standard of political leader and each kind of State official shall be in accordance with the Code of Ethics prepared or approved by the National Moral Assembly...

...

The serious violation of, or failure to comply with, the ethical standard of the Prime Minister, Minister, member of the House of Representatives or senator shall be the ground for removal such person from office or deprivation of the right of such person to hold any political office under section 253. In this case, the National Moral Assembly shall forward such matter to the Election Commission for further proceeding without delay.

...

The National Moral Assembly shall have the powers and duties in implanting and enhancing ethics of the people as well as the person holding public position and having any other power and duty. Composition, acquisition, powers and duties, inquisitional method

and proceedings of the National Moral Assembly as well as any other necessary matter shall be in accordance with the law on National Moral Assembly.

But, what is the composition of this National Moral Assembly, and how are the members selected?

For that, we must wait for the "law on National Moral Assembly".

Which, by the way, can be passed by the current National Legislative Assembly, which was appointed by the Junta.

And so on...

The draft Charter is rife with this stuff. Meddlesome bodies, supposedly there in the interests of "the people", but most likely just tools of the armed forces to embed their influence further into the civilian system of government.

Big sigh.

[baboon]

"Under the draft charter, he also gave an assurance that there would be a mechanism to verify the qualifications of members of parliament and the Cabinet, in order to ensure transparency and to allow only people who are both ethical and moral to hold office."

How about a little transparency here--what is this mechanism and who will decide which people are good and ethical?

Brigadier-Major-Colonel-general Someone or other, I expect...

[scorecard]

"He added that, in the current reform process, the people will have to be informed of their rights and their duties to direct the path of Thailand, while challenging politicians who fail to follow through with the implementation of their policies." (I added the underline.)

This is where I worry.

IMHO there should be a clause which

IMHO there should be a clause which says all parties must have a stated and specific manifesto and that manifesto must be included on all documents, flyers, TV programs and radio programs, etc.

Plus in the run up to all elections, by-elections there must be public open debate, anybody can attend, Attendees can pass written questions to the moderator before / during the event, registration to attend outlawed, nobody allowed to take names etc., of attendees, etc.

To be organized by the Election Commission or similar. Parties not allowed to organize such events.

If it delays the election so be it.

Plus IMHO there should be a set of parameters of manifestos, Examples:

- All stated part manifesatos must aim at building a civil society which provides equal education opportunities for all Thais at all ages and equal access to the law and equal justice.

- All stated manifestos must aim at building infrastructure in all parts of the country and also aims at creating jobs in all party of the country.

- and more...

Plus, a public committee required to assess performance of each party against their stated manifesto, say every six or twelve months and their hearing / deliberations open to the public to listen and comment.

Edited May 25, 2015 by scorecard

[ikke]

"...in the current reform process, the people will have to be informed of their rights and their duties to direct the path of Thailand..."

They have been informed via article 44 and the NCPO.

Freedom of speech...GONE!

Freedom to assemble peaceably for political discussion...GONE!

Freedom of the Press...GONE!

There is only one person directing the path of Thailand and he is omniscient.

You forget a few...

Tourism...GONE

Economy.... GONE

Happiness ....GONE

[Srikcir]

"the importance of the nation's people and their key role in driving the country forward."

But the People shall only be allowed to drive using the Junta's roadmaps with predetermined destinations.

And no matter how well the people drive, their "fuel" of sovereignty remains with the Junta.

Thank you for flying JUNTAS.

[mikemac]

"...in the current reform process, the people will have to be informed of their rights and their duties to direct the path of Thailand..."

They have been informed via article 44 and the NCPO.

Freedom of speech...GONE!

Freedom to assemble peaceably for political discussion...GONE!

Freedom of the Press...GONE!

There is only one person directing the path of Thailand and he is omniscient.

.............."Freedom of speech...GONE!"...................

Freedom of speech is supposedly gone, yet you are allowed to post anti-government propaganda rubbish, against forum rules, and get away with it.

Freedom of speech gone my ass, and you prove it every time you post your troll lies.

[tbthailand]

it is a bit tiring how these chumps barely even try to disguise their lying with the same old worn out "explanations" on how this trumped up anti-democratic charter will "empower the people".

I expect this nonsense to continue right up to the referendum. The interesting part now will be to see how they plan to rig the referendum so that it is a win-win for the generals and their rich friends....

[baboon]

"...in the current reform process, the people will have to be informed of their rights and their duties to direct the path of Thailand..."

They have been informed via article 44 and the NCPO.

Freedom of speech...GONE!

Freedom to assemble peaceably for political discussion...GONE!

Freedom of the Press...GONE!

There is only one person directing the path of Thailand and he is omniscient.

.............."Freedom of speech...GONE!"...................

Freedom of speech is supposedly gone, yet you are allowed to post anti-government propaganda rubbish, against forum rules, and get away with it.

Freedom of speech gone my ass, and you prove it every time you post your troll lies.

'Severely curtailed' is probably a more appropriate expression.

[tbthailand]

"...in the current reform process, the people will have to be informed of their rights and their duties to direct the path of Thailand..."

They have been informed via article 44 and the NCPO.

Freedom of speech...GONE!

Freedom to assemble peaceably for political discussion...GONE!

Freedom of the Press...GONE!

There is only one person directing the path of Thailand and he is omniscient.

.............."Freedom of speech...GONE!"...................

Freedom of speech is supposedly gone, yet you are allowed to post anti-government propaganda rubbish, against forum rules, and get away with it.

Freedom of speech gone my ass, and you prove it every time you post your troll lies.

'Severely curtailed' is probably a more appropriate expression.

nah, it's gone.

Because any time someone speaks up, the threat of arrest for nothing more than voicing an opinion is there. Whether or not the Junta arrests someone, detains someone, or takes any other action against them ... or not ... is entirely up to the Junta.

If I stand in front of Central World holding an anti-junta sign reciting passages from 1984 and nothing happens to me, that doesn't mean that I have freedom of speech under the current regime. It just means that I got away with it one time.

[LannaGuy]

good... rigged (censored) election soon then?