Don't delay polls too long, Banharn warns
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FORMER PRIME minister Banharn Silapa-archa's New Year's wish is for the post-coup general election to materialise no later than next year
“I think the soonest the election will take place is 2016. It should not be delayed past that,” he said yesterday.
The political statesman also warned that certain proposals for the new constitution could lead to confusion in the country, such as dropping the clause for members of Parliament to be affiliated with a political party.
“I believe there will certainly be problems in the future if politicians do not have to belong to any political party,” he said.
Proponents of the change from the previous charter believe that the requirement caused lawmakers to be too dependent on their party.
Banharn, 82, said he had trust in the post-coup government led by Prayut Chan-o-cha.
The retired general is efficient and running the country well, he said.
“I have no advice for General Prayut. He is much better than me and is well aware of the problems. He is already doing a good job.
“What I would like to say is that it is not easy being a prime minister. Being at the top of the command chain, you also have to work in tandem with people at the implementation level,” he said.
Banharn, who is chief adviser to the Chart Thai Pattana Party, welcomed visitors to his Bangkok residence, which is in the Charan Sanitwong area.
Politicians from the former coalition party and senior bureaucrats were among those calling on Banharn to wish him a happy new year.
Former energy minister Pichai Naripthaphan, however, was less impressed with the government, particularly its economic team, saying it has no clear achievements to its credit after three months in power.
“Its performance with the economy is not successful,” he said.
Most of the economic figures released by the government suggest things are better than the actual situation.
“This led to over-expectations and later disappointment by the people,” said Pichai, who is a politician from the Pheu Thai Party, which led the coalition government before the coup.
