Govt: 126 laws must be amended to allow true reform to take place

[rooster59]

Govt: 126 laws must be amended to allow true reform to take place

Thammarat Thadaphrom

BANGKOK, 30 January 2016 (NNT) - The government has revealed that a total of 126 laws must be amended in order for true and complete reform to take place in Thailand.

Suwapan Tanyuwattana, Minister attached to the Office of the Prime Minister, said the government, the National Legislative Assembly (NLA), and the National Reform Steering Assembly (NRSA) had agreed that they must take into consideration five reform imperatives so that the country can move in a prosperous direction. The five essential initiatives include anti-corruption laws, public administrative reforms, social equality laws, justice system reform, and guarantees of impartiality.

He said these five social initiatives would pave the way for reform in other areas, adding that 126 laws needed to be amended in a timely manner, if the country is to achieve sustainable development.

He also admitted that reform cannot be achieved in a short period of time, but instead, the commitment must be carried on from government to government.

-- NNT 2016-01-30

[jpinx]

At the risk of speaking out of turn .... Why do they need a "new charter" -- UK has been adding and subtracting laws to it's system for well over 1,000 years and it seems to be working without any charter or constitution .....

Edited January 30, 2016 by jpinx

[smedly]

because in Thailand it would be like a theif making it legal to steal

no elected past government has had any wish to stamp out corruption - now it is being forced on them before elections, the only way it could ever happen

Edited January 30, 2016 by smedly

[smutcakes]

because in Thailand it would be like a theif making it legal to steal

no elected past government has had any wish to stamp out corruption - now it is being forced on them before elections, the only way it could ever happen

Maybe you can enlighten us what they have done to stamp out corruption? Did not look like they were stamping on it or investigating it seriously in a recent case involving a park. Is this what you would describe as promising development in terms of stamping out corruption?

[jcsmith]

I'd guess everyone would like to see what is actually changing to these laws, rather than simply accepting that its to stamp out corruption.

[noosard]

Just another fairy tale to keep 99.3% of the people quiet

[jpinx]

because in Thailand it would be like a theif making it legal to steal

no elected past government has had any wish to stamp out corruption - now it is being forced on them before elections, the only way it could ever happen

Corruption is part and parcel of every country, including some european ones. There was a survey published recently about a world-wide "corruption index" and Thailand was not the worst.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_Corruption_Barometer

... and ...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corruption_Perceptions_Index

Edited January 30, 2016 by jpinx

[Reigntax]

At the risk of speaking out of turn .... Why do they need a "new charter" -- UK has been adding and subtracting laws to it's system for well over 1,000 years and it seems to be working without any charter or constitution .....

Because how else do they justify a coup.

[jpinx]

At the risk of speaking out of turn .... Why do they need a "new charter" -- UK has been adding and subtracting laws to it's system for well over 1,000 years and it seems to be working without any charter or constitution .....

Because how else do they justify a coup.

Then why does this level of corruption not start a coup there?

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-35447174

[trainman34014]

Try removing the defamation law for a start; that would guarantee some fun !

[candide]

I doubt they will implement the really effective changes, such as making information fully transparent for all public procurements from any institution (follow my gaze), allowing information on possible corruption to be mediatised by amending the defamation law, etc...

[phoenixdoglover]

Regarding "true reform" in Thailand. it feels like this:

When the blind men had each felt a part of the elephant, the king went to each of them and said to each: 'Well, blind man, have you seen the elephant? Tell me, what sort of thing is an elephant?'

[billd766]

At the risk of speaking out of turn .... Why do they need a "new charter" -- UK has been adding and subtracting laws to it's system for well over 1,000 years and it seems to be working without any charter or constitution .....

In your words the UK has had over 1,000 years, yet Thailand has had only 84.

