Resetting the rules won't stop the rot

Many are calling on those currently setting up the Constitution Drafting Committee to include representatives from both sides of the longstanding political conflict. The argument is that nobody should be left out of this process of writing new rules for the country.
Our constitutions have often been abolished by coup-makers who cite problems such as corruption, social inequality and political violence as reasons for their power seizure and the subsequent drafting of new charters.
The country has seen 11 “permanent” constitutions and eight temporary or interim charters since absolute monarchy was replaced by constitutional monarchy in 1932. It seems that power brings an obsession with rewriting the rules in the hope of forging a better society. However, too much focus has been placed on the word of the law and too little on getting the people to obey the new rules.
The result is the vicious cycle we have witnessed for the past eight decades as “democracy” is reset with a new constitution, followed by an election, a new government, then a coup, a new constitution, and so on. However well the rules are written, unscrupulous politicians have found loopholes to exploit. They have “bought” votes and made populist pledges to win power, then abused their positions for personal gain.
They have used bullying tactics to keep independent watchdog agencies at bay and even condoned violence against their critics in a bid to silence opposition. Meanwhile the rule of law, which should combat abuse of power, is rendered helpless by law enforcers who side with their corrupt and powerful political patrons.
The periodic military coups, launched by top brass who claim they are acting to prevent the country from sliding into anarchy or civil war, merely set the stage for a fresh round of trouble.
Always overlooked in the hurry to rewrite the constitution and reform politics is the necessity to reform the public. Changing the rules is easy, but changing the people is far more difficult.
Thailand needs more people who place the national interest above their own. The goal is a solid core of politicians whose focus is on serving the people they represent, government leaders whose priority is national progress and development, and voters who want to elect honest and efficient politicians to run the country.
Instead, Thailand has a surplus of selfish and greedy politicians, corrupt holders of public office, and voters who base their decisions on what they personally stand to gain if their candidate is elected.
For better politics and a brighter future, we need improvement on both sides of the equation – politicians and voters. We need to promote the values of integrity and honesty, as well as emphasising the wisdom of placing the public interest over personal benefit. The focus should be on our younger generation, who are the future of this country.
For many of us, creating a political system free of corrupt politicians, with voters smart enough to keep it that way, is a dream. But it is the duty of all of us, as citizens, to make that dream come true.
We may not achieve that goal in the next few years, or even during this generation’s lifetime. But if we start today, we can lay the foundations for our children and grandchildren to build on.