As the regime ramps up efforts to foster reconciliation, a key strategist of the Pheu Thai Party, Phumtham Vechayachai, has insisted those in power should also be included in the reconciliation process as they are part of the political conflict.
Mr Phumtham also suggested those in power be open to others' opinions.
Phumtham Vechayachai, a key strategist and acting secretary-general of the Pheu Thai party, was interviewed at the party's library about the regime's latest push for national reconciliation. (Photo by Wichan Charoenkiatpakul)
The country's political strife has dragged on for a decade and efforts by several past governments to create reconciliation have not appeared to work.
As part of the latest push for reconciliation, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha last month invoked Section 44 of the interim charter to establish the Committee for National Administration under the Framework of National Reform, Strategy and Reconciliation.
Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon has been assigned to spearhead the national reconciliation process under the body.
The latest push has drawn public attention as to whether this approach will be successful.
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Mr Phumtham, acting secretary-general of the Pheu Thai Party, steered clear of recognising the committee as an essential mechanism to address reconciliation.
"We can't say whether we accept this committee," Mr Phumtham said.
"This is not our concern. The government set up this committee to try to achieve its own objective."
He said reconciliation is a major issue in Thai society following a decade of political strife, adding: "What we need to ask is whether Thai society has come to the point where we are ready to tackle problems for reconciliation and whether we have adequate potential to create reconciliation."
To foster reconciliation, all sides should be given the opportunity to exchange their concerns, he said, stressing reconciliation is not only a matter of pointing out mutual benefits but also understanding the issues on each side and accepting them, he said.
Then, ground rules can be laid down for everyone to co-exist despite having diverse opinions, he said.
Under the regime's reconciliation process, political parties and groups will be allowed to speak their minds and state their demands regarding reconciliation issues to a committee for national reconciliation chaired by Gen Chaichan Changmongkol, permanent secretary for defence.
The process is expected to be wrapped up in three months before a so-called memorandum of understanding (MoU) on unity is signed.
Mr Phumtham, however, is not convinced the MoU would be an actual cure for political conflicts.
He said the MoU may be used as a starting point for reconciliation, but it is not as important as having a clear understanding of what brought about the conflicts.
The political strife will continue unless the cause of the conflicts is addressed, he said.
Whether Pheu Thai signs the MoU depends on its content, he said, adding it would be a mistake for the MoU to be set as a precondition for reconciliation.
According to Mr Phumtham, the reconciliation process may take time, but it is important not to start it with prejudice or use force to regulate each conflicting party.
All sides should be able to co-exist with mutual understanding rather than be forced to accept one another, and this would be a good start to tackle the problem, he said.
"There must be a rule of law that ensures justice for all sides so that everyone feels they are governed by the same rules. People would then feel ready to get along and this would subsequently lead to reconciliation," Mr Phumtham said.
The Pheu Thai strategist also called on the regime not to separate itself from the reconciliation process as it is also part of the conflict.
"Today, people in power, the government or the National Council for Peace and Order, must not exclude themselves and blame the conflicts on political parties. This will not address the actual cause of the problem," said Mr Phumtham.
"You (the regime) are also part of the conflict. At least, you brought weapons to purge the ongoing system and this means you are part of the conflict."
Mr Phumtham said it would be difficult for the regime to directly oversee reconciliation since it is also part of the conflict, but it can play a role in facilitating the process.
"The regime can foster cooperation and bring in neutral figures to create an atmosphere which is conducive to talks," Mr Phumtham said.
The acting secretary-general insisted all sides must sit and talk while the regime must stand ready to listen to others.
The exchange of opinions should highlight common ground shared by all sides and then efforts can be made to roll out rules to make people feel they are being treated fairly.
"All sides must be treated equally. In the past, there was a double standard. This is an indisputable fact since there are tangible examples that indicate justice is not served in a straightforward manner and people are not treated equally. This is why the problem persists even now," said Mr Phumtham.
He brushed aside criticism the political conflicts stemmed from deposed Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, saying people should stop singling out particular people and rather look at the whole picture.
"If this was a matter of one person, how would the whole society have been affected?" said Mr Phumtham.
"This is not about a single person. It is the matter of different people's ideologies."
Thaksin is only someone representing those who receive injustice, the Pheu Thai's key man said.
For example, if the red-shirt demonstration is deemed as unrest and therefore a violation of the laws, the gathering of another political camp who laid siege to Government House and airports must also be treated in the same manner, he said.
Mr Phumtham said the amnesty issue should be pushed back as the final agenda, adding there is no need to discuss it now since the matter of reconciliation must be understood first.
He said the starting point of the conflict was when former army chief Sonthi Boonyaratglin staged a coup on Sept 19, 2006 that ousted Thaksin from power.
During the administration of Yingluck Shinawatra, a reconciliation study panel, led by Gen Sonthi, recommended corruption charges against Thaksin brought by coup-installed Assets Scrutiny Committee be reconsidered under the normal justice process.
Mr Phumtham said the principle behind the panel's recommendation is correct, adding they must, however, ensure an ethical process.
It is important not to bring conflicting parties to decide what is right or wrong, he said.
He said he still has hope for reconciliation.
Having differences is natural, but the people must learn to live with these differences if they are to get along, Mr Phumtham noted.