Shadow Cabinet is definitely not child's play
I was disappointed to read Khun Meechai Burapa's letter on Sunday depicting the Shadow Cabinet set up by the Democrats as equivalent to children playing make-believe.
This is staggering in either its naivety or, worse, cynicism and requires a response.
The concept of the shadow cabinet dates back more than 100 years and is prevalent in most democracies with the so-called Westminster Model. It has become an institutional structure of work for oppositions in parliamentary democracies around the world.
Thailand had its first shadow cabinet in 2008, set up by the Democrats whilst in opposition to the Samak administration. Our return to the structure underscores our commitment to taking our parliamentary role of the opposition seriously.
In my experience as a member of the first shadow cabinet, the structure allowed us to track the decisions and actions taken by the government in a defined and disciplined manner.
The role of each shadow minister is to monitor, criticise and when appropriate make recommendations to his or her ministerial counterpart.
The formation of the shadow cabinet allows the public to be served more clearly and in a defined way and provides a designated source of alternative views for the press on all government issues.
From personal experience, my role four years ago as shadow finance minister also meant that I was fully prepared and up to date on all issues related to the ministry which I was subsequently tasked to run.
This meant the hand-over was more seamless than otherwise would have been and this clearly was in the public's interest.
The shadow cabinet can even be useful to the government in special circumstances. At the peak of the Hamburger Crisis in 2007, the finance minister was able to call me as his shadow counterpart to solicit support for his plan for a special budget to help stimulate the economy. Support was given and national unity on this issue at least meant we had a fighting chance to save the economy.
In the United Kingdom, the shadow cabinet is termed Her Majesty's "loyal" shadow cabinet. The use of the term "loyal" is to emphasise that the shadow cabinet is in no way challenging the legitimacy of the sitting government and also to stress the opposition's loyalty to the crown. The Democrats share the same view.
Korn Chatikavanij
Shadow Deputy PM for Economic Affairs
