Robust response from NCPO to ‘happiness’ poll finding, attacks on its achievements

[webfact]

Robust response from NCPO to ‘happiness’ poll finding, attacks on its achievements
By The Nation

 

 

BANGKOK: -- On the occasion of its third anniversary, the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) on Monday refuted a poll result finding “a decline in happiness among the people”, as well as attacks on its record from both politicians and civil society.

 

Suriyasai Katasila, a former demonstrator of the People’s Democratic Reform Committee, whose actions helped provoke the military coup on May 22, 2014, also joined the chorus of disapproval slamming the reform and reconciliation efforts of the NCPO, saying that no real concrete progress had not been made in these two essential areas.

 

NCPO spokesman Colonel Piyapong Klinpan, speaking on Monday in response to the recent poll showing people had become less happy, said that the survey should have been conducted into other aspects, too. 

 

As it steps into its fourth year in power, the NCPO is working with determination and sacrifice for the country and the people, he said.

 

The spokesman also insisted that the NCPO was working in accordance with the law and the Constitution. 

 

It had made a promise to the Thai people and now it was following its road map, he said, adding that while some issues had not yet been settled, they were on the way to being so.

 

In response to former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra, who posted on her Facebook page asking for the regime to keep its promise, Piyapong protested that in the past three years, if it were not for the NCPO and all the officials, who else could have done all this work, especially the carrying out of the reform process, which was under way and in line with the set time frame.

 

Besides the “happiness” poll and the ousted PM’s comments, the NCPO has also been challenged by the civil-society Internet Law Reform Dialogue, better known as iLaw, which said the NCPO in the past three years had laid out firm a foundation for security, but had weakened the scrutiny system.

 

Piyapong responded that all the NCPO ever did was to ensure everyone was under the law. 

 

It would take time to prove iLaw’s criticism an incorrect understanding, he said.

 

“The NCPO has taken the time in the past three years to take care of the people, as well as keep peace and order. It has not been in vain,” the spokesman said. “[The NCPO] has been building up faith among the people.”

 

Regarding the weakened economy, it is also interwoven with the regional and global economic levels, he said, adding that the impact seen in the Kingdom was a consequence of such interdependency. 

 

However, the NCPO continues to try very hard to tackle economic issues at all levels, especially to help those in the agricultural sector, he emphasised.

 

There have been many schemes to assist the people on a continuous basis, the colonel said. Although many might still feel uncomfortable about the progress made, he believed the situation would be ameliorated eventually.

 

Meanwhile, Suriyasai, who marched with the PDRC three years ago and played a role in prompting the coup, said the national divide remained persistent despite the fact that it was the main task for the NCPO to tackle.

 

He argued that the ostensible peace currently seen in the country was only the result of suppression via the absolute power of the NCPO. 

 

After normality resumed, the symptoms would resurface again, especially at the time of the election, he predicted.

 

While the academic admitted that the NCPO had acknowledged the need to bring about reform and hence established the Por Yor Por super-committee, he said that in the three months since it had come into existence, the work was still loaded at the department level and he had seen no essential change in the structure.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/news/national/30315981

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-05-23

[wakeupplease]

Decline in happiness my foot. A total decline in law order and the country which is now heading into the 4th word to join NK. This lot would not find the way to a bat>>> >>>>D

[Thechook]

I am still the messiah and you will love me and be happy or else.

[PatOngo]

Well something is happeneing, everytime I read or hear their statements, I can't seem to wipe a cynical grin off my face.

[maewang99]

the dance of words.... the never ending simple narratives.... for people to grab..... 

it doesn't help.

you could, could you not, make yet another simple narrative that this whole thing began when a major change to the education system was getting very close to actually occuring? that is what I remember reading at the time.
 

not vague talk of "reform" and "more money" for education...... but....

 

clear and focused...... decentralization of the schools.
 

and since then it sure seems to never even be danced around.....

 

yet the competitive advantages of Thailand are fading... technology is progressing.... at a faster rate... best examples AI robotics and nanotechnology......  and Thailand could be left behind.  it isn't any ONE administration of any kind that should be fully blamed... nor given credit fully for..... in the past nor present.
 

