Let live TV debate begin, let 100 (plastic) flowers bloom!

With less than three weeks before the national referendum, the proposed live televised debate won’t produce any substantial fallout or ensure that the public gets a thorough, detailed review of the draft charter.

Election Commission member Somchai Srisuthiyakorn has said a series of live TV debates will be aired on Thai PBS the week before the August 7 referendum – for advocates and opponents to “exchange views”.

If you think we will hear the country’s leading political figures slugging it out on TV, you are in for a major disappointment. In fact, these were the first to be sidelined. Politicians won’t be invited to join the live show because, according to the EC member, their presence could be divisive.

Who will take part then? Somchai suggested that some groups who have publicly declared their opposition to the draft could be invited to join the discussion. They will probably include the New Democracy Movement (NDM) and Internet Law Reform Dialogue (iLaw). It’s not clear who will represent the pro-charter faction in the debate.

Curiously, members of the Constitution Drafting Committee (CDC) have said they aren’t aware of the proposed TV shows. How they will be represented in the panel remains undecided.

A CDC spokesman has said that if the show represents a stage where views are exchanged, the CDC will be there. “But the moderator has to be unbiased. And if it’s a stage set for violent verbal confrontation, that wouldn’t be appropriate,” says Amorn Wanijwiwat.

Another question is where the government stands on the issue, and whether it will be represented in the debate. That leads to another crucial question: Who will respond to questions during the debate about what happens if the majority of voters reject the draft. Obviously, neither EC nor CDC members are in a position to answer that question.

I am personally in full support of the live debate – if for no other reason than to enjoy more of the political drama that has been part of the constitution drafting process from the outset. The live debate will also test whether citizens can challenge the rigid law governing the referendum that has effectively prohibited them from even telling anyone else in public whether they will vote for or against the draft.

Some key NDM members have confirmed they will join the debate but have set certain preconditions – including the time slot for the live debate, which was originally proposed for 1-2pm for a week and only on Thai PBS.

Pheu Thai Party member Noppadon Patama has suggested the show should be aired on all TV stations at primetime in the evening.

NDM members say public participation must be ensured by allowing ordinary citizens to pick topics for debate, instead of confining questions to those so far raised by academics, intellectuals and politicians.

Project manager for iLaw Yingcheep Atchanont says that while he doesn’t rule out iLaw’s participation in the exchange, he wants to be sure that the topics raised are relevant to the group’s work. iLaw, he insists, can’t be described as an anti-charter non-governmental group. “We just want to promote freedom of expression,” he said.

If things go the way I see it, this hoopla will end in nothing more than a boring TV show where no real “debate” takes place after all. Each side will come up with its own preconditions, which the EC will find difficult to accommodate because it isn’t in a position to decide one way or the other.

Will I watch the live show if it materialises? Of course I will. Under such a stressful political environment, we are in dire need of some entertainment.

Stay tuned for the TV series: “Let 100 (Plastic) Flowers Bloom.”