Wikipedia has an interesting account about the Magna Carta signed by King John in 1215.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magna_Carta

Magna Carta (Latin for "the Great Charter"), also called Magna Carta Libertatum (Latin for "the Great Charter of the Liberties"), is a charter agreed by King John of England at Runnymede, near Windsor, on 15 June 1215.^[a] First drafted by the Archbishop of Canterbury to make peace between the unpopular King and a group of rebel barons, it promised the protection of church rights, protection for the barons from illegal imprisonment, access to swift justice, and limitations on feudal payments to the Crown, to be implemented through a council of 25 barons. Neither side stood behind their commitments, and the charter was annulled by Pope Innocent III, leading to the First Barons' War. After John's death, the regency government of his young son, Henry III, reissued the document in 1216, stripped of some of its more radical content, in an unsuccessful bid to build political support for their cause. At the end of the war in 1217, it formed part of the peace treaty agreed at Lambeth, where the document acquired the name Magna Carta, to distinguish it from the smaller Charter of the Forest which was issued at the same time. Short of funds, Henry reissued the charter again in 1225 in exchange for a grant of new taxes; his son, Edward I, repeated the exercise in 1297, this time confirming it as part of England's statute law.

There is a lot more content than this but the Magna Carta did not come into statute law for 82 years.

Edited January 31, 2016 by billd766

[jpinx]

Ah - the good old Magna Carta -- but it has nothing to do with a "constitution" or "charter" as is being proposed here, and as has been in existance in places like USA, where it has been tripping them up consistently, needed multiple amendments which continue to be mis-interpreted... Having said that - the similarities are worth inspection. I dare not say more,,,,,,,

[dageurreotype]

The five essential initiatives include anti-corruption laws, public administrative reforms, social equality laws, justice system reform, and guarantees of impartiality.

Two and a half years and not a dent in any of them. Bloody joke.

[phoenixdoglover]

The five essential initiatives include anti-corruption laws, public administrative reforms, social equality laws, justice system reform, and guarantees of impartiality.

Two and a half years and not a dent in any of them. Bloody joke.

What is missing is also telling.

Military? White as snow.

Police? Maybe...maybe....maybe...sorry, no.

Politicians? Problem diagnosed. It turns out they are the root of evil.

Warning, grave disappointment ahead.

[Gsxrnz]

Sorry Thailand, the quantum of the problems are so huge it will take generations to actually see any significant changes.

I just spent a few hours watching a favourite old movie, Quest for Fire. Cavemen unable to create fire so had to search for a flame.

I'm afraid the Thai government and administration are in the same class of skill as the cavemen, they really just don't know how to start the fire yet.

It will be their grandchildren's generation that will (hopefully) finally figure it out. Until then folks, it's just gonna be more of the same.

[rubl]

The five essential initiatives include anti-corruption laws, public administrative reforms, social equality laws, justice system reform, and guarantees of impartiality.

Two and a half years and not a dent in any of them. Bloody joke.

What is missing is also telling.

Military? White as snow.

Police? Maybe...maybe....maybe...sorry, no.

Politicians? Problem diagnosed. It turns out they are the root of evil.

Warning, grave disappointment ahead.

I guess you're implying that the non-elected government is not better (or worse) in this than the elected governments before ?

Still it would seem that just by keeping on talking about corruption the government already made the Thai population much more aware of how invasive corruption is in Thailand and how that blocks it's progress.

BTW anti-corruption laws do cover a lot, including politicians and government bureaucrats and any one working for the government be they an official lawn sweeper or a three star general in the police or armed forces. Some here are somewhat impractical idealistic and want to start now and with the armed forces. More pragmatic and probably in the end more effective is having a new, elected government behaving and slowly make all others behave as well.

Of course the junta could have 'done' all within three months, but I fear there would not have been any lasting, visible effect a few days after having relinquished control.

Edited January 31, 2016 by rubl

[tbthailand]

maybe changing laws should be the job of an elected government....

[DrTuner]

Just scratch all the laws and do what you want, "I am the law". This theater is boring.

[glenmohr]

At the risk of speaking out of turn .... Why do they need a "new charter" -- UK has been adding and subtracting laws to it's system for well over 1,000 years and it seems to be working without any charter or constitution .....

Because how else do they justify a coup.

Then why does this level of corruption not start a coup there?

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-35447174

Very good point about the shocking corruption in Malaysia.Jpinx. The difference being that the military in Malaysia, Singapore, Philippines and many others in the region are structured institutions to fight foreign invaders, The Royal Thai military is an entirely different beast in that it is structured to be the ultimate political power and when necessary fight other ( often unarmed) Thailanders. The Royal Thai Army does not owe its loyalty to the country as is the case in virtually every other state in the world. The Royal Thai Army owes its loyalty to the King of Thailand and is the enforcement arm of the Thai/ Siamese elite internally. An illustration of this was the deal done by the military rulers of Thailand during the Japanese occupation in WW2. Virtually every other army in the region opposed the Japanese invasion of their sovereign territory and fought prolongued wars 1940/1945. If ever push comes to shove with China, Thailand again will be one of the only states in the Asean region who will not oppose any future Chinese aggression.It is not what their military does, the Royal Thai military is structured to carry out coups every time the aristocracy feels a bit threatened, quite unique in today's world but common enough in the 11th and 12 th centuries.

