COMMENTARY
THONGBAI THONGPAO
Early this week, I took some of my law students from a Nong Khai university to help describe laws that people should know at a school in the same province. While the students were explaining the laws to the pupils, I walked around the school and had a little chat with a food vendor who remembered who I was. He asked whether I was still a politician. I told him no and explained to him that the charter prohibited a person from running for a second term as senator. He sighed and commented: "If possible, I'd like to see the same rule apply to MPs as well, so that we could get new people with new thoughts to represent us instead of the same old faces, as is the case today."
He obviously is bored with our veteran politicians, who seem immune to change, particularly for the better. Indeed, our MPs today are like old relatives, a bunch of people Thais are so familiar with, whose behaviours are highly predictable. The problem is they are the relatives you wouldn't choose to live with if given a choice, and sometimes are even ashamed of being related to. They hardly have any new ideas or initiate anything that benefits the people but for some mysterious reasons their personal wealth multiplies with each term they serve. Although my friend did not say outright that politicians serve only themselves rather than the people they represent, his meaning was clear.
I couldn't blame him for his opinion. The MPs of the ruling party, for example, are still intent on amending the charter despite strong opposition. All they think about these days is how the charter is no good. They don't even bother to conceal the fact that the amendments they propose will benefit no one but themselves.
For example, the People Power Party wants to amend or scrap Section 237 because it makes it possible to disband a political party if its members do something wrong. In fact, an MP has nothing to fear if he doesn't cheat during elections. Likewise, I still don't see what's wrong with requiring the leader or executives of a party to supervise candidates closely so that they don't violate the election law. Besides, party disbandment is just a possible punishment, not a given. The whole point of the section is to ensure everyone's participation in a free and fair election, so that we get MPs who conform with the legal and moral frameworks of civilised countries. But for some reason, the section turns out to be a big thorn in the side of the PPP.
I also find nothing wrong with Section 190, which requires the government to consult Parliament before entering into agreements with a foreign country which may affect sovereignty. Yet the ruling party makes a big fuss out of it to the point that they claim they could not run the country properly unless it is done away with. That leaves us with only one conclusion: that they want to do everything the easy way, without regard to the feelings of the people, as was the case in the controversy over the Preah Vihear temple.
So how do they expect people to react when it is clear as daylight who stands to gain from the planned amendments? They are to blame if people are bored with politicians.
The worst thing is, all this comes at a time when the economy is going into a tailspin. Economic problems should top the government's agenda. But instead of caring for the well-being of some 60 million people, its focus is on charter amendments which are the problem of some 100 people.
If only our politicians set their priorities right, I'm convinced no one will criticise or get bored with them. Simply by thinking of helping the people, they can expect to win applause. Backing it with concrete actions will make them saints. So why choose to tread through barbed wire instead of a road paved with roses?
The cabinet's idea of coupons for the poor is a good start. It shows for once the government is not thinking only of itself.
So do the six new measures to help relieve the troubles of the people. Everyone supports them, even the opposition Democrats. The criticisms aim only to help perfect the plans and are natural for projects of this scale. As for charges that the measures are populist and a preparation for the election that could be coming soon, opponents can come up with competing measures. If politicians compete in this way, people will never get bored with them. Indeed, the only hand that can destroy politicians is their own.
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