There’s wisdom in the Swiss way
With possible elections in late 2018, there is very little time for Thai political parties to inform and woo voters.
The Swiss have a way to do this impartially, efficiently, and effectively, through a series of debates, called “The Arena”.
Each session lasts 60-90 minutes, with teams answering questions posed by the moderator and responding to their opponent’s answers before experts in the area in question and the general public.
The emphasis is always on shedding light and not heat. The moderator is crucial, for he must keep participants on topic – including being strong enough to curb rabble-rousing, personal attacks, etc. He must be an expert on the subject of each session so that he can set questions that ferret out unclear points or weaknesses on either side. Thus, for example, he must be able and willing to expose participants who cover up errors or pass the buck. He may ask the audience for insights, and must always be impartial.
Participants may propose whatever they wish, even what the audience may abhor, without repercussion, so long as it is within the law. This is because the most effective way to turn voters away from repellent ideas is to expose them to the hard light of day, in the form of questioning by the “other” team and moderator. If the opposing team and moderator cannot do that, then maybe the idea has substance well-worth consideration!
Hecklers will be shown the door instantly so that the audience can focus on the substance of each team’s proposition. If the hecklers present a previously unheard of but significant view, they may present their side at an open slot in the series.
These debates can be extremely low-budget, eg, in a university auditorium, posted on YouTube afterwards.
For an example of “The Arena”, in German, please see
https://www.srf.ch/play/tv/arena/video/blocher-gegen-alle?id=0ef5adda-fb6d-4957-b5f1-f0362bf816c0
Such debates will give voters opportunities to make informed decisions, both at election time and thereafter.
Burin Kantabutra
