Dissolution call vexes established parties

 

A proposal to get all parties "back to square one" by abolishing them

 as they stand and forcing them to re-register is getting on the nerves

of politicians again.

Khunying Sudarat Keyuraphan, a core member of the Pheu Thai Party,

 brought up the proposal at a recent forum.

 She said new legislation to be issued as an organic law under the

constitution, assuming it passes the referendum next month, would

 make the proposal possible, though it is no means welcome news

 to the established parties.

Since the coup over two years ago, speculation about the

"back-to-square-one" scenario has emerged as it reflects the 2014

coup-maker's agenda to wipe out the current parties and reset the

 political landscape.

If the draft charter is endorsed, the military-appointed Constitution

 Drafting Committee (CDC) will remain in office to draft 10

organic laws.

Politicians and academics believe one of the new laws, a political

party act, may stipulate the dissolution of all parties and require the

 setting up of new ones. This will serve the agenda of the

 coup-makers, the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO),

to break the circuit of red-yellow shirt conflicts of the past, and

could challenge the dominamce of the traditional parties.

Some say dissolving the parties would create equality among the

various contenders, which may help reduce conflicts.

 Under such circumstances, the government also hopes it can

 prevent the country slipping back into the same old divides

 of the past. However, neither the government nor the CDC has

 made it clear whether they will opt for the move.

Meechai Ruchupan, who leads the CDC, brushed aside the topic

 in recent interviews, saying there have been no particular talks on

 the issue. He insisted the priority is the Aug 7 referendum on the draft

 charter. If it is endorsed, Mr Meechai said his panel will draft 

 the 10 organic laws, and four of them will be related to elections:

 a general election law, a political party law, an Election Commission

 law and a law governing the selection of senators.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, also head of the

NCPO, has not completely ruled out the possibility of taking all

politicians back to square one. "I've never said it is possible,

nor have I said it's not possible. Just don't quote me as saying it,"

 he told reporters recently.

 Such a lack of a clear direction from both the CDC and the NCPO

 has worried the parties as it means they cannot plan their future.

 Politicians are united in their calls for a clear stance on the issue

from the NCPO and the CDC, and will do whatever they can to

 stop party dissolution happening.

Mr Meechai said the move could be an indirect means to challenge

 the draft charter in the lead-up to the referendum.

"They've tried every way to slam the draft charter, and whenever

 they couldn't locate a flaw in the draft,they usually made up one,"

said the CDC chairman. "Our priority is to inform the public this

 has nothing to do with the draft charter," he said.

What concerns the parties most is the new political party act could

open the chance for politicians to move to other parties or even form

new ones. This will affect the viability of the established parties and

 their power bases.

For the Pheu Thai Party, this is an effort to clip its wings and

prevent it from winning a majority in the House and taking a lead

 in forming a government.

The Democrat Party also fears this scenario could threaten its

 long established identity. Party deputy leader Ong-art Klampaibul

 has spoken out against the plan. "Any effort to register new parties

 will make it burdensome for both the existing parties and

 millions of their members who will have to undergo a new process

 which could be lengthy.

 It will not benefit anyone," he said.

If the CDC drafted such a rule, it could be seen as an effort trying

 to weaken existing parties and support new ones that have

 connections with the powers-that-be such as the military, which

would not be good for the government's road map to democracy,

said Mr Ong-art.

 Many have raised fears dissolution of the parties will open the

door for the NCPO to prolong its power. Under the current political

 climate, parties are more vulnerable to interference.

The draft constitution, with its special provision allowing the

 Senate to join in a vote to select the prime minister, can make it

worse for them.

Given these concerns, the parties have made their points known

 to the public in the hope the idea will not become a reality.

 

News,Politics,Bangkok Post,6 July 2016.

 

In my viewpoint,it is no benefit to make all parties back

to square one because same old politicians will form

 the party again,like in the past.

If the referendum on Aug.7 is endorsed ,the written organic law

should lead to how to make the election transparent including

 how to stop buying and selling rights.

For two years from the coup,it seems all politicians still think for

themselves not for the country,that is sad to know.

 

Sincerely Yours.