Instilling moral values could be the key to solving national woes, says likely NRC chief Thienchai
Thienchai Kiranan, a newly appointed member of the National Reform Council and a leading candidate to become the NRC's president, says his main contribution will be to foster the concept of moral integrity in society, because this can solve deep-rooted problems that have contributed to national crises. "Political influence in public office is not unusual, but it has to be within a moral framework," he said. "If the government wants to replace government officials because they want people who are more effective in their jobs, that's fine, because it's within a moral framework."
He said the absence of integrity also played a significant role in corruption, which he identified as one of the country's key problems.
"If you look at developed countries, people do not accept bribes or commit corruption because they uphold and value personal integrity. That hasn't been the case in our country, and it's something we should try to foster in our society."
He said the key to success or failure of the junta's national re-form programmer was how to ensure its continuity after the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) and current administration step down.
"We need to ensure the continuity of the reform agenda; otherwise, what we are doing now will be wasted.
"In the past, when there was a shift of power, rules of law were amended and government officials were replaced. This resulted in discontinuity. It is our responsibility to discuss measures to prevent this."
'I will perform the best I can' The 70-year-old professor is among the leading candidates tipped to become NRC president, and he offers strong credentials and professional experience. He said he was ready to take on the presidency if fellow members voted for him. "If by any chance I am elected NRC president, I intend to perform the duty to the best of my ability."
He admitted that he might lack experience for such responsibility, but said he was willing to take on the challenge. Thienchai is a former rector of Chulalongkorn University and former chairman of the Council of University Presidents of Thailand. He received a doctoral degree in economics at Duke University in the US state of North Carolina.
In 1996, he received a national award for outstanding research in economics from the National Research Council of Thailand. In his exclusive interview with The Nation, Thienchai demonstrated a casual approach. However, most of his answers were moderate and cautious. He gave the impression of an intelligent, calm and composed figure who was well mannered, and who occasionally shared a good sense of humour.
'Don't be too idealistic' When asked whether it will be necessary for the NRC to remain after the current military administration has stepped down, he joked, "If that's the case, then I might have to resign!" On a more serious note, however, he urged people not to be too idealistic about their expectations of the NRC.
"People expect that after a year, we can end all conflicts and create a corruption-free election that results in ethical and moral politicians serving the country. For me, that is too idealistic.”
"People need to have more realistic expectations of the progress of national reform, because when people's expectations are too high and cannot be fulfilled, that can create big problems."
The NRC is facing a great challenge, he said, because of the time constraints and the expectations of the people. He pointed out that the selection process of the Constitution Drafting Committee (CDC) would have to be done within 15 days after the
NRC begin its first meeting on October 21. "Most of the members do not know one another well, and now we are expected to form a consensus on nominating CDC member within 15 days. This is challenging."
The CDC will consist of 36 members. The committee chairman will be nominated by the NCPO; 20 members will be nominated by the NRC, and the National Legislative Assembly, the Cabinet and the NCPO will each nominate five members.
The CDC's task is to draft a constitution within 120 days of receiving the framework from the NRC. Thienchai said that given the short timeframe, an innovative approach might be needed when drafting the charter.
“We need a rethink” There has been some debate on whether the new constitution should be based on certain charters of the past, for example that of 1997 or 2007, while some say the committee should start from the beginning. On this matter, he said: "The key challenge is not the issue of deciding whether to start all over again or to base it on certain [previous] constitutions, but to rethink [the process] from the foundations that include everyone in society.
"The constitution must be approved by the people, it means a referendum" he said.