Democrats to discuss reforms

The opposition Democrat Party’s executive board meets today to discuss reforming the 67-year-old political institution amidst calls for change from both within and outside.
A blueprint for reform will be put for the board’s consideration by deputy party leader Alongkorn Ponlaboot, who has proposed changes in three major areas – structure, management, and culture and personnel. His proposal came following the Democrats’ repeated failure to win any general elections for the past two decades.
Political observers and some Democrats agree that although a reform is necessary, what the party has to do urgently is to mobilise its many efficient politicians and members to get more involved in running and improving the party.
Nineteen Democrats on the executive board, led by party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva, will meet this morning to debate the course of action.
Alongkorn said he would propose the reform blueprint to the meeting. Regarding structural reform, the blueprint calls for establishment of new units, such as offices for research and development, for branch and member affairs, and for Democrat youth and women’s affairs, according to Alongkorn, who is deputy party leader for the Central region. The blueprint also calls for structural changes to the party’s regional offices, with more branches to be set up in the provinces.
He said professional managers would be hired to help with the reform efforts to improve the management within the party. And the party’s culture would be adapted to become more in line with the current situation.
“I will ask the executives at the meeting whether they agree with the blueprint. If they do, the party regulations must be amended to comply with [proposed changes in] the blueprint,” Alongkorn said. He added that after the approval from the executive board, reforms could go ahead immediately once all the necessary procedures are completed within 90 days.
The Democrat Party was founded on April 6, 1946, and it is the oldest surviving political party in Thailand and Southeast Asia.
However, not all Democrats agree on the need for extensive reform. A party MP, who requested anonymity, said that it was necessary to mobilise other efficient people in the party – and not just a group of people close to the executives – to work in different areas.
“Structural reform is a big issue. What should be done is to deal with the management matter. Now only a group of people have roles in all areas,” the MP said.
Another Democrat MP agreed, saying the reform should focus on giving roles to party colleagues who are not in the executive board so that they can help.
Sasin Chalermlarp, secretary-general of the Sueb Nakasathien Foundation, said that the Democrat Party actually needs a reform. But it must first mobilise its people to help reduce the executive board’s workload.
“The Democrat Party has many efficient people. These people have to work more for the party. With this, the party will not need much money for reforms,” he said. “I am not a Democrat Party supporter and I have never voted for the Pheu Thai Party. I often marked the ‘No vote’ box.”
Pheu Thai secretary-general Phumtham Wechayachai said he wished the proposed Democrat reforms would go ahead so “political quality will be improved, which would benefit the country’s democratic development”. He said the Democrat Party had many knowledgeable and capable people, but they needed more unity between the younger and older politicians within the party.