Reform council set-up won't quell public anger

Reform council set-up won't quell public anger

The Yingluck Shinawatra government is pursuing a two-pronged strategy to push for the amnesty bill. While it refuses to withdraw the bill sponsored by Samut Prakan MP Worachai Hema from House deliberation, it has also proposed setting up a political reform assembly to defuse political resistance.

Neither strategy will be good for the government's political stability.

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra announced she will invite former prime ministers, prominent politicians and leading academics to join the assembly to break the political deadlock and move toward reconciliation.

Even if there is only a 1% chance the reform assembly will be successful, she has vowed to press ahead with it. There must be a starting point somewhere to forge political cooperation to make reconciliation possible, she says.

Except for ex-premier Banharn Silpa-archa, no former prime ministers have agreed to join the assembly.

Somchai Srisuthiyakorn, a political scientist at Sripatum University, said this is not a good start.

"We must ask if Mr Banharn has the necessary political authority to be a key man in the reconciliation process," he said. "We must also ask if Mr Banharn has the public trust and political neutrality to do the job."

The key people in Ms Yingluck's reform council move are former House speaker Ukrit Mongkolnavin, and Mr Banharn, now chairman of Chartthaipattana Party's committee of advisers.

Their names are still far from being credible enough to create public confidence. Nor they can attract other distinguished names to join the reform council. Mr Ukrit's political proposals over the past few years have only echoed the stances of the government, which has led the public to believe that he is siding with the administration.

The political scientist also disagrees with the government's current effort to deploy tens of thousands of policemen to quickly subdue protesters, which worked with the rally led by Gen Boonlert Kaewprasit, aka Seh Ai, last year.

This time around the government has increased the police numbers further to nearly 40,000. Although more supporters of the Democrat Party and the so-called People's Democratic Force to Overthrow Thaksinism (Pefot) will increase when the rally really starts to get under way, it is believed they will still be outnumbered by the police.

They will have to disperse, like the Seh Ai rally did, when protesters are unable to break the police blockade.

"But this group of protesters has learned from the Seh Ai rally mistakes. That's why they have kept their moves a secret. The government does not know what the mob is doing next, or where the rally is heading," he said.

Setting up the political reform assembly will not extinguish public anger from the government's push for the amnesty bill.

Simply put, this double strategy will not work. It won't be able to create public confidence in the government. Even if the government can pass the amnesty bill _ and later amend the charter _ given its majority control in the House, the road ahead is bumpy.

Also, Thaksin Shinawatra will not be able to reap amnesty benefits as quickly as he wants.

The government should stop pushing for a law that accelerates political conflicts. Instead it should starting pushing for laws that will bridge disparity and strengthen the economy. That is what the people want, not more conflicts and violence.


Nattaya Chetchotiros is an assistant news editor, Bangkok Post.

Nattaya Chetchotiros

Assistant News Editor

Nattaya Chetchotiros is Assistant News Editor, Bangkok Post.

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