Thailand Ombudsmen seek the power to discipline agencies

[Jonathan Fairfield]

Ombudsmen seek the power to discipline Thai agencies

Kasamakorn Chanwanpen

BANGKOK:-- THE Ombudsmen asked the new charter drafters Friday to give their office the capacity to discipline state agencies that fail to act in accordance with suggestions within 90 days, in the same way as when they violate a Cabinet resolution.

The request came after the Constitution Drafting Commission (CDC) invited the Ombudsmen on how to enhance the performance of their office in investigating complaints about poor or improper administration by public authorities.

The Ombudsmen - there are three - proposed six major points they would like to see in the new constitution to help facilitate their duties being fulfilled.

Most share the same bottom line - that the Ombudsmen should have the same powers granted to their office by the 2007 Constitution, if not more.

And like other independent agencies that have met the drafters over the past week, the Ombudsmen requested that some percentage of the national budget be allocated directly to their office so that its independence could be secured.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/breakingnews/Ombudsmen-seek-the-power-to-discipline-state-agenc-30271047.html

-- The Nation 2015-10-16

[scorecard]

Don't disagree, as long as it's all done to a proper credible structure and the Ombudsman's office has the capability, knowledge and experience to interprete the aligned laws etc.

Give them some teeth.

Refusal by a pm and her scaly cousin the fm to even acknowledge the ombudsman and the laws and the promulgated regulations they were pushing, as is their mandate in a certain passport case comes to mind.

[Srikcir]

The NAAC, the Attorney General Office and the DSI are more than capable of prosecution of public agencies, including the Independent Organizations. The government doesn't need this proliferation of separate prosecurial powers.

[scorecard]

The NAAC, the Attorney General Office and the DSI are more than capable of prosecution of public agencies, including the Independent Organizations. The government doesn't need this proliferation of separate prosecurial powers.

Take you point, but the reality (not only in Thailand) is that there needs to be an additional agency which the public can go to directly to which is specifically charged with taking complaints from / listening to joe public.

It works well in many countries.

[smutcakes]

Blah blah ' requested some budget'

[robblok]

Blah blah ' requested some budget'

Yes and it should be like this because otherwise we get what YL did cut budget of the anti corruption agency so they could not take on to many cases and were made toothless. This way her corrupt government was protected.

Independent agencies should get their funding like this a percentage of the budget this way they stay independent from the government.

YL .. ill fight against corruption .. action.. cutting the budget of the NACC by 50% and wanting an amnesty for 24.000 corruption cases

[smutcakes]

Blah blah ' requested some budget'

Yes and it should be like this because otherwise we get what YL did cut budget of the anti corruption agency so they could not take on to many cases and were made toothless. This way her corrupt government was protected.

Independent agencies should get their funding like this a percentage of the budget this way they stay independent from the government.

YL .. ill fight against corruption .. action.. cutting the budget of the NACC by 50% and wanting an amnesty for 24.000 corruption cases

If any of the corruption agencies budget was based on results they would all of been shut down and disbanded years ago.

Would be nice to see the yoy budget v results. I expect it has very little correlation.

Tbf to them its all irrelevant until the judiciary is looked at. Which it wont be.

[halloween]

The NAAC, the Attorney General Office and the DSI are more than capable of prosecution of public agencies, including the Independent Organizations. The government doesn't need this proliferation of separate prosecurial powers.

As 2 of the 3 were well and truly suborned during the last government, a little "proliferation" wouldn't hurt. Some real teeth to use on government ministers blatantly breaking Thai law, and a PM unwilling to acknowledge that because of her own corrupt self-interest, would also come in handy.

The strongest argument though is "Thaksin wouldn't like it !"

[sawadee1947]

who says it will be corruption in sight...

[Lupatria]

Tomorrow we may read it was just a joke to scare the staff of the TAT.

[Enoon]

The only problem is that "buyability/biddability", of any agency, at any time, by anyone, is in the DNA of Thai political culture. In this it reflects the nature of Thai society.

It's difficult enough to create an agency that is independent, and is able to apply checks and balances in an impartial way in western polities. You expect "The Ombudsmen of Thailand" to behave in such a way?

It's just another "cudgel" to be "taken up" or "laid down" by whatever gang has power in it's clutches at any particular time.

I'm not specifically Thai bashing - you're in the Orient now.

Of course there are obviously a lot of "farang" that actually like it this way. Thailands attracting of psychopaths, thieves, shysters, charlatans, the whole gang, deserves a thread all of it's own.

Edited October 17, 2015 by Enoon

[avocadowangnamkeouw]

Yet another distraction from the real problem in the Thai Legal Framework.

This kind of authority belongs to the Administrative Courts, and they don't have that.