[heybruce]

The five essential initiatives include anti-corruption laws, public administrative reforms, social equality laws, justice system reform, and guarantees of impartiality.

Two and a half years and not a dent in any of them. Bloody joke.

What is missing is also telling.

Military? White as snow.

Police? Maybe...maybe....maybe...sorry, no.

Politicians? Problem diagnosed. It turns out they are the root of evil.

Warning, grave disappointment ahead.

I guess you're implying that the non-elected government is not better (or worse) in this than the elected governments before ?

Still it would seem that just by keeping on talking about corruption the government already made the Thai population much more aware of how invasive corruption is in Thailand and how that blocks it's progress.

BTW anti-corruption laws do cover a lot, including politicians and government bureaucrats and any one working for the government be they an official lawn sweeper or a three star general in the police or armed forces. Some here are somewhat impractical idealistic and want to start now and with the armed forces. More pragmatic and probably in the end more effective is having a new, elected government behaving and slowly make all others behave as well.

Of course the junta could have 'done' all within three months, but I fear there would not have been any lasting, visible effect a few days after having relinquished control.

"Still it would seem that just by keeping on talking about corruption the government already made the Thai population much more aware of how invasive corruption is in Thailand and how that blocks it's progress."

Of course we know what happens when people talk about corruption in the military: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/content/141245

For those who think the military is going to seriously tackle corruption in Thailand, remember what military we're discussing:

"Since the 2014 military coup, the National Legislative Assembly has yet to publish a budget for 2015, it seems likely that a large portion of it will be classified.Since the 2014 coup,there have been no legislative committees tasked with external auditing of military defence expenditure.It’s unclear what role internal audit is playing."

"While there are wide-ranging examples of Thai military units or individuals involved or complicit on organised crime, there is no concrete evidence to suggest that the government or the military see this connection as a serious problem or working actively to alleviate it.There is extensive evidence of the military's involvement in criminal networks associated with narcotics, prostitution, human trafficking, and illegal casinos. Military and paramilitary officers have been involved individually, at senior and lower ranking levels. Evidence suggests that security officials are illegally paid "protection" money to ensure that illegal mafia operations are allowed to continue. Tackling this issue is difficult given that those responsible for enforcing the law may also be implicated in illicit activities". http://government.defenceindex.org/downloads/docs/thailand.pdf

There's more--nepotism, lack of oversight, heavily padded procurements, etc. I suggest checking the link.

[rubl]

What is missing is also telling.

Military? White as snow.

Police? Maybe...maybe....maybe...sorry, no.

Politicians? Problem diagnosed. It turns out they are the root of evil.

Warning, grave disappointment ahead.

I guess you're implying that the non-elected government is not better (or worse) in this than the elected governments before ?

Still it would seem that just by keeping on talking about corruption the government already made the Thai population much more aware of how invasive corruption is in Thailand and how that blocks it's progress.

BTW anti-corruption laws do cover a lot, including politicians and government bureaucrats and any one working for the government be they an official lawn sweeper or a three star general in the police or armed forces. Some here are somewhat impractical idealistic and want to start now and with the armed forces. More pragmatic and probably in the end more effective is having a new, elected government behaving and slowly make all others behave as well.

Of course the junta could have 'done' all within three months, but I fear there would not have been any lasting, visible effect a few days after having relinquished control.

"Still it would seem that just by keeping on talking about corruption the government already made the Thai population much more aware of how invasive corruption is in Thailand and how that blocks it's progress."

Of course we know what happens when people talk about corruption in the military: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/content/141245

For those who think the military is going to seriously tackle corruption in Thailand, remember what military we're discussing:

"Since the 2014 military coup, the National Legislative Assembly has yet to publish a budget for 2015, it seems likely that a large portion of it will be classified.Since the 2014 coup,there have been no legislative committees tasked with external auditing of military defence expenditure.It’s unclear what role internal audit is playing."

