OPINION

Global youth woes

Re:"Tap the young to save greying society", (Opinion, Feb 26).

The problems with youth are not limited to Thailand. They are global by their nature. That's why 193 members of the United Nations on Dec 16, 2019 adopted by consensus a comprehensive resolution (36 operative paragraphs) entitled "Policies and programmes involving youth".

By this document all states are urged inter alia to intensify efforts to address the high rates of youth unemployment, underemployment, vulnerable employment, informal employment and young people not in employment, education or training by developing and implementing targeted and integrated local and national youth employment policies for inclusive, sustainable and innovative job creation, improved employability, skills development and vocational training to facilitate the transition from school to work.

The same document advocates for improving synergies between the education and employment sectors to increase the prospects for integrating youth into the sustainable labour market, and through increased innovation and entrepreneurship, including the development of networks of young entrepreneurs at the local, national, regional and global levels that foster knowledge among young people about their rights and responsibilities in society.

At the same time member states are encouraged to invest in quality education, support lifelong learning and provide social protection for all youth and to request donors, specialised United Nations entities and the private sector to continue to provide assistance, including technical and funding support, as appropriate.

Democratic, just?

Re: "Undemocratic, unjust" (PostBag, Feb 26).

In fact, specific types of organisation have specific act governing their operation. Political parties are registered under the Organic Act on Political Parties, BE 2560 (2017) and shall abide by the said Act. The Organic Act is under a constitutional law category and is therefore a kind of public law.

According to international principle of public law, whatever is not expressly mentioned cannot be done. Loans are not expressly mentioned as a type of political party funding allowed in the Organic Act on Political Parties, BE 2560 (2017), so a political party acquiring a loan does not comply.

Any type of persons can be governed by public law; for example, both rights and responsibilities are prescribed by the Constitution for individuals, which might be considered a private entity. In fact multiple rationales were used in the judgement; as a result, it is not adequate to use the words "undemocratic, unjust" to describe the Constitutional Court verdict.

Old Thaksin excuse

It has been said that the most important foundation of a healthy democratic system, i.e. the separation of powers or the division into the legislature, the executive, and the judiciary branches -- the trias politica model.

Although the powers that be claim that we have such a checks-and-balances system, in practice and in reality it looks more and more like the fusion of powers, starting from the drafting of a constitution that blatantly favours one group of power while shunning the voices of other groups. The excuse is that this is a Thaksin-proof constitution in response to the claim at the time of a parliamentary dictatorship. But look where it got us.

The executive branch also has the privileges of having a Senate at its beck and call, undermining one of the key principles of participatory democracy which ideally should be inclusive. The Constitutional Court verdict, though not deviates from the letter of the law if not its spirit, only confirms what many critics of the regime have feared all along that it may be just a disguised authoritarian tool.

Let's hope this is just a conspiracy theory that has no basis in reality. Otherwise, it would be very hard to see how real democracy can take root in this country.