Reform is fine, but don't ignore democratic principles

Individuals or agencies that present reform ideas like this are not part of the NRC. However, they are entitled to voice an opinion as everybody wishes to see changes in a system that, without major reform, will again turn the country into a “dysfunctional state”.
The NDC’s rationale behind this proposal is to ensure that the country has a mechanism to help competent and honest politicians to acquire power. And here they are talking about both lawmakers and bureaucrats.
This proposal, however, has irked democracy advocates. Even if the National Council for Peace and Order keeps its promise of returning power to the people through an election, most democracy enthusiasts translate NDC’s wish to have the NLA stay on as  the Senate as a call for the military to maintain influence and power. After all, the military-dominated NLA is likely to play more roles than just “keeping a watch” on the lower House, under this proposal.
The NDC Class 56 offered this contentious idea on Monday as part of its 2015-2019 national and defence strategic proposals.
Many of the proposals the NDC had presented earlier have been adopted by previous governments as national policies. But what has drawn this idea into the spotlight is the fact that Prime Minister General Prayuth Chan-ocha took time out of his first working day at Government House to speak at the NDC event.
Another idea presented at the NDC meeting was to create a special legal venue for civil servants to be transferred to posts of political-office holders. It is apparent that our political system runs in a vicious circle because of the shortage of politicians who possess both integrity and quality. Even though the NDC’s intention is to boost the country’s chance of getting “new blood” into the political arena, the pros and cons of this idea must be carefully thought out.
Another proposal that attracts media attention is none other than the “NIDA Model” floated last week by academics from the National Institute Development Administration (NIDA).
The model, which presents reform on 16 fronts, has received attention not only because it is open to discussion but also because the people who drew up the model are top academics who took to the People’s Democratic Reform Committee’s rally stages early this year. They include former NIDA rector Prof Sombat Thamrongthanya-wong and Prof Banjerd Singkaneti, dean of NIDA’s Faculty of Law.
Observers said the “NIDA Model” includes proposals once pushed forward on the rally stage of the Network for Students and People for Reform of Thailand. For instance, in order to stop any political party from dominating an electoral area, a regulation must be written requiring that each political party have members from at least 1 per cent of eligible voters.
This means any given political party must have at least 4 million members, since the country has 44 million eligible voters. If this is the case, then there will be few parties  qualified to compete in the election.
Though these are just proposals, if those in power accept any that run against the democratic spirit and put them to use, they will lead to heavy political repercussions.
The NRC will be formed no later than October 2. Once the council is in place, it will screen reform proposals from various sectors. The accepted proposals would be presented to the charter drafters to write a new Constitution.
The NRC should take all proposals from political groups into consideration without any political discrimination because every group has the right to chart out the future of the country.
Besides, political neutrality helps bring about national reconciliation and bridge political division. But more important is that the NRC must ensure its reform is guided along the democratic path.