Wanted: Politics Of Damage Control
Politics again. I know. But the house is on fire. For those who cherish banker Khun Vongthip Chumpani’s monthly newsletters on absolutely, here’s a special Vongthip letter. An emergency letter so to say. In a nutshell: It’s the view of that Bangkok elite.
The task is rather demanding: PAD supporter Khun Vongthip examines ways out to prevent “further chaos and severe collateral damages.” PAD is “here to stay,” she says. But our only hope? Disclaimer needless.
The whole country could “become like Government House,” she warns. A friend, by the way, who just returned from Govt House told me “it looks and smells like a Woodstock festival lasting since months.” Here’s we go:
By Vongthip Chumpani*
Best way out: To avoid further chaos and severe collateral damages, it is important that PPP agree to go for national government, as called for by the Democrats, and, supported by both the army (General Anupong subscribed to the idea this morning) and the PAD (who could not possibly be left out of the equation now).
Under the present circumstances, I believe only a national government would be able to provide the much needed “neutral and collective” leadership to lead the country out of this worst ever political crisis. It would be able to narrow the vast gap and work out the differences between PPP and PAD.
It should of course be given a time frame, of say two years, to cool down the conflicts, clean up the political mess, amend the constitution and prepare for an election that would be more fair and democratic and acceptable to all concerned.
PAD here to stay
It is wishful thinking that we can continue to ignore PAD and believe that things could return to normal. Middle class taxpayers as well as some of the grassroots people from all over the country have taken turn to sit in the sun and the rain for 110 days now.
They certainly will not let their efforts go down the drain now and go meekly home to let PPP continue to rule the country. There are now no less than 10 millions voters who have had enough with the existing coalition parties and their money politics.
PAD voters will no longer tolerate the existing voting system whereby MP’s pay and are paid to get into the parliament. Then they pay and get paid for their votes in the House, for their political appointments, for their shares in the budget allocations, and for supporting laws and regulations that would favour only their party bosses and/or their business patrons.
Old politics
The PAD have come to believe that the existing vicious political cycle has got to be stopped before it becomes a monster. As this vicious cycle continued to expand dramatically over the last 6 years, corruption (up from 5% to +30%) has become a norm rather than an exception.
Corruption has also taken on new forms and more sophisticated manners e.g. corruption in policies, conflicts of interest, bad governance, creative accounting etc. Like cancer, corruption has infiltrated almost everywhere – at the district, provincial, national, regional and even international levels.
To allow this depicable situation to continue would indeed be the end of the Thai society as we all know and cherish.
New politics
For peace’s sake, we have no choice but to allow PAD to air and share their views on “new politics” with top thinkers of the country rather than trying to shut them up in suspicion and fear.
In my view, “new politics” basically means true and independent representation of the various groups of people by their own members of the parliament. These new breed of MP’s will be in addition to and not replacing the MP’s who are now being elected geographically.
These “nominated” MP’s are expected to have the real interest of the group of people they are representing at heart. These MP’s will sit and listen to house debates, will be free and independent enough to vote according to what they believe to be the right thing for the people they represent and the best thing for the country as a whole, rather than according to the orders or the agenda of their party bosses.
These MP’s will have to be nominated and/or elected through various groups and associations to represent their interest groups or professional associations e.g. farmers, fishermen, doctors, nurses, teachers, workers, retailers, SME’s, bankers, wholesalers, lawyers, accountants, artists, musicians, women and children welfare, environmental NGO’s etc.
Other models
As an example, Hong Kong has been using this method quite smoothly for over 10 years now. Out of their 60 legislative members, 30 are elected by the people in the election districts and 30 are nominated by the various professional associations. They of course plan to lower the number of nominated representatives over a period of time as citizens become better educated politically and socially.
I believe, Germany and other European countries also have this sort of election methods, albeit much more complex, that we can consider and can draw on to modify and come up with our own system that would be agreeable to both our grassroots and intelligent voters.
Conclusion
Many may think that this is unrealistic and idealistic but personally I believe this is workable if we set aside our fear and suspicion. This could be our last chance to avoid further damage to our peaceful people and beautiful country. Time is running out.
We must do something quickly or our country would become like the Government House. The collateral damages will be much wider and deeper physically, mentally, emotionally and psychologically! We will have only ourselves to blame if we were to just sit and watch!
Addendum BangkokDan: In Hong Kong’s recent election the opposition of the pan-democrats won 23 out of 30 directly eligible seats. Now take a wild guess: If all 60 seats were directly eligible, who’d rule Hong Kong for the better?
