Assets declaration would help fill the trust vacuum

No matter who steered it into being, the new government has attracted criticism, as always.

The first criticism involves the number of ministerial posts given to generals. Of the 33 posts, 12 have gone to top brass, headed by Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, also chief of the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO). Another has been occupied by a police general. 

The second criticism concerns the qualifications of the new ministers.

Given that their training is in security matters rather than public administration, we could be forgiven for having doubts about how these generals will perform as ministers,

However, there are few fears over whether Deputy Prime Minister MR Pridiyathorn Devakula is qualified for the job. He was once tasked with overseeing economic affairs. And as the former secretary-general of the Board of Investment, Chakramon Phasukavanich should do well as industry minister. Experience gathered while he was chairman of CIMB Thai Bank should also help when it comes to decisions on policies to aid financial strengthening of small and medium-sized enterprises.

Likewise there are no worries for Finance Minister Sommai Phasee. Before serving as deputy finance minister in Surayud Chulanont’s government, he was deputy permanent secretary at the Finance Ministry from 1998-2004. He knows well how to jolt the economy back to life using fiscal tools.

Commerce Minister General Chatchai Sarikalya, another deputy NCPO chief, should also do well, thanks to support from his deputy – Apiradi Tantraporn, a former bureaucrat in the ministry.

But the choice of Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul, chairperson of Toshiba Thailand, has raised eyebrows. Still, everyone is hoping that her experience as chief of the electronics giant will serve her well in promoting Thailand’s tourism and sports.

Though economics guru Narongchai Akrasanee has been a fixture on the list of potential Cabinet members over the years, it was a big surprise to seem appointed as the energy minister. In my 25 years reporting on the economy, the only energy issue I can recall Narongchai ever mentioning was global oil prices and their impact on the macro-economic outlook.

It is also a big surprise to see Akhom Tempittayapaisit, secretary-general of the National Economic and Social Development Board, on the ministers list. Like Prayuth, who will hold his civil service post up until his retirement next month, Akhom will retain the top post at NESDB while serving this government as the deputy transport minister. Likewise, PM’s Office Minister ML Panadda Diskul will hold on to his deputy permanent secretary title at the Interior Ministry.

In the bigger picture, Akhom is apparently positioned to support Air Chief Marshal Prajin Juntong, a deputy chief of NCPO and also transport minister, in implementing the repeatedly revised infrastructure investment plans. In an era when the generals in power are deemed to have good intentions, the NESDB may have less work to do in screening government projects.

It will indeed be interesting to see how good governance fits into the picture.

For the first time in decades, Thailand is under complete military control. Like democratic countries, we still have separate administrative and legislative branches. But the checks and balances are no longer to be seen, given that the National Legislative Assembly (NLA) members were handpicked by NCPO and over half are generals. Meanwhile, the administration is being headed by the NCPO chief.

Suppose that the NCPO push forward a proposal like negative income tax, which is being debated at ministerial level. The government would then put the draft law to the NLA and the latter would pass the law accordingly.

Approved by the NCPO, the mega-project infrastructure scheme would also be implemented without any resistance. It needs to be noted here that among seven “economic” ministries allocated a total of Bt327 billion for the 2015 fiscal year, the Transport Ministry has won the biggest chunk, at Bt112.38 billion – which represents a 12 per cent increase from the previous year.

The only tool to monitor the ministers lies in the legal requirement that they disclose their assets.

Shortly after the Cabinet was announced, Isra News Agency wrapped up a piece on the assets of six former ministers. Newly appointed Deputy Prime Minister General Prawit Wongsuwan reportedly sat on assets of Bt79 million in 2012, against Bt56.9 million in 2008 when he became deputy prime minister in the Abhisit government.

Last month, National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) secretary-general Sansern Poljiak confirmed that Cabinet members, MPs and senators were required by law to disclose their assets and liabilities. He later added that NLA members were deemed political officeholders under the 2014 provisional charter. But he also said that the law did not require NCPO members to disclose assets.

A recent poll of citizens showing the majority are in favour of asset declarations by NCPO members has drawn no response from the junta. It remains to be seen whether this will change now that NCPO members are holding ministerial posts.

In the absence of an international-standard system of checks and balances, only time will tell if the generals are in earnest. Not all Thais can wait, though.