When a wonderful kingdom like Thailand ceases to attract the best and the brightest for public office; when capable, honest, law-abiding citizens become a rare commodity and when society rewards only those who are well-connected rather than those who are competent, then in my view it's time for change.
I have compiled a short list of things that we as a nation should think about, although there are many more. I've only put into the list the few that can be implemented through legislation.
- First, Thailand should revert back to being called Siam. Siam is the ethnically and culturally inclusive name we were given at birth and it is the name we should have kept. Continuing to call ourselves by a name which was bestowed upon us by a trigger-happy military dictator, who effectively sided with Hitler and declared war against the Allies in World War Two, is anything but auspicious.
- Second, the Abhisit administration should show some courage by doing what is right and give us back the "People's Constitution". The current charter amendment process employed by the government is tainted by the clammy and sinister hand of vested interests, which will result in yet another one of Siam's "unconstitutional constitutions". We the people deserve a constitution written by the people, for the people - and if amendments are required, it should only be with the approval and involvement of the people.
Mr Abhisit should realise that retouching and regurgitating our present undemocratic constitution amounts to constitutional recycling! And if this is the government's attempt at saving us from the perils of global warming, then we should all start praying.
- Third, voting is a right, not an obligation. Throughout our recent history countless people fought and died for our "right" and not the "obligation" to vote. I sincerely hope constitutional drafters will stop dishonouring the memory of those who died by blatantly ignoring their dying wish. Drafters should comprehend that not voting is a legitimate form of democratic expression which should certainly not be encouraged but should be protected nonetheless.
- Fourth, the Land Department should register leases for durations of more than 30 years. Allowing foreigners to own land in Thailand is a political hot potato but allowing leases for 60 or even 100 years shouldn't take that much political will and was certainly promised before Mr Abhisit became prime minister. The registering of leases only up to 30 years, in my view, impedes longer-term property development and is probably the main reason why our landscape is littered with monstrosities more suited to Bogota than Bangkok. It's hard to fathom that in the 18th century Bangkok was called the Venice of the East. Sadly, today it's the sick man of Asia.
- Last but not least, we should rid ourselves of the lese majeste law. Let us be honest; this law was enacted not to protect the monarchy but was concocted to serve the dubious intent of power-hungry generals. Lese majeste became a very potent weapon for dictators and is still used today as an effective instrument for character assassination and the sending to jail of those located at the opposite end of the political spectrum. This law exists only to stifle creative political discourse and has been responsible for the destruction of countless innocent lives.
The people deserve to have legislation that "truly" preserves and protects an institution that is still considered to be a vital pillar of our political existence.
In parting, all government officials should be reminded that it is their job to serve the people and not be served by them. The quality of service delivered to the taxpayer is simply atrocious. Ask any man or woman on the street to describe their experience when dealing with law enforcement, tax collectors or local government officials, and you will usually see a look of disgust and words like "bullies", "corruption" and "inefficient" will spring forth.
I have the deepest admiration for those making the sacrifice required to honestly serve the public interest, but from what I can see these officials find it hard to survive and are consistently being pushed out by the rotten apples occupying powerful positions. Emphasis should be placed on capability not contacts, and leadership rather than lineage. After all, I've always been taught it's not where you come from but where you're going that counts.
Songkran Grachangnetara is an entrepreneur. He graduated from the London School of Economics and Columbia University
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