From: kamol@ipied.tu.ac.th (Kamol Hengkietisak)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.thai
Subject: Bangkok Post Dec 22: 5-year plan for political development urged
Date: 21 Dec 92 17:09:39 GMT
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THE National Research Council has proposed a five-year plan to develop
politics alongside the National Economic and Social Development Plan,
Dr Kramol Thongthammachart said yesterday.
 
Dr Kramol, chairman of the council's political science branch, made
the statement after opening a seminar on the development of politics
at Government House.
 
 The seminar was attended by MPs, senators, NGO representatives,
 academics and journalists.
 
Dr Kramol said the effort to develop Thai politics has always been
interrupted and had not kept pace with economic and social development
plans.
 
With the support of the Government and other political institutions
the five-year plan to develop politics could be put into effect.
 
 He did not elaborate in detail about the plan but that it aims to
 build political institutions so that they complement the democratic
 system.
 
A political tradition and practice must be built and adhered to as a
standard of practice for politicians, political parties and
organisations representing the people, he said.
 
Established political tradition and practice would prevent chaos and
arguments.
 
For example, political parties should operate only in Parliament and
not stir up opposition in the streets.
 
Another concern is that the official bureaucratic system was not
responding to the goals and targets set by the political branch, he
said.
 
 Official procedures and work methods will have to be adjusted so that
 they are complementary to the development of the economy and society.
 
 The political branch could then truly use the civil service as a tool
 to achieve national aims.
 
MPs will also have to be honest in achieving their electoral victories
so that they are acceptable to all sides.
 
 With better "political personnel" (MPs), political institutions will
 be legitimised and the civil service will have to answer to them.
 
Asked if the plan would be acceptable to the political branch, Dr
Kramol said he hoped so and this was why he invited all sides
concerned to participate in the seminar to put forward their
suggestions.
 
 If the Government accepted the plan, the various official agencies
 can then draft similar plans.
 
Asked if the plan was workable given the Thai political culture which
differed from those of Western countries, Dr Kramol said democratic
custom is something people will have to help build.
 
There will be six smaller plans in the five-year political development
plan and after the first five years the results will be gauged and a
second five-year plan could be worked out, he said.
 
Dr Kramol said political development plans could prevent coups d'etat.
 
 Soldiers should be completely separated from politics once the
 development of politics has reached a certain stage, he said.
 
The plan will also include provisions for limiting the number of
military senators since at present they far outnumber other career
groups in the Upper House, he said.
 
 A better balance of the various career groups should be established,
 he said.
 
In the first five-year plan military senators should still be
retained, he said.
 
If the plan is realised there should be no more coups because these
only occur when political institutions are weak and there is a lot of
conflict and division between politicians.
 
An organisation with personnel will also have to be formed to
administer the political development plan, much like economic and
polictical development plan, he said.
 
A number of academics have raised objections in the past unless
political development plans form part of national economic and social
development plans problems will arise.
 
This proved to be the case when economic and social change ran ahead
of political development until the one could not cope with the other.
 
He suggested the five million baht development fund for each MP should
be put in the provincial development fund.
 
 In the past MPs have used these budgets for projects that duplicated
 the work of provincial authorities, Dr Kramol said.