FRIDAY, March 29, 2024
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Pheu Thai opposes ‘vesting too much power in independent agencies’

Pheu Thai opposes ‘vesting too much power in independent agencies’

THE SUPREME Court’s February 3 ruling that acquitted the dissolved Thai Rak Thai Party of charges that it had hired smaller parties to contest a general election cannot change history.

Not only was Thai Rak Thai dissolved, 111 Thai Rak Thai Party executives were banned from political activities for five years by the 2007 Consitutional Court’s ruling.
The Nation interviewed Pheu Thai caretaker secretary-general Phumtham Wechayachai about the events, what can be done to prevent a similar scenario from recurring, and his views about the future of the Pheu Thai Party.
 
Phumtham: The Supreme Court found Thai Rak Thai not guilty – but the party had already been dissolved. General Thammarak [Issarangkula] was acquitted but I was in the group of 111 executives who faced a five-year political ban. It was like getting a death sentence without being guilty. The coup-makers had given themselves an amnesty in advance. The other side could not demand justice. What happened to us could not be corrected. Not a single word of apology and no rehabilitation.
Now, we want to tell people we oppose the move in the charter draft to give too much power to similar independent agencies. What happened to us was a costly lesson and should never happen again. In the democratic world, this was a big deal.
Some agencies now have greater power over other agencies. Do not put more faith in “good people” instead of in a good system. Critics have questioned the proposals of by the Constitution Drafting Commission [CDC] led by Meechai Ruchupan and have doubted their faith in the “good people”.
 
THIS CHARTER DRAFT HAS COME UNDER HEAVY CRITICISM.
Society has witnessed [before] that it could lead to problems. Criticism of this draft is getting louder than that for the charter drafted by the Borwornsak Uwanno-led CDC, and the 2007 charter by the Council of National Security. Critics even included people from government allies and supporters of the National Council for Peace and Order.
This is because of differences in political ideologies. For instance, allowing parties to nominate three PM candidates who would be non-elected. Though charter drafters argue that this is Thai-style democracy, the world’s idea of democracy does not accept this. Anyone who wants to be PM should have the courage to stand for and be elected by the people.
Debates should be held for the media and educational institutions to scrutinise the charter draft openly, the way the United Kingdom held its debates over whether Scotland should be independent from the UK. Let the people think for themselves and accept the results of the people’s verdict.
 
WHAT IS THE PHEU THAI PARTY’S STANCE ABOUT THIS CHARTER DRAFT AND WHAT IS THE FUTURE OF THE PARTY UNDER THE SO-CALLED “CORRUPTION-BUSTING CHARTER”?
Today it seems we are getting a minority rule over the majority; and a system that allows extra-constitutional power, which is not linked to an election by the people.
This is a messy democracy that distorts democratic principles. This is very bad and has never happened before. I affirm that these rules are abnormal because they are newly invented.
My party does not want to jump to any conclusion till the draft is final. Our party stance is to adhere to democracy and fight to bring back democracy. The people must decide the future of the country. The new generation rules the world. The whole world has awakened, except Thailand.
 
IF SOME ISSUES IN THE DRAFT ARE NOT CHANGED, WILL THE PHEU THAI BOYCOTT THE NEXT GENERAL ELECTION?
We have not yet had time to think about it. The party is telling the CDC to do what is acceptable to society. We are not spelling out what we will lose from the charter – but what society will lose. We are pointing out what is hell and what is heaven.
I am not instigating turmoil but I want the country to move in the best direction. There is still time to change. Everyone believes good charters must be amenable to a changing society. Do not block changes, because Thailand must keep up with the world.
 
WHO SHOULD LEAD THE COUNTRY FROM NOW ON, BECAUSE THAKSIN SHINAWATRA, SOMCHAI WONGSAWAT AND YINGLUCK SHINAWATRA HAVE BEEN DISQUALIFIED?
Party leaders must have a vision for the future. Our party has many qualified personnel. We have to ask the opinions of our members and see what society wants. 
We have to look at the country’s situation and its rules.
We believe society must accept our party if our party wants to achieve success. Pheu Thai works as a team. It is too soon to talk about party leadership.
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