* Vongthip Chumpani is an advisor to and former president of Bangkok Bank and a former advisor to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. All views and opinions expressed herein are entirely from her own personal observations.
Thanks Khun Vongthip Chumpani!
I totally agree with you.
This large group can’t be ignored any longer! No matter what current bloggers, international media etc. are warning. I still see and believe that actually the Thaksin clan is the true enemy of democracy; with their level of current and past corruption and with this dictator demanding and controlling the majority of our current MPs, with deep pockets, mostly gained by government controlled deals and laws benefiting him/themselves and his people.
A national government with the Democrats included is currently the only reasonable and honest way out of this Thaksin mess, he produced and still is holding and creating us, since 2001!
We pray for Thailand that these people start working for the good of the country and people, and stop trying to realize their own egoistic and personal financial goals, via telephone calls to London.
Surreal … What is even more striking than the lunacy of “New Politics” (ah ah ah) is her perfect ingenuity.
She’s sincere. She believes what she’s writing …
The all stuff is mixed with blatant lies (Europe! She confuses senate, upper house and lower house like in France for instance) and perfect non-sense (people in HK are not educated – yet? So on this rather strange scale, how can we qualify the people in Thailand?!).
Scary.
Bangkok Pundit has some sharp takes on this “emergency letter.”
Remember the June newsletter of Khun Vongthip:
Those anonymous donors expect a return on their investment.
As the PPP expects a return on its investment. You don’t “win” elections here without being rewarded!
PAD + PPP = Same same, but different. Both here to stay, in a way.
BangkokDan
Land of children is scary indeed! The fascist mindset is so overbearing, where the elite and the educated despise those with lesser means to the extent of wanting to maintain a bi-polar state at all costs. When the Vongthip writes “both our grassroots and intelligent voters” she blatantly shows her open contempt for the uneducated. Who wants to have everyone educated when you can just keep them stupid and in your service as slaves. Even the educated middle class elderly hold to infantile values of patron/servant values that they instill in their grandchildren. That’s why its called the land of children. Democracy is an affront!
To understand why this crop of politicians are despised, one only needs to look at the recent jockeying regarding the possible re-appointment of the now morally (if not legally) disqualified Samak.
And to top it off, they seek advice from a fugitive in London about whether the evidence fabricator should be re-appointed!
It’s a real shame. It’s a full kindergarden congress in progress, all controlled by Thaksin ex London, with deep pockets.
When will Thailand get politically rid of this corrupt person? When will the people understand, that what the PAD want and most understanding Thai people want (but unfortunately not the majority) is in fact a good cause, and a scream for change (less corruption, less dictatorship by selfish people) and is the better solution for this country, compared to any support or control, by those corrupt Thaksin, Newin & cronies and co.
I really can’t believe how all these corrupt coalition party member’s still continue to listen to Thaksin, despite knowing that he was so corrupt and bad for Thailand. All with a low-IQ proxy, who does exactly the same thing as Thaksin did: divide the country into two parts.
I really can’t believe how Thailand is sinking and sinking, still under Thaksin’s dictatorship even more and more. When will they get rid of him? When will they learn?
When will the people also learn, who is the much bigger evil (group), and understand that if we want to progress, that we have to decide to get first rid of something, before the progress can happen?! Opposing all sides and put your head in the sand, is no solution.
Thailand has to move on, but without Thaksin, that is clear for every person with common sense, no?
Good grief … let’s keep Thailand safe from freely voted politicians …
It’s a worry that democracy might enable some ordinary people to participate in some of the rorts and special funding schemes we have got so used to enjoying …
Being a member of the traditional ruling class is such hard graft these days, our old mates don’t seem to have access to the good things like they use to …
This taksin was a real disaster, he was smart enough to close off some of our schemes like the underground lottery and those nice people that use to give us money to let them keep operating their supposedly illegal businesses in drugs and some of those nice little boys and girls from over the border …
Thaksin started the rot and this samak is just carrying on with the same policies …
I take bets: When will the arrest warrants against Sondhi, Chamlong & Co. be dropped?
The casino’s open, try your luck. Don’t worry, it’s a safe bet.
BangkokDan
Khun Vongthip Chumpani is a fascist moron. Why would anyone give this tripe a second thought?
(BangkokDan: I hesitate to edit this comment. Please refrain from too strong language.)
Prachatai has an excellent compilation listing some of the perception issues concerning the PAD …:
BangkokDan