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BKK POST: Anand: Key to recovery



March 26, 1998


                                     



                                 POLITICS

              Anand: Key to
              recovery is good
              governance

              Supawadee Susanpoolthong

              Good governance is the hope for developing Thailand because
              democracy alone is not enough for the country, former prime
              minister Anand Panyarachun said yesterday.

              Mr Anand, who was also chairman of the Constitution Drafting
              Committee, said that it is the concept of good governance that
              will turn a new leaf for Thailand because without it the aspirations
              of the people cannot be answered and they will still feel society
              to be unjust.

              He was speaking on the topic of "Good governance and the
              future of Thailand" as part of the National Constitution Forum
              organised by the National Economic and Social Development
              Board, the Thailand Development Research Institute, the Pra
              Pokklao Institute and the Parliament Secretariat Office. The
              discussion was held at Chulalongkorn University.

              Mr Anand said that good governance may be a new concept in
              Thailand but it is not new in western societies. The concept arose
              out of the struggle between democratic and socialist ideologies
              during the cold war.

              "Being democratic is not enough in present-day society. In
              Asean there is comparison of which country is more dictatorial
              and which is more democratic. But what is more important is the
              lack of good governance," he said.

              Western democratic thinking gives great importance to individual
              rights and liberty while eastern thinking, so-called "Asian values",
              see these as less important than community interest, he said.

              "The choice for the world of the future will have to have both
              democracy and good governance. They have to go together," he
              said.

              The new constitution which he had helped draft is only the
              beginning of political reform. It stresses the efficient use of power
              by the state, the ability to check this power and having public
              participation in the political process.

              "It will take a very long time to see results from the constitution
              but if we have good governance to go along with democracy the
              results will come out immediately," he said.

              Good governance, however, will not solve all problems. But
              problems that should not happen will not happen. Problems
              caused from outside the country also will cause less damage. He
              pointed to Mexico being able to come out of an economic crisis
              between 1991 and 1994 because they slowly reformed their
              system.

              "We are now on the right road going in the right direction," he
              said.

              The Asian Development Bank, he said, defined good
              governance as interaction between the state and the private
              sector through efficient and standardised arrangements to ensure
              the government will achieve what it has promised the people.

              His own definition of good governance is:

              - Participation of the people in organising and administering the
              country. People tend to blame politicians without doing anything
              themselves but they will have to take up responsibility for the
              country.

              - Reformed administration of the state and private sector that will
              yield the most benefits to the people.

              - Building of communities in the provinces and the distribution of
              power and budget. In the past Thai administration has been very
              centralised and this was a key weakness of the country. Power
              will have to be distributed so that communities in both urban and
              rural areas will become strong and act as the root for the building
              of good governance.

              - Rule of law. The law will have to be used and applied to
              everyone equally. The judicial system will have to be
              independent and untied to vested interests, power or money.

              - A free and responsible mass media.

              The National Constitution Forum will organise a total of 10
              functions to popularise and build understanding about the
              concept of good governance. Speakers being lined up include
              Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai, House Speaker Wan
              Muhammad Nor Matha, Senate Speaker Meechai Ruchupan,
              army chief Gen Chettha Thanajaro, Finance Minister Tarrin
              Nimmanhaeminda, academic Nithi Ewesiwong, and social critic
              Prawase Wasi.

              The functions will be held in both Bangkok and the provinces
              with the last one scheduled to be held in May. 




                                     




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Last Modified: Thu, Mar 26, 1998