From: kamol@ipied.tu.ac.TH (Kamol Hengkietisak)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.thai
Subject: Bangkok Post Dec 25: Chuan wants smaller, less powerful Senate
Date: 24 Dec 1992 20:17:27 +1100
Organization: Mail/News gateway
NNTP-Posting-Host: munnari.oz.au


PRIME Minister Chuan Leekpai wants a smaller Senate, one in which
the military is not so strongly represented.
 
Speaking to journalists at Government House yesterday, Mr Chuan said
that the last appointments to the Senate were "incorrect".
 
He said he believes the military understands this. There should not be
any problem from them if their representation in the Senate is reduced
to bring it into line with other professions, he said.
 
According to the Constitution the number of senators is 270. Many are
active or retired government officials. Active military officers form
a substantial number.
 
A House panel assigned to study amendments to the Constitution last
month proposed that the number of senators be reduced from 270 to 120,
and that active government officials be prohibited from being
senators.
 
On the possibility of a coup, Mr Chuan said he is personally not
afraid of this eventuality. He said he does not think his government
will do anything that will "create the conditions" to justify the
staging of a coup by the military.
 
"We treat the military with honour. We do not regard (the military) as
our enemy. And we attach importance to the military," he said.
 
Mr Chuan said he regards the military as a part of the government
mechanism and is important according to the role and responsibility
delegated to it.
 
From his personal contact with senior military officers, he said he is
fortunate to have had no -- or very little -- problem with them.
 
"But I have no idea of their thinking," he said.
 
On the Opposition, Mr Chuan said he does not regard it as an obstacle
to his administration. On the contrary, he said, the Opposition is
part of the checks and balances mechanism of the parliamentary system.
 
He said that, so far, the Opposition has not tried to scuttle any bill
proposed by his government.
 
On the other hand, the Opposition has initiated bills of a similar
nature to those of the Government, namely the bill for the creation of
a labour ministry and the bill for the reform of the bureaucracy.
 
The Opposition has also submitted motions seeking to kill some of the
bills passed by the previous Anand administration, he said.
 
Mr Chuan went on to say that he has always been receptive to the
media.
 
"But that does not necessarily mean I have to follow what the media
suggests," he said.
 
He cited the Hill 491 case. He said that had he followed press
suggestions to blast the Burmese, a great deal of damage would have
been done to the country and investors would have been scared away. He
also cited the case of the new Supreme Command headquarters.
 
He said he has always adhered to legal legitimacy and consensus as the
guidelines for government action.
 
On the case of the conflict in the judiciary, he said that although he
disagreed with certain judicial appointments, he did not intervene but
sought the consent of the coalition parties and took action as agreed.
 
He said there is no problem among the coalition parties in the
Cabinet. But he said some ministers are afraid to take blame for fear
of press criticism.
 
Mr Chuan said that in the carrying out of the Government's duties he
attaches great importance to transparency and honesty, and supports
the participation of all the coalition parties in the decision-making
process.
 
"For instance, the Social Action and Solidarity parties do not hold
economic portfolios. But they are invited to attend meetings on
economic affairs so that they can be kept abreast of government work,"
he said.
 
He said he is duty-bound to prove to the people that an elected
government can function effectively and responsibly and can bring
about prosperity.
 
He said he wants to prove to the public that there are politicians who
are clean, efficient and honest and on whom the people can trust.
 
If the Government fails the people, it can be booted out by the
Opposition or it will not get re-elected by the people, he said.
 
On non-governmental organisations, he said he is always receptive to
their views, which he treats as a further source of information.
 
He said he shares the views of NGOs on environmental issues, but has
conflicting opinions on certain specific issues such as the
construction of dams.
 
He said he will base his decisions on what will most benefit the
country, now and in the future.
 
He said it would be possible for him to avoid offending any group of
people by not making any decisions or by not doing anything
controversial.
 
"Doing this amounts to waiting until an event takes place. Then it is
too late. There is no construction where there is no loss. The point
is whether the gains outweigh the losses," he said.
 
On the visit to Vietnam of Chart Pattana leader Chatichai Choonhavan,
which coincided with the visit there of Foreign Minister Prasong
Soonsiri, Mr Chuan said that his understanding is that Sqn Ldr Prasong
felt uneasy about Gen Chatichai's visit.
 
Mr Chuan said he thought Gen Chatichai would have realised that the
national interest is more important than the interest of the
Opposition.