"While there are wide-ranging examples of Thai military units or individuals involved or complicit on organised crime, there is no concrete evidence to suggest that the government or the military see this connection as a serious problem or working actively to alleviate it.There is extensive evidence of the military's involvement in criminal networks associated with narcotics, prostitution, human trafficking, and illegal casinos. Military and paramilitary officers have been involved individually, at senior and lower ranking levels. Evidence suggests that security officials are illegally paid "protection" money to ensure that illegal mafia operations are allowed to continue. Tackling this issue is difficult given that those responsible for enforcing the law may also be implicated in illicit activities". http://government.defenceindex.org/downloads/docs/thailand.pdf

There's more--nepotism, lack of oversight, heavily padded procurements, etc. I suggest checking the link.

You're somewhat impracticle, my dear heybruce. It's as if you're really surprised that the junta didn't stage a show with all junta members hanging themselves to be an example for future generations.

So, even with the old charter it seemed many laws needed to be brought in line, be improved and a few new ones introduced. Somehow something democratically elected governments never found the time for, too busy, not really important, etc., etc.

Now the not democratic government does something and it's all "why not start with themselves", "why not this", "why not that". Shouldn't people feel happy that the real prosecution is left to the new, to be elected government ?

[phoenixdoglover]

The five essential initiatives include anti-corruption laws, public administrative reforms, social equality laws, justice system reform, and guarantees of impartiality.

Two and a half years and not a dent in any of them. Bloody joke.

What is missing is also telling.

Military? White as snow.

Police? Maybe...maybe....maybe...sorry, no.

Politicians? Problem diagnosed. It turns out they are the root of evil.

Warning, grave disappointment ahead.

I guess you're implying that the non-elected government is not better (or worse) in this than the elected governments before ?

Still it would seem that just by keeping on talking about corruption the government already made the Thai population much more aware of how invasive corruption is in Thailand and how that blocks it's progress.

BTW anti-corruption laws do cover a lot, including politicians and government bureaucrats and any one working for the government be they an official lawn sweeper or a three star general in the police or armed forces. Some here are somewhat impractical idealistic and want to start now and with the armed forces. More pragmatic and probably in the end more effective is having a new, elected government behaving and slowly make all others behave as well.

Of course the junta could have 'done' all within three months, but I fear there would not have been any lasting, visible effect a few days after having relinquished control.

No, I wasn't implying any comparisons of the current versus previous governments. Do you see somewhere in my short sentences any reference to the past government? In fact, I was addressing what I perceive to be notable gaps in the reform agenda of the current government. Considering the current government has made reform a centerpiece of their agenda, the scope of their reform efforts and their accomplishments would be a really relevant topic.

Now I agree with you that the country has to start somewhere with reform and less corruption in one or more of its institutions. Not surprisingly, the elected government has been chosen as the starting place for reform by an unelected military government. Fine, it's a place to start.

But it is still a charade. There are no reforms of the military in terms of oversight. There are no reforms of the police in terms of reorganization and "policing the police". Will the future NLA be able to move forward with reforms of these institutions? For the police, maybe so, in the most incremental ways. For the military, I seriously doubt it.

When (if) you get an English copy of the new draft Charter, I challenge you to read each sentence that contains the words "military" or "armed forces". It wont take long. I did that for the last (rejected) Charter. You should come away from that reading exercise with an appreciation for the "special" status enjoyed by the Thai military. Essentially, they are accountable only to themselves. You may dream of future elected governments making progress. I'm sure they can. But if they venture down a certain road, they will meet a very large bull elephant.

Edited January 31, 2016 by phoenixdoglover

[rubl]

What is missing is also telling.

Military? White as snow.

Police? Maybe...maybe....maybe...sorry, no.

Politicians? Problem diagnosed. It turns out they are the root of evil.

Warning, grave disappointment ahead.

I guess you're implying that the non-elected government is not better (or worse) in this than the elected governments before ?

Still it would seem that just by keeping on talking about corruption the government already made the Thai population much more aware of how invasive corruption is in Thailand and how that blocks it's progress.

BTW anti-corruption laws do cover a lot, including politicians and government bureaucrats and any one working for the government be they an official lawn sweeper or a three star general in the police or armed forces. Some here are somewhat impractical idealistic and want to start now and with the armed forces. More pragmatic and probably in the end more effective is having a new, elected government behaving and slowly make all others behave as well.

