Abhisit cautious about reforms under charter

[webfact]

Abhisit cautious about reforms under charter
By THE NATION

 

 

BANGKOK: -- FORMER prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva cautions that the newest Constitution cannot fix politics single-handedly despite the high hopes held for it by the military regime.

 

“Solutions to problems do not lie only in the rules but also in the people in society, who should put pressure on politicians and make them behave,” the leader of the Democrat Party said yesterday.

 

Political issues often do not spring from the charter or any law, but rather from the behaviour of political players, he said.

 

The drafters had aimed to improve politics with the new charter, which was promulgated last week, but there were no guarantees the new set of rules would settle future issues when the conduct of politicians was still not reformed, he added.

 

More importantly, he said, the new checks-and-balances mechanisms such as the powerful selected Senate could turn into a new source of conflict if abused. 

 

Society was the best determining factor to push politics in the right direction, Abhisit said.

 

“If the public can do that, then it will be the best policy to prevent similar problems. The government should raise awareness about this. There has been very little awareness in the past,” he said.

 

The veteran politician, who served as premier from 2008 to 2011, said the senators to be appointed by the National Council for Peace and Order should keep in mind that they represented the people, not the junta. 

 

The Senate members should always respect people’s decisions, he said.

 

Abhisit said he had remarked during reconciliation talks last month that if the reconciliation panel sought to have political parties sign a “social contract”, the junta-appointed Senate should be included and promise that they would not violate people’s wishes.

 

If the 250-member Senate acted as a political party, conflicts would re-emerge, so they should show self-discipline, he said.

“They should not forget that although they are sanctioned to vote for a prime minister, they will not have the ability to attend all Lower House meetings,” he said. 

 

“And even though they can vote for a prime minister, that prime minister cannot stay in power unless he or she is accepted also by the MPs.”

 

However, it was hard to envision the situation after the next general election at this point, he said, adding that more would be clear when politicians began to answer questions, although some answers might not be forthcoming.

 

Election date unsure

 

Politics would only become lively after the organic law for political parties is enacted, as activities were restrained by the junta’s ban on political gatherings, he said.

 

He added that agencies should be efficient and complete the drafting of organic laws before the 240-day deadline allowed by the Constitution of 2017.

 

However, the Democrat leader declined to comment on speculation that the next election could take place in August next year, saying the timeline allowed for a long delay but if the work was accomplished in a shorter time, everything could be brought forward.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/news/national/30312250

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-04-14

[Sphere]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

The veteran politician, who served as premier from 2008 to 2011, said the senators to be appointed by the National Council for Peace and Order should keep in mind that they represented the people, not the junta. 

Does that apply to premiers too? 

 

[irwinfc]

says the guy who did absolutely nothing to improve the political landscape during his tenure. politicians are indeed hypocrites to the bone!

[abrahamzvi]

3 hours ago, irwinfc said:

says the guy who did absolutely nothing to improve the political landscape during his tenure. politicians are indeed hypocrites to the bone!

Quite frankly, I don't think you know what you are talking about. This honest politician did do his best, but was unsuccessful against an evil and very powerful "Red Movement" . He is by no means perfect, but he is one of the better ones and he did try!

[hargri]

If the senators are appointed they do NOT represent the people. That's a very basic principle of democracy. They should get voted in by the people and if they don't represent the people adequately they get voted out by the people.

Edited April 14, 2017 by hargri

[billd766]

24 minutes ago, hargri said:

If the senators are appointed they do NOT represent the people. That's a very basic principle of democracy. They should get voted in by the people and if they don't represent the people adequately they get voted out by the people.

 

In the UK there is the House of Commons where the 650 members are elected every 5 years (if not before) to represent the people of the UK.

 

There is also the House of Lords (an upper chamber if you will) with some 805 members who are not elected by anybody. 90 are hereditary, some 26 are church leaders and the rest are life peers, appointed by the Queen on the advice of the Prime Minister, or on the advice of the House of Lords Appointments Commission.

 

None of them represent the people either.

 

This is also called democracy.

[elgordo38]

9 hours ago, webfact said:

“Solutions to problems do not lie only in the rules but also in the people in society, who should put pressure on politicians and make them behave,” the leader of the Democrat Party said yesterday.

The people tried the pressure part and old Prawit still gave them the submarines. Up your nose with a rubber hose mentality. This guy is a dreamer make politicians behave ye gods man what world are you living in. 

[elgordo38]

29 minutes ago, billd766 said:

 

In the UK there is the House of Commons where the 650 members are elected every 5 years (if not before) to represent the people of the UK.

 

There is also the House of Lords (an upper chamber if you will) with some 805 members who are not elected by anybody. 90 are hereditary, some 26 are church leaders and the rest are life peers, appointed by the Queen on the advice of the Prime Minister, or on the advice of the House of Lords Appointments Commission.

 

None of them represent the people either.

 

This is also called democracy.

Somebody call the police sounds like a big welfare scam.

[irwinfc]

On 4/14/2017 at 11:46 AM, abrahamzvi said:

Quite frankly, I don't think you know what you are talking about. This honest politician did do his best, but was unsuccessful against an evil and very powerful "Red Movement" . He is by no means perfect, but he is one of the better ones and he did try!

quite frankly, neither do you. the "yellow movement" was equally evil and vicious. you seem to be naive as well. pointless to argue. we will never agree anyway.

[Smarter Than You]

On 4/14/2017 at 1:46 PM, billd766 said:

 

In the UK there is the House of Commons where the 650 members are elected every 5 years (if not before) to represent the people of the UK.

 

There is also the House of Lords (an upper chamber if you will) with some 805 members who are not elected by anybody. 90 are hereditary, some 26 are church leaders and the rest are life peers, appointed by the Queen on the advice of the Prime Minister, or on the advice of the House of Lords Appointments Commission.

 

None of them represent the people either.

 

This is also called democracy.

The big difference is that those in the House of Lords have no power, all executive authority lies with the elected House of Commons.

The Thai version is completely different, unelected Junta lackeys will exercise a great deal of power over the government of the day AND over the permanent institutions of state including the courts.

 

Apples and oranges my friend.

[MorristheRunt]

Life must be so hard for Mark.

[JAG]

 
In the UK there is the House of Commons where the 650 members are elected every 5 years (if not before) to represent the people of the UK.
 
There is also the House of Lords (an upper chamber if you will) with some 805 members who are not elected by anybody. 90 are hereditary, some 26 are church leaders and the rest are life peers, appointed by the Queen on the advice of the Prime Minister, or on the advice of the House of Lords Appointments Commission.
 
None of them represent the people either.
 
This is also called democracy.

The House of Lords cannot frustrate the will of the elected house.
Under this new constitution that is exactly what the Senate is designed to do...