From: ssg9328@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (Samart Srijumnong)
Subject: Re: Suggestions for the new government
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana
Date: Sat, 26 Sep 1992 17:01:50 GMT

anuchit@Xenon.Stanford.EDU (Anuchit Anuchitanukul) writes:

>     1) What are the problems of the country that you want the new
>        goverment to tackle? 

IMO, there are two goals the government has to try to achieve at the same
time. One is the attempt to solve the country's problems; the other is
the democracy itself. I would rather see and half of the effort on the
goverment part to deal with the latter one. 

I hope the government sets its own plan for the parliament's development.
We need to invest in a kind of "ward" in each constituency so that its MP
can get in touch with the people in the area. Back in Bangkok, we need
a well-equiped and staffed facilities for each MP so that (s)he has a valid
vision of what is going on. Some time ago when Ajarn Chaianan Samutawanich
was working as some kind of Prime Minister Office's advisor (?) he proposed
to set up some what like the Library of Congress to house documents and
books needed for an MP to be informed. That idea has not yet been fulfilled.

>     2) If you were in the cabinet, what would you do with those problems? 

This is question is a bit hypothetical but it would help link between
thinking and practice. One should not only be good at thinking but such
thinking must take real situation into its context. As I said in (1), I
would spend half of my time to fight for the basis of democracy as suggested
also by Khun Uthayopas in this same discussion. The politicians have lost their
credibility for some time now. The military has exploited this to take over
the country. Don't think that they will no longer involve in politics. THe
coup might be rarer but the involvement takes other forms. Have you guys 
followed the right-wing group called "ApirakChakri" whose attitude is to
defend what the military did during the May Bloody Event (PhrutSa'PhaaTha"Min).
This kind of movement is like the vampire part of the Dacula (sp?). Good
politicians should take this opportunity to recollect their credibility.
Not only they could regain the trust from the people, they could help 
establish political institution. A political science wisdom often suggests
that there are two dimensions of political development--institution and
people consciousness. I never doubt about the latter though the phenonmenon
of voteuying is well-documented. It is your turn, dear politicians, to
build the other part!

>     3) Any suggestion, any policy, anything you would like to say to 
>        the new prime minister, Khun Chuan Leekpai, if you have a chance
>        to talk to him. 

Actually, I am glad he is chosen. He has many qualities to lead the government
at this time. He can be a common choice of many sides. However, what he
needs to do is to take care of his own party. I feel a bit disappointed to
see that he is opposed to Sanan's attempt to grab the defense minister post
and yet Sanan, as a Party's member, does not seem to have listened to him. 
In the future he might loose balance on the Party leadership which is a 
common problem for all Thai political parties. If I had chance to meet with
him, I would express this concern. Maybe he needs to improve the process of
decision making in Democratic Party. I don't want to put my judgement on 
whether Sanan should take the post but I am annoyed by the discipline of 
the Party (which is not unique, as I said). 

>--- Anuchit Anuchitankul

Khob'KhunKhrab Khun Anuchit to have stimulated us with these questions. I 
just hope that Khunying Supatra can also join this discussion since it is
her own party. She should have had insider's views and information about it.

Samart Srijumnong
Champaign, Illinois
September 25, 1992.