Of course the junta could have 'done' all within three months, but I fear there would not have been any lasting, visible effect a few days after having relinquished control.

No, I wasn't implying any comparisons of the current versus previous governments. Do you see somewhere in my short sentences any reference to the past government? In fact, I was addressing what I perceive to be notable gaps in the reform agenda of the current government. Considering the current government has made reform a centerpiece of their agenda, the scope of their reform efforts and their accomplishments would be a really relevant topic.

Now I agree with you that the country has to start somewhere with reform and less corruption in one or more of its institutions. Not surprisingly, the elected government has been chosen as the starting place for reform by an unelected military government. Fine, it's a place to start.

But it is still a charade. There are no reforms of the military in terms of oversight. There are no reforms of the police in terms of reorganization and "policing the police". Will the future NLA be able to move forward with reforms of these institutions? For the police, maybe so, in the most incremental ways. For the military, I seriously doubt it.

When (if) you get an English copy of the new draft Charter, I challenge you to read each sentence that contains the words "military" or "armed forces". It wont take long. I did that for the last (rejected) Charter. You should come away from that reading exercise with an appreciation for the "special" status enjoyed by the Thai military. Essentially, they are accountable only to themselves. You may dream of future elected governments making progress. I'm sure they can. But if they venture down a certain road, they will meet a very large bull elephant.

So much to do, so little time. So many people given good advise on what to do , what not to do, what to leave for elected governments, etc., etc. Plus whatever they do people will complain. It's almost like an elected government in action.

Now since it's Sunday night 11PM, shall we agree on disagreeing about the priorities and approach?

Good night,

uncle rubl

[Your Thainess]

People who post links to Wikipedia...

[jayboy]

The five essential initiatives include anti-corruption laws, public administrative reforms, social equality laws, justice system reform, and guarantees of impartiality.

Two and a half years and not a dent in any of them. Bloody joke.

What is missing is also telling.

Military? White as snow.

Police? Maybe...maybe....maybe...sorry, no.

Politicians? Problem diagnosed. It turns out they are the root of evil.

Warning, grave disappointment ahead.

I guess you're implying that the non-elected government is not better (or worse) in this than the elected governments before ?

Still it would seem that just by keeping on talking about corruption the government already made the Thai population much more aware of how invasive corruption is in Thailand and how that blocks it's progress.

BTW anti-corruption laws do cover a lot, including politicians and government bureaucrats and any one working for the government be they an official lawn sweeper or a three star general in the police or armed forces. Some here are somewhat impractical idealistic and want to start now and with the armed forces. More pragmatic and probably in the end more effective is having a new, elected government behaving and slowly make all others behave as well.

Of course the junta could have 'done' all within three months, but I fear there would not have been any lasting, visible effect a few days after having relinquished control.

Do the anti corruption measures you speak of address the curious tendency of army generals - including prominent Junta members - to amass large fortunes which bear no obvious connection with their very modest salaries? When questioned about this aspect they spit at and threaten the hapless journalists concerned.

One would have thought that reform should begin at home but of course I forgot - they are all good people.

Edited January 31, 2016 by jayboy

[heybruce]

What is missing is also telling.

Military? White as snow.

Police? Maybe...maybe....maybe...sorry, no.

Politicians? Problem diagnosed. It turns out they are the root of evil.

Warning, grave disappointment ahead.

I guess you're implying that the non-elected government is not better (or worse) in this than the elected governments before ?

Still it would seem that just by keeping on talking about corruption the government already made the Thai population much more aware of how invasive corruption is in Thailand and how that blocks it's progress.

BTW anti-corruption laws do cover a lot, including politicians and government bureaucrats and any one working for the government be they an official lawn sweeper or a three star general in the police or armed forces. Some here are somewhat impractical idealistic and want to start now and with the armed forces. More pragmatic and probably in the end more effective is having a new, elected government behaving and slowly make all others behave as well.

Of course the junta could have 'done' all within three months, but I fear there would not have been any lasting, visible effect a few days after having relinquished control.

"Still it would seem that just by keeping on talking about corruption the government already made the Thai population much more aware of how invasive corruption is in Thailand and how that blocks it's progress."

