Thai panel to discuss reconciliation

[webfact]

Panel to discuss reconciliation
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The National Reform Steering Assembly will tomorrow discuss how to achieve national reconciliation. Alongkorn Ponlaboot, deputy chairman, said yesterday that after listening to members' suggestions, the NRSA would present its reconciliation proposals to a meeting of five core agencies on October 28.

On the idea of setting up a reconciliation panel to continue the work of the now-defunct National Reform Council led by Anek Laothamatas, he would seek the opinion of the NRSA chairman. He said the NRSA should be able to bring about reconciliation even though its members are from rival political camps.

Chairmen and deputies of the soon-to-be set up reform committees would be appointed. A centre for the public to give their input on national reform would also be set up at Parliament House.

The assembly has set a "1/1/18" timeframe for itself, with one month for drafting directives and appointing 11 reform committees, followed by one month for screening and prioritising 37 reform aspects and eight development plans.

The last 18 months would be for drawing up reform measures and forwarding them to the Cabinet and the National Legislative Assembly to be put into law, he said.

Suriyasai Katasila, director of Rangsit University's Thailand Reform Institute, voiced concern that the five core agencies could not bring about reform results without commitment and a clear plan. "If they fail to agree to prioritise the reform issues and just pass the political hot potato from one to another, reform will not get started. We'll only end up having a new charter and having the next government implement reforms," he said.

The National Council for Peace and Order has wasted more than one year because it has pushed the reform responsibilities onto other core agencies. "The NCPO cannot do that anymore because we all know that the top agency determining the reforms and content of reforms is the NCPO," he said.

Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam said he has not seen a proposal made by former prime minister Thanin Kraivichian to PM Prayut Chan-o-cha, urging him to impose a life ban on corrupt politicians and seize their assets through a special court.

Wissanu said it might have been submitted to the prime minister, but it has not yet been forwarded to him, so he could not make any comments on the matter. He rejected the notion that it was aimed at preventing Pheu Thai politicians from re-entering politics. Wissanu said there would not be a discussion on possible amendment of Article 35 under the interim charter during the meeting of the "five rivers" on October 28.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/politics/Panel-to-discuss-reconciliation-30271150.html


-- The Nation 2015-10-19

[Praematura]

I can save everyone a lot of time, reconciliation will be had when the have nots and elites are treated equally. Disenfranchising the majority of the population through a "new" constitution will obviously backfire. In addition, the threat of imprisonment if they voice their actual opinion means the path to reconciliation is truly one sided.

[Toknarok]

Another useless gabfest. This sort of thing always reminds me of this...https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=55fqjw2J1vI

[oneday]

Almost a year and a half into this "coup" and they are just now sitting down to discuss reconciliation...wow, impressive!

The trouble with this is, the NCPO has done a ton of things that are diametrically opposed to reconciliation. The road to reconciliation will now be far more difficult than it would have been 18 months ago.

[phoenixdoglover]

The leader begat the Council.

The Council begat the Assembly.

The Assembly begat a Panel.

The Panel begat a Committee.

And down through the ages they did multiply.

Yet they were not fruitful, as they were too busy screwing around.

[yellowboat]

"and seize their assets through a special court." A money grab court ? Anytime a government comes up with a special body, it is usually means there is some gross lack of governess somewhere.

[waldroj]

The NRSA will tomorrow discuss how to achieve national reconciliation.

After being in control for almost 18 months, this is yet another damning indictment of the failure of the Prayut-led junta to achieve anything of significance for the country! All its propaganda about Happiness since seizing control has been nothing more than hot air, as the country today is still as fractured as it was back in May, 2014.

As Suriyasai Katasila (a former PAD spokesperson and NPP secretary-general) points out, the “five rivers” will not bring about reform results without commitment and a clear plan. Unfortunately, it’s all too clear that there has never been a commitment (by the junta). As for a plan, well that has only ever been about breaking the power of major political parties while suppressing people’s right to criticise the junta’s authoritarian control.

As for the next 20 months, despite the NSRA’s “1/1/18” timeframe, I think Khun Suriyasai has pretty well summed up what will transpire when he says, “We’ll only end up having a new charter and having the next government implement reforms”. The only thing he missed is that it will be a minority goverment will no power to push through real reform.

[Thaidream]

In regards to real power- the Prime Minster has it and he can really do the things needed to change Thailand for the better. Corruption cannot be eliminated completely but it can certainly be controlled and a real National budget developed. He can certainly reform the police department and all that entails. He has the power to entice investment in Issan and provide a good portion of the budget to assist the poor. In essence, the Junta, if they really want to, can completely revolutionize the way Thailand works. The people are waiting.

[bangrak]

IMHO, before the members of the NRSA 'discuss how to achieve national reconciliation', it might have been essential as point 1) to define the meaning of 'reconciliation'; and once a unanimous agreement is reached on it, 2) list all the various opposed, elements which need to be reconciled; 3) determine for each element the means which could be needed to achieve reconciliation; 3) budget the added up cost for all these means; 4) determine who will have full responsibility for achieving the different goals; 5) determine who will be in control of the ongoing, with power of investigation about any 'disfunction'.

I have never heard or read this had been attempted, or done yet, in the first place. This is in my Farang logic, maybe too distant from the reality of 'Thainess', but will 'Thainess' ever be able to solve the local problems and discrepancies? May I doubt it, as we know both pride and 'face', just to name two, are part of 'Thainess', and diametrically opposed to 'compromise', without which there can be no 'reconciliation' of any kind, here or elsewhere...

[Srikcir]

"We'll only end up having a new charter and having the next government implement reforms,"

And with a new ELECTED government they know those reforms won't be the ones designed by the NCPO.

But maybe Prayut should consider forming his own political party and run for PM in the next election. His election would assure his NCPO reforms are carried out. With NIDA polls showing his popularity at 95%+ no doubt he could duplicate Egypt's coup leader al-Sisi success to becoming PM in an election.