Thread: National Reform Council Offers Preview Of Ideas With 20 Year Vision

NRC Crafts 20-year Vision At Seminar

Bangkok Post
November 11, 2014
Writer: Mongkol Bangprapa

The National Reform Council (NRC) yesterday wrapped up a two-day seminar on national reform at which members proposed broad measures to improve the country over the next two decades.

Speaking after the seminar organised by King Prajadhipok's Institute, NRC chairman Thienchay Kiranandana said the 250-member panel has created "a vision for Thailand's future" that includes reducing economic and social disparities, improving education, reforming the political system and ensuring the fair distribution of natural resources.

He said the cooperation by the NRC members bodes well for the success of national reform, and the proposals discussed at the seminar will provide the basis for the public to discuss and present further ideas.

The 250 NRC members held separate group discussions on the areas of politics, law and justice, national administration, local administration, education, the economy, energy, public health and the environment, the mass media, social affairs, and a special category to deal with "other issues".

On the issue of political reform, NRC member Sombat Thamrongthandyawong said a group discussion, which he attended, proposed that civic councils be set up nationwide to scrutinize the background of candidates for local elections and to monitor national politicians.

Mr Sombat, a former rector of the National Institute of Development Administration, said NRC members called for measures to eradicate poverty and raise living standards so people will not be lured by politicians seeking to buy their votes. They proposed limiting the tenure of political office-holders and to dish out severe penalties for buying votes.

Regarding the efforts to reduce social disparities, several NRC members agreed the economic gap between the rich and the poor must be narrowed through tax measures. The tax system covering income tax, land tax, inheritance tax and value-added tax must also be improved and tax collection must be strictly enforced.

Low-income earners should be given greater access to loans with reasonable interest rates. Meanwhile, the government should set up a more efficient social welfare system, and the cooperative system should be promoted and expanded, they said.

"Thai society tends to adore people who get rich quick, and curriculums at several educational institutes focus on building business connections," NRC member Wiwat Salayakamjorn said.

On the issue of public access to natural resources, NRC members said laws that obstruct natural resources distribution should be revoked, and that measures be taken to prevent the poor who are allocated forest land from selling it to rich people.

NRC members agreed education policy must be a national priority and continuity in implementation of the policy must not be interrupted by changes of government. Substandard universities must be closed, and universities should be forced to respond to the needs of local labour markets in their province.

They said politicians' power must be curbed and the people's power increased. On decentralization, they agreed that strengthening communities should be a national priority. They said communities should have the power to govern themselves, while the national government would only have a role in determining policies for national administration.

"Previous governments said they supported decentralization. But power has still largely remained with the central government, and the patronage system with influential people both at local and national levels have tried to obstruct it," NRC member Korbsak Phutrakul said.

Panel offers preview of reform ideas | Bangkok Post: news

Originally Posted by Sumocakewalk

The National Reform Council (NRC) yesterday wrapped up a two-day seminar on national reform at which members proposed broad measures to improve the country over the next two decades.

Can't they fuck off quicker?

Thought the nutter was out of town.

How do they expect the public to respond to this 'future' when the majority can barely think beyond supper?

How does a junta that seized power and promised to restore peace and order and then return the country to democracy have the mandate to set an agenda for the next twenty years?