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Cartoon from 'The Nation' today

Homework at the Army Club

Wednesday, May 21, 2014
BANGKOK: With top-level talks continuing tomorrow to solve Thailand's political problems, anti-government leader Suthep Thaugsuban gave a glimpse inside today's Army Club summit when he spoke to a rally audience in Bangkok tonight.

Phuketwan was not at the rally but we watched his performance via live streaming YouTube - the new-technology solution being used by both sides of politics now that nearly all television broadcasters have been closed down or are being closely monitored.

Khun Suthep appears to be determined to defy the military by continuing with plans for a large protest in Bangkok in coming days, despite calls for all protests to cease.

Khun Suthep's People's Democratic Reform Committee was one of seven key groups represented in talks today with martial law chief General Prayuth Chan-ocha, who heads the new all-powerful Peace and Order Maintaining Command (POMC).

While the media was banished from the Army Club and participants in the talks were sworn to secrecy, Khun Suthep told a Bangkok rally tonight - broadcast via YouTube - that he was prepared to disclose what he told the meeting.

He said that the general had told the participants - from the PDRC, the National United Front of Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD), the Pheu Thai Party, the Democrat Party, the Electoral Commission, the Senate and the caretaker government - that they ''had some homework to do.''

The talks, aimed at saving the future of Thailand, resume tomorrow. Khun Suthep told tonight's rally that he was prepared to pass on his comments at the meeting today:

''First, we want a prime minister who has full power, not someone in a caretaker role.

''Second, when we have a Prime Minister, we have to set up a Ministry, and all of the Ministers should not be politicians. For example, a professor should head Education, a doctor should head Public Health.

''Thirdly, the Prime Minister and the Cabinet have to reform the country to address the real needs of the people.

''Number Four, I invited the Red people and the UDD to join with our people to help the Army and the government officers to solve the problems of the country.

''Who is behind you guys? Go away. The political guys, go away. We need only the people, not the politicians.''

Tomorrow at 11am, Khun Suthep said, all the leaders of the PDRC were being invited to a meeting to plan their major protests for Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Khun Suthep, who has been inviting people to join him in the streets for six months now, said Monday would be a key day: ''The people will have the power back.''

''We need millions of people to come,'' he said. ''If just a few people come, it will be difficult to change Thailand. We need better solutions.''

The five points made today at the Army Club meeting by General Prayuth have been reported by Wassana Nanuam, the highly-regarded military reporter with the Bangkok Post.

According to Khun Wassana, General Prayuth specified five items as part of the ''homework'' given to participants at the private meeting today:

1. Delegates to the Army Club summit have to discuss whether it's better to have reforms before elections or elections before reforms;

2. Should there be a referendum;

3. Should there be a fully empowered Prime Minister before a national election;

4. Can the Senate and the present senators be the peoples' representatives in the meantime;

5. The UDD and the PDRC have to stop protesting and let the people go home.

Comments

Comments have been disabled for this article.

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Suthep is right. We don't want politicians, so Suthep should **** off.

Posted by Smithy on May 22, 2014 00:14

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I totally agree people in charge of areas should come from that back ground. You don't need some "sponsored MP" running health if all he did in Uni was a psychology degree. ALL Governments should hire people who know, not their friends from school.

Posted by Tbs on May 22, 2014 01:00

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Is Suthep really that stupid to defy the militarys order? He was so stupid to disclose what he said in the meeting despite the military wanted to keep it secret and hopefully the Generals now realize what kind of guy Suthep really is. They should arrest him immediately and continue the negotiations without this rabble-rouser who anyway is responsible for this dangerous situation.

Posted by Volker on May 22, 2014 01:02

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Agree... we must put true professionals with the right background and experience in the right place and myself would support reform before election for the long-term benefit of this beautiful (but sick) country.

Posted by Mr. K on May 22, 2014 07:49

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tbs, although what you say makes some sense, in reality politicians, in a "functioning" democracy, are voted in "by the people," for what they can do for their electorate, not on their "professional" civil qualifications, therefore it would be hard to appoint a medical professional to "Health" and a doctor of international studies to "International Affairs" etc...what you need is a dedicated, intelligent leader of those departments.

Posted by Laurie Howells on May 22, 2014 09:04

Editor Comment:

What tbs is saying is that politicians give politics a bad name, Laurie.

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Politicians are the problem. And it's not unique to Thailand. In the case of Thailand it would be wonderful (and highly unlikely) if all current and past politicians, and their families and close associates, could be banned for life from all politics and political positions. That would be the clean slate that I think is needed. Pretty unlikely, but without a clean slate no matter what the Military manage to cobble together from these talks, the problems will still exist and will resurface (1 month, 1 year, 5 years down the line).

Posted by Duncan on May 22, 2014 10:09

Editor Comment:

There's still the shining example of Singapore (and Hong Kong). And the Phuketwan recommendation is to make Phuket corruption-free as a role model for the whole of Thailand. Only the will is lacking.

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Ed.. although I tend to agree with what you say, about pollies, how the hell did you read that into Tbs's comment, I'd loved to see your explanation.

Posted by Laurie Howells on May 22, 2014 13:53

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One special characteristic in Thailand is that there are no "professional" politicians but most politicians are also businessman at the same time. Therefore they make decisions that benefit business in the first place while the country itself is always on the second place at best. Having professional politicians who are dedicated to the their job in politics only would be an improvement.

Posted by Jakub P on May 22, 2014 15:10


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