Edited May 23, 2017 by maewang99

[yellowboat]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

Piyapong responded that all the NCPO ever did was to ensure everyone was under the law. 

Please !  Everyone ?  That will never happen in Thailand unless the courts are unaffected by the Army. 

[Denim]

' .....working with determination and sacrifice '

 

What sacrifices have they made ? Given top draw jobs that should have gone to elected civilians then employing their family members as secretaries on nice salaries ?

 

Some sacrifice.

 

Still.......from their point of view these are the very reforms they had in mind when democracy was done away with.

[YetAnother]

these govt spokesmen think we are all gullible or they believe their own lies; either way not good

[mtls2005]

The spokesman also insisted that the NCPO was working in accordance with the law and the Constitution. 

 

 

Said with a straight face.

[JCauto]

36 minutes ago, mtls2005 said:

The spokesman also insisted that the NCPO was working in accordance with the law and the Constitution. 

 

 

Said with a straight face.

 

Well, to be fair, it's true! Once they scrapped the constitution and rewrote the laws in their favour...

 

Only a matter of time before they lose their temper and start calling people "stupid buffalo" for not being sufficiently happy under the yoke. 

[Eric Loh]

So the PDRC Suriyasai agree with Yingluck in condemning the junta performance. Mus be painful for junta apologists to hear that. 

[Jonmarleesco]

No one attacks achievements; they attack non-achievements.

 

'Colonel Piyapong Klinpan ... insisted that the NCPO was working in accordance with the law and the Constitution.' These presumably being the ones they make up as they go along? 

[Srikcir]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

Suriyasai Katasila, a former demonstrator of the People’s Democratic Reform Committee, whose actions helped provoke the military coup on May 22, 201

An act of collusion with the military previously admitted by PDRC leader Suthep immediately following the coup to which Prayut denied. Katasila was termed by another Bangkok publication as a key member of the PDRC. He was also an activist with the People’s Alliance for Democracy. 

6 hours ago, webfact said:

no real concrete progress had not been made in these two essential areas.

That's not the same really as Yingluck's criticism. I believe Katasila is dissatisfied with the junta's performance in failing to "lock down democracy" with a strict authoritarian government and destroy any and all political opposition to royalist parties.

[Lupatria]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

The spokesman also insisted that the NCPO was working in accordance with the law and the Constitution. 

Am I the only one missing the words: "slightly but convenient modified" before the words law and Constitution?

[wealthychef]

This is unfortunately a very typical Thai response to criticism.  Too often Thais take negative feedback personally, without seeking to find a solution that makes their customers or the people they are supposedly serving happy.  You had a bad experience?  Not our fault!  This happened to me both at my hotel and at a restaurant in Koh Tao, places supposedly designed for customer service.  My complaint and that of my friend were refuted and argued against without any effort to help us out, no apology, no discount, no upgrade offers, nothing you might expect when things go bad in such a place.  Here we have the government saying "hey man get off us" instead of saying "we will do better, we know there are problems, sorry, we are working on it."  

[klauskunkel]

the generals are happy

[Lupatria]

2 hours ago, klauskunkel said:

the generals are happy

Too bad they don't stay in their designated "happy zone"

[WhizBang]

On 5/22/2017 at 5:13 PM, YetAnother said:

these govt spokesmen think we are all gullible or they believe their own lies; either way not good

 

The government spokesman is a military officer.  His job is to read the words given to him.   His job is not to think.

[Retiredandhappyhere]

More "misunderstandings" by the public.  Thailand, the HUB of misunderstandings.where virtually every Government policy or announcement has to be subsequently, explained, corrected, amended or just ignored as the public did not understand the first annpouncement. Strangely, it does not just seem to be Thais and ex-pats who do not understand them but nowadays the rest of the world seem to be ignorant as well. Fortunately, just lately,  more and more people, including thopse in the media, are prepared to chance their arm (and liberty) in coming out and expressing their opinions.