There have been mounting calls for members of the National Legislative Assembly (NLA), the National Reform Council (NRC) and the cabinet, which have yet to be formed, as well as members of the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) to declare their assets to demonstrate their support for transparency.
There is no provision in the current provisional constitution that requires these men and women who are tasked with shaping Thailand’s future to declare their assets. Several members of the NLA have cited Section 41 of the interim charter to justify their exclusion from the traditional practice requiring members of the House of Representatives, the Senate and the cabinet to declare their assets to the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC).
NACC commissioner Sansern Poljiak explained that the NLA is a special body which is different from the Senate or the House and, therefore, the assets declaration law cannot be applied to the NLA members.
He hinted that the practice of the post-2006 coup’s legislature could be applied. That is his personal opinion only and does not reflect the view of the NACC as a whole.
Green Group leader Suriyasai Katasila, however, has argued that Section 41 of the provisional charter does not mean that traditional political practices should not be applied, including the requirement for assets declarations. The provision, he added, was not intended to allow NLA members and other political administrators to cover up their assets.
As the country gears up toward reform, with the NRC to be established this month, there have been growing calls for those responsible for reforming the country to show they are truly committed to reform and changes to make a better Thailand.
The calls are for the members of the NLA, the NRC, the cabinet and the NCPO to declare their assets not only to the NCPO but also to the public, in line with political norms.
Pramon Sutivong, chairman of the private sector’s anti-corruption organisation, has suggested that members of the NCPO should set an example for others in the NLA, the NRC and the cabinet by taking the lead to declare their assets publicly, although they are not legally required to do so.
He maintained that assets declarations would be a show of spirit for those who are responsible for the governance of the country, for mapping out strategies and measures for reform, and for issuing laws, that they are committed to the reform process.
The recent announcement by Lt Gen Thirachai Narkvanich, commander of the 1st Army Region and a member of the NLA, that he had no objection to declaring his assets was indeed welcome news. The example he set should convince his colleagues in the legislature to follow suit before public criticism about the matter escalates.
NLA president Pornpetch Wichitcholchai's decision to quit his job as ombudsman is another welcome piece of news. The decision came after he faced criticism that holding dual posts of ombudsman and NLA president could amount to a conflict of interest. It also shows he is open to constructive criticism, which should be the norm for everyone tasked with national reform.
Riding on a wave of popularity as most opinion polls have shown, NCPO chief Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha would earn more public respect and support if he listened to calls for transparency and made himself a role model for others by announcing his readiness to declare his assets.