Unity bill should focus on corruption, not whitewash people
There is a need for a unity bill to stabilise the government.
It should not start with a coat of whitewash over recent events. It should start at the root cause of the problem – corruption in the whole system of government.
The country should start by paying MPs salaries so they are not available for hire. Neither
MPs nor ministers should be involved directly in business other than government. The qualifications for MPs should be at a higher level and receive minute scrutiny.
Having acknowledged that such reform is required, the unity bill should start with a list of known corrupt acts in this century that should be critically re-examined. Best legal judgement of how to use the example of these cases should be published, so that history is not repeated.
Now the government is willing to forgive the red shirts for voting them in. Before the government puts forward any bill, the government must consider “self-interest” and block every inappropriate member from the vote. The opposition will be happy to help the bill through under those circumstances if a quorum can be raised.
Meanwhile, for the truth about Thaksin Shinawatra, we should start with a rewrite of the Wikipedia page about him. It is skilfully crafted, permeated by innuendo and economical with the actuality. It tells a truth to confuse the truth.
Let us start in 1998 with the formation of the Thai Rak Thai Party to “promote populist projects” (There is no accreditation of this fact in Wiki. Is there a contemporary record of it on www?). Sitting MPs flocked to join TRT, including Bangkok MPs.
What beggars belief is that a Bangkok MP told his constituents: “Vote for me! I am in TRT, which as you know from its manifesto, is going to spend your taxes on the rural poor”.
Is it a coincidence that there was a constitution change in 1998 that deprived run-of-the-mill MPs of a little earner on local projects?
Of course this is innuendo but what is good for the goose, deserves a gander (translation – a look).
Richard Bowler
Bangkok
