PEACE, BUT POOR MISS OUT
Survey shows regime gains credit for restoring order, but is attacked over economy, write Nattaya Chetchotiros and Patpon Sabpaitoon
When the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) stepped into power after the May 22, 2014 coup, it made several bold promises such as fostering national reconciliation, introducing sweeping reforms and improving the economy. Four years on, critics, academics and opinion surveys give mixed views on whether the regime has been successful. The regime was seen to be successful with issues such as maintaining security and peace and order and restoring the macro-economy.
But critics say the regime has fallen short in delivering some promises, particularly reforms in various areas and boosting households and the grassroots economy.
While Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha announced that a new election will be held in February next year, ending the administration of the military regime, critics pointed out there are signs the regime and its allies may have tricks up their sleeve that would enable them continue to call the shots in the government after the election.
MIXED OPINIONS
The latest survey of Suan Dusit Poll on the 4th anniversary of the NCPO issued yesterday shows most people believe the NCPO and the government have achieved the goal of maintaining peace and order but have still fallen short in solving micro-economic issues and the bread-and-butter problems of people.
The survey was conducted during May 15-19 among 1,346 respondents nationwide.
Asked what has pleased them during the past four years, 56.4% said the country has been free from violent street protests; 30.8% cited suppression against corruption, drugs and dark influence; 24.6% cited restoration of order at various public places; 18.2% mentioned development of the transport system including the high-speed train projects; and 17% cited assistance to low-income people.
On the question of what has dissatisfied them, 41.7% said the economy is in the doldrums and goods prices have increased; 34.2% cited corruption in various government projects; 19.6% mentioned slow responses to problems; 15.3% cited injustice in the use of Section 44; and 13.2% pointed to low farm prices.
The results match with that of Nida Poll which questioned 1,253 people during May 15-16.
Some 30.8% of the respondents are less happy in the regime performance in solving economic problems, followed by 15% in low prices of farm products and 11.89% in high cost of living.
Meanwhile, 52.9% says they are happy with the lack of political unrest, followed by 9.6% who were happy with less corruption and 6.1% in social order restoration.
Democrat leader Abhisit Vejjajiva said the NCPO “did well in restoring and maintaining peace” but several issues remain in which it has yet to perform well.
STUMBLING ON REFORMS
Mr Abhisit said the NCPO has failed to deliver most of its reform promises.
The reform blueprint which contains 2,000-plus pages does not qualify as the design for structural overhaul. It looks more like the pages of budget plans of state agencies stapled together, he said.
“I believe the government is clueless about the directions of reform. It isn’t about what they plan to do or improve. It is about structural changes. It’s about fundamental changes,” he said.
“And the fuss around police reform ... when reforms are put in black and white and are driven by bureaucrats, there is not much for the public to look forward to.”
Suriyasai Katasila, deputy dean of Rangsit University’s Social Innovation College, has described the general reform process as stagnant, dealing mainly with urgent issues rather than touching on essential structural changes.
In his view, the regime is wrong to half-heartedly take up reforms and get distracted by political ambitions.
Without giving the reform drive a sustained push, the regime and its political allies could
find themselves confronting pro-reform groups and movements.
Jade Donavanik, a law lecturer at the College of Asian Scholars, agreed the national reform campaign is a big disappointment.
“We have a national strategic committee along with 11 reform panels with no momentum being gathered,” he said.
Mr Jade also made no progress in police reform. “The core duty of the NCPO is to push national reforms, not administrate the country,” he said.
PLOTTING A RETURN
Pheu Thai key figure Chaturon Chaisang has a low opinion of the regime’s performance, be it national administration, materialising reforms or bringing about national unity.
He said the regime has executed a plan to allow itself to prolong its grip on power and the 20-year national strategic plan along with reform programmes will be the means to achieve such ends.
Mr Chaturon is concerned about a possible abuse of the Senate, which has to be endorsed by the NCPO, and other public independent investigating graft and irregularities if the regime returns to power after the polls.
These bodies have been appointed under rules which the regime has set and they are vulnerable to being exploited as a political tool, he said, noting that political divisiveness and conflicts could return and drag the country down.
GOVT LISTS OFF ACHIEVEMENTS
Government spokesman Lt Gen Sansern Kaewkamnerd brushed off the criticism of the regime concerning its performance during its four years in power.
He listed many government’s accomplishments in quick succession, including vocational education reform, tackling irregularities in the rice-pledging scheme, improving the country’s civil aviation status, and extending benefits of the 30 baht universal health care.
Others were cracking down on illegal fishing practices, materialising the water management schemes, expanding distribution of land for farming, increasing the ease of doing business, launching the clean energy scheme and suppressing corruption.
“Everything we’ve done is practical, brought about progress to society and contributed to the survival of the country,” he said.
The spokesman countered critics for downplaying the regime’s accomplishments.
“They haven’t followed the information. If they had, they would have known the government has done so many things,” Gen Sansern said.
Government House and surrounding areas within a 50 metres radius are expected to be declared a “controlled zone”, where any public gatherings are prohibited, said a deputy national police chief yesterday.
This development came only a couple of days before the planned gathering of anti-regime groups at Thammasat University’s Tha Phrachan campus in Bangkok that also vowed to march to Government House despite escalating warnings by security authorities.
When declared a controlled zone under the powers of the 2015 Act on public gatherings and the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) order, any unauthorised gathering in prohibited areas will lead to a maximum prison term of six months, a maximum fine of 10,000 baht, or both, Pol Gen Srivara Ransibrahmanakul said.
The Royal Thai Police has prepared between three to 20 companies of police officers (about 520 to 3,520 officers based on a count of 176 officer per company), to ensure law and order during the planned gathering and march of the anti-regime groups, he said.
Tomorrow marks the NCPO’s four years in power after staging a coup that toppled the Pheu Thai Party-led government.
The demonstrators, known as “People who want an election” and led by the Democracy Restoration Group (DRG), are pressuring the government to hold a general election by November this year.
The NCPO has insisted the poll will be held in February next year.
Ahead of the planned movement of the groups, Pol Gen Srivara yesterday cited an intelligence report saying that police have learned certain hard-core factions of the red-shirt United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) were plotting a move to stir up unrest using weapons.
The police were closely monitoring these violent groups because they are linked to some groups involved in the planned political movement although they are not exactly the same groups, he said.
Meanwhile, NCPO spokesman Maj Gen Piyapong Klinpan said the NCPO is willing to listen to demonstrators’ opinions as long as they conform to the law, don’t violate the rights of anyone else, don’t disseminate distorted information and don’t jeopardise national peace by provoking hatred.
“This is what makes the NCPO win recognition by the majority of people in the society as having no intentions to fully use its powers although it is a dictatorial regime. It doesn’t opt for a forceful or violent approach to stop such activities or dialogues and requests for cooperation,” he said.
The NCPO has even offered to ensure convenience for the demonstrators and prevent any possible violence that could happen at the demonstration, he said.
Despite saying the NCPO wasn’t worried about the planned march of the demonstrators to Government House, he said the NCPO would urge the demonstrators to give up the march for the sake of the public.
Giving it up would help avoid causing chaos to Bangkok’s traffic during the beginning of a new school term, which is associated with heavy traffic congestion already.