Scholar criticises NCPO for its failure to undertake meaningful reforms
THIRAYUTH BOONMEE, a noted political critic and scholar, slammed the junta yesterday for not having the determination to introduce reforms since it took power, and using this as an excuse to seek more time.
The scholar said the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) had not used its so-called absolute power over the past two years to introduce reforms, and that it was not logical for it to stay on for another five years and claim it could carry out reforms because it would not have as much power.
Thirayuth spoke at Thammasat University’s Rangsit campus yesterday at an event held to mark the birthday of late PM and former university rector Sanya Dharmasakti.
He said that the country was in dire need of reform, but it could not count on elected governments to carry them out because they were weak and did not have enough power or will.
While admitting that only military-installed governments can push for some reforms, he said he did not see the NCPO do anything in that regard over the past two years.
But the scholar said it was not too late for the NCPO to start working on reforms, especially before the election.
He also wondered if it would be worth trading democracy for reform, apparently referring to the undemocratic clause in the new draft charter, which allows for a junta-appointed Senate.
“It is not reasonable to say that the Senate will carry out reform in the future, but it is a job that the NCPO should be doing now. I just think that it will become problematic in the long run,” he said.
Thirayuth also criticised Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha for not making good use of his absolute powers under Article 44, and wasting it on minor issues such as regulating the lottery price and motorcycle taxis.
He said there were four key points that required reform. The first was tackling natural disasters such as drought and floods, he said, adding that the authorities should have set up a team of experts to deal with these preventable issues.
Secondly, he said, state agencies managing national resources such as electricity should be more transparent and informative, and the public should have a bigger say in the management of such valuable resources. Thirayuth noted that these areas were exploited by politicians and powers-that-be.
Thirdly, he said, national transport was in urgent need of reform as it was not benefiting the public but instead mostly served industrial sectors owned by financiers and politicians.
Fourthly, he said, national security should be focused on given that terrorism had become a global threat.
Thirayuth also said that in order to sustain democracy and tackle poverty in the long run, it was the people who need to be empowered along with other legal mechanisms.
As for the draft charter, he told reporters that having a constitution written after a coup was structurally wrong, but this had always happened in Thailand. However, he implied that the latest draft charter might pass the public referendum as the military-government was still popular and many people were tired of the vicious cycle of political protests.
