New law on village chiefs ‘a long way off’

[webfact]

New law on village chiefs ‘a long way off’
By The Nation

 

Pornpetch

 

It is yet to go to the cabinet or parliament, NLA’s Pornpetch says

 

BANGKOK: -- THE proposal to slash the terms of tambon chiefs, or kamnans, and village heads to just five years still has a long way to go, National Legislative Assembly (NLA) president Pornpetch Vichitcholchai said yesterday.

 

If the Cabinet approved the draft, proposed by the National Reform Steering Assembly (NRSA), it would have to be submitted to the NLA for another three rounds of readings before it could become law, he said. 

 

The Cabinet did not approve all of the proposal made by the NRSA, Pornpetch said, adding “if headmen disagree with the bill, they could voice their opinions”.

 

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, while urging headmen of tambons and villages not to stage protests, said he remained undecided on the NRSA proposal and would have a working group study the matter. 

 

“Don’t worry, we have a check and balance system in the decision-making. If the majority agreed, we would continue. If fewer people agreed, we would have further study,” he said. 

 

The NRSA on Monday passed a proposal to amend the 1914 Local Administrative Law to enable direct elections and limit terms for tambon and village heads to five years. At present they can stay in office until they turn 60.

 

The proposal was opposed by kamnans and village heads in many major provinces. 

 

Seri Suwanpanon, chairman of the NRSA’s political reform panel, said yesterday that the committee responsible would revise the draft following the NRSA’s advice and forward it to Cabinet next week. 

 

Seri said there was no specific timeframe for the Cabinet to deal with the matter, but opinion hearings could be expected as required by the new Constitution. He said the legislation would benefit the public as a whole.

 

Former prime minister and Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva backed the proposal, saying elections and limited tenures would improve the headmen’s sense of responsibility to their people.

 

‘Don’t like it, but won’t protest’ 

 

Meanwhile, Association of Headmen president Yongyos Kaewkhiew said yesterday that his members would not stage a protest, even though they would be |negatively affected by the new draft law.

 

Tambon and village chiefs would not cause trouble or threaten |security, he said, despite strongly disagreeing with some of the bill’s provisions, which had been written arbitrarily.

 

Yongyos said any legislation should not be retroactive, especially when it affects the association or its members. But since the NRSA had already passed the draft law, the headmen had to accept the decision, he said.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/news/national/30312074

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-04-12

[thhMan]

So this village idiot thing still goes on in this day and age... hmmm ~sic~

[Eric Loh]

Waiting for our courageous junta PM using article 44 to confront all the threats from the village chiefs and impose the new 5 years term law.

This is one time that I see the value of using 44 to cut through all the red tapes and allow citizens to chose the village leaders. Previous governments have all called for this 5 years term but none have the balls to take on the village chiefs. Come on brave PM.

[colinneil]

This will not happen, too many people with little/big scams going.

Nice cushy little number, money from central government to the villages. Village headman decides where it will go.

Like a recent case near here, tractor supposedly bought for village use, headmans brother and other family members using it  only on family farms.

 

 

[digger70]

Good luck with this 5 year election system, That could stop all the corruption that's  going on at the moment with the Headman and his cronies in various/many villages including the one we live.

[Surasak]

All those village headmen apposing this, also appose democracy. 12th centuary thinking.

[elgordo38]

8 hours ago, webfact said:

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, while urging headmen of tambons and villages not to stage protests, said he remained undecided on the NRSA proposal and would have a working group study the matter. 

Here is the term working group in other words it will never happen. The head man system is really a powerful system I have viewed it first hand. A five year term barely gives a head man enough time to set up his "internet" of things the flow pattern of the gelt. I think the good PM wants this to disappear like the setting sun and not return in 12 hours. 

[riceyummm]

We like our PYB, he keeps the village in good shape, arbitrates disputes, helps people get things done with the amphoe and changwat, officiates at local events, etc. Is he lining his pockets? Probably but I haven't seen it and don't care anyway as long as things run smooth.

I can't imagine a new guy getting up to speed in a mere five years.

[mrfill]

On 12/04/2017 at 7:02 AM, Surasak said:

All those village headmen apposing this, also appose democracy. 12th centuary thinking.

Walcome to the modern wirld.

[AGareth2]

On 4/12/2017 at 1:02 PM, Surasak said:

All those village headmen apposing this, also appose democracy. 12th centuary thinking.

early 20th I think

[DrTuner]

Somehow other countries seems to be getting along with the first officials on the county level. I guess the local warlord thingy is still strong in Asia.