Academic dismisses govt's charter-change
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The government's awareness campaign to sway sentiment in favour of charter change kicking off today is simply a brainwashing exercise, rather than an effort to educate people, an academic said yesterday.
“Especially when the government will use Interior Ministry mechanisms – kamnan, village heads, heads of local administrative bodies, and some academics – in the campaign. The campaign cannot be independent, but will follow the goal of the government, which is to amend the charter,” said Trakul Meechai, an academic at Chulalongkorn's Political Science Faculty.
The chairman of the government’s committee studying charter amendments, Bhokin Bhalakula, said last week the government would spend about a month or two campaigning for public support for the passage of the third reading of the charter-amendment bill.
Trakul suggested the government assign the Election Commission, educational institutions, and neutral academics to take responsibility for the campaign, instead of the Interior Ministry and academics close to Bhokin. And the campaign should take at least three months, he said.
He said he had learned that the academics joining the campaign are close to Bhokin and share his opinions and goals.
Trakul said charter amendment is justified if there is a problem with the mechanisms of governing, but the current government should make it clear what the problem is and how the amendment will solve it. Moreover, if the government is sincere, it should listen to the opinions of those who oppose the change, he said.
