Govt needs to be more decisive

Govt needs to be more decisive.

In just about four months, the popularity rating of Gen Surayud Chulanont's government has plunged alarmingly to about 48% from a high of 90% when it entered office in October.

The chief culprit of the popularity slide, according to the Abac Poll, was the New Year's Eve bombings in central Bangkok which sapped Bangkokians' confidence in the government. Another poll, conducted by Bangkok University during December 30-January 4, also showed the government scored just 5.27 out of ten for its overall performance in the eyes of 1,082 respondents in Bangkok and surrounding areas although the majority of them still have confidence in the government's honesty and transparency. Most however wanted the government to be more decisive and act with greater speed in solving problems. The public's desire for the Surayud administration to be more decisive and have the courage to make decisions coincides with the impression held by several members of the National Legislative Assembly that the government is too weak and soft especially with trouble-making elements of the deposed Thaksin regime.

During a parliamentary meeting last Thursday, assemblyman Praphan Koonmee questioned how the government could afford to sit idly by while members of the Thai Rak Thai party had a free hand in inciting public distrust and misunderstanding of the government through its websites. He also called on the government to deal decisively with high-ranking police officers, among them national police chief Kowit Wattana, for their apparent foot-dragging in the handling of recent arson attacks in the North and the Northeast and the recent bombings in Bangkok. Another assemblyman, Akapol Sorasuchart, faulted the government for its total lack of counter-measures to deal with Mr Thaksin's weekly propaganda offensive via his family lawyer and spokesman, Noppadon Pattama.

The growing frustration of the people and the parliamentarians towards what they perceive as the government's weakness and slowness in tackling problems should not be surprising given its overall unimpressive performance in the past few months. For instance, the belated application of rigid capital controls to stabilise the baht currency caused far more damage to the economy than anticipated and some of these controls had to be reversed just one day after they had been announced. The cabinet's endorsement of the Foreign Business Act amendments was badly timed and unnecessarily scared away foreign investors although the intentions of the law itself are good.

But the greatest frustration stems from the snail-paced progress _ or lack of it _ in the investigation into all the major corruption cases against Mr Thaksin and his cronies. Legal actions regarding the land scam involving Khunying Potjaman and Bannapot Damapong, Mr Thaksin's wife and brother-in-law respectively, and the purchase of the CTX bomb scanners cannot begin, although inquiries have already been completed, unless relevant agencies such as the Finance and Transport ministries, Airports of Thailand and the Bank of Thailand file formal complaints with the Assets Scrutiny Committee. Certain agencies appear to be reluctant to pursue the cases because they do not want to be seen as hostile to the ex-premier and his cronies.

Further frustration was fuelled by the government's hesitancy to fire the national police chief for the poor performance of the police in dealing with the recent bombings and arson attacks. The police general was not at the scenes of the bombings nor visiting bomb victims at hospitals until several days had passed. He did not rush back to the capital on hearing about the bombings but chose to spend the New Year in Hat Yai.

Encouragement can be drawn from the fact that the Council for National Security, apparently aware of the extent of public frustration, is starting to deal harshly with trouble-makers and get tough with non-performing officials. Shape-up or ship-out has been the no-nonsense message given to officialdom. It remains to be seen if and when Prime Minister Surayud will follow suit, starting with the police force and his cabinet. Being a gentleman is not enough under present circumstances with subversive elements still lurking in the dark waiting for their next opportunity to strike. Gen Surayud must demonstrate toughness and decisiveness when called for. The country demands no less.

Bangkok Post
Thursday January 11, 2007