Call for lifetime bans for corrupt politicians

“A political ban should be made for a lifetime, not five years as it currently stands,” Lertrat Rattanawanit said.
Chaired by its vice president Walairat Sriarun, the assembly’s general meeting discussed the political agenda, one of the 11 principal reform agendas proposed by the now-defunct National Reform Council (NRC).
The lifetime ban should be imposed on politicians in cases where they were fired by the bureaucracy or a state enterprise, possessed unusual wealth, committed election fraud or were sacked from political positions, Lertrat said.
The NRSA should propose the change to the National Legislative Assembly so that it can pass appropriate organic laws for the new charter.  The permanent ban should also be incorporated into the current Local Elections Act of 2002, the general said.
Wanchai Sornsiri also stressed that graft-prone politicians must receive lifetime red cards.
The lawyer emphasised the importance of political reform.
“If we can solve political issues, it means we can solve almost any problem in this country.”
Many of the NRSA members also shared the hope of seeing political reforms completed before the election, vote-buying extinguished, efficiency of the Election Commission improved and anti-corruption policies launched, he said.
However, Sompong Sakawee, a Pheu Thai Party supporter, said people’s perception of vote-buying had been distorted and exaggerated.
“We may focus too much on the issue and we need to step over it.”
Sompong was countered by former Democrat MP Witthaya Kaew-paradai, who claimed that the problem did exist and needed to be solved by encouraging “good people” to enter politics.
Pol Maj-General Amnuay Nimmano focused on the importance of political-party reform, pointing out how the parties must belong to the people and not capitalists.
Nikorn Chamnong, an ex-deputy minister, stressed anti-corruption education for young people.
Kamnoon Sidhisamarn said Parliament had been overly attached to political parties and needed to be adjusted to get rid of “parliamentary dictatorship” issues.
Wannatham Kanjanasuwan called for reforms to be implemented gradually.
Elections are not the only thing that help create a democracy. Some parts of the Canadian and British parliamentary systems are not elected, he said.
Earlier in the day, the NRSA approved the set-up of its 11 committees to work on the principal reform agendas in accordance with Articles 27 and 39 of the provisional charter.
Captain Tinnapan Nakata, president of the NRSA, will appoint its members to the committees, with each member allowed to sit on only one. Each committee will have about 11-23 members.
Chaired by vice president Alongkorn Ponlaboot, the morning meeting also agreed to appoint two whips. One is for anti-corruption work, the other for coordinating with the “five rivers” – the NRSA, the National Council for Peace and Order, the Cabinet, the Constitution Drafting Committee and the National Legislative Assembly.
NRSA members will have their membership revoked if they do not participate in more than one-third of the meetings.