Of course we know what happens when people talk about corruption in the military: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/content/141245

For those who think the military is going to seriously tackle corruption in Thailand, remember what military we're discussing:

"Since the 2014 military coup, the National Legislative Assembly has yet to publish a budget for 2015, it seems likely that a large portion of it will be classified.Since the 2014 coup,there have been no legislative committees tasked with external auditing of military defence expenditure.It’s unclear what role internal audit is playing."

"While there are wide-ranging examples of Thai military units or individuals involved or complicit on organised crime, there is no concrete evidence to suggest that the government or the military see this connection as a serious problem or working actively to alleviate it.There is extensive evidence of the military's involvement in criminal networks associated with narcotics, prostitution, human trafficking, and illegal casinos. Military and paramilitary officers have been involved individually, at senior and lower ranking levels. Evidence suggests that security officials are illegally paid "protection" money to ensure that illegal mafia operations are allowed to continue. Tackling this issue is difficult given that those responsible for enforcing the law may also be implicated in illicit activities". http://government.defenceindex.org/downloads/docs/thailand.pdf

There's more--nepotism, lack of oversight, heavily padded procurements, etc. I suggest checking the link.

You're somewhat impracticle, my dear heybruce. It's as if you're really surprised that the junta didn't stage a show with all junta members hanging themselves to be an example for future generations.

So, even with the old charter it seemed many laws needed to be brought in line, be improved and a few new ones introduced. Somehow something democratically elected governments never found the time for, too busy, not really important, etc., etc.

Now the not democratic government does something and it's all "why not start with themselves", "why not this", "why not that". Shouldn't people feel happy that the real prosecution is left to the new, to be elected government ?

Apparently you concede my first point, that people aren't allowed to publicly call for the military to clean up its act. It appears to me that the military isn't fighting corruption but re-directing it. After all, the less corruption there is in other parts of government the fatter the cut for the military. However it also appears the army has given up on reforming the police; no doubt the police know too much about the army's dirty laundry.

"It's as if you're really surprised that the junta didn't stage a show with all junta members hanging themselves to be an example for future generations."

That would have been nice, though I wasn't surprised. I was surprised at the number of people from western democracies who were thrilled to see democracy in Thailand overthrown once again in a military coup, and the number who remain constant apologists and rationalizers for a clearly corrupt military intent on holding onto power. In your case you seem quite content with a military involved in organized crime, people smuggling, drug smuggling, prostitution, gambling and any other profitable illegal activities.

When there are democratically elected governments they tread on needles and take great care to not offend the military and prompt another coup. Thaksin tried to promote generals thought less likely to stage a coup to top offices in the military. Do you remember how that ended?

Do you really think the military will allow a constitution that gives the elected government any power over the army? Attempts to correct the glaring corruption and lack of oversight of the military by an elected government would prompt another coup. Only long term internal and external pressure will hopefully convince the military that it must stay in the barracks and accept civilian oversight. The alternative is much worse.

Edited January 31, 2016 by heybruce

[tbthailand]

watch to see how the junta stashes the blatantly unacceptable parts of the constitution in the "organic" laws and then look at how they cover it up.

The junta has an iron grip on the throat of the country.

It will take more students and good people of the real variety to bring democracy back to Thailand.

[rubl]

I guess you're implying that the non-elected government is not better (or worse) in this than the elected governments before ?

Still it would seem that just by keeping on talking about corruption the government already made the Thai population much more aware of how invasive corruption is in Thailand and how that blocks it's progress.

BTW anti-corruption laws do cover a lot, including politicians and government bureaucrats and any one working for the government be they an official lawn sweeper or a three star general in the police or armed forces. Some here are somewhat impractical idealistic and want to start now and with the armed forces. More pragmatic and probably in the end more effective is having a new, elected government behaving and slowly make all others behave as well.

Of course the junta could have 'done' all within three months, but I fear there would not have been any lasting, visible effect a few days after having relinquished control.

Do the anti corruption measures you speak of address the curious tendency of army generals - including prominent Junta members - to amass large fortunes which bear no obvious connection with their very modest salaries? When questioned about this aspect they spit at and threaten the hapless journalists concerned.

One would have thought that reform should begin at home but of course I forgot - they are all good people.

It would seem reform begins at home only when one discusses those one dislikes. When the ones one likes are in power there doesn't seem to be any reason for the 'start at home' or even for more than "we take special care of corruption".

So, a charter which may be a bit more solid and laws build on that foundation. Next a government which actually works along the rules for the good of the nation rather than the good of themselves.