The People’s Assembly for Political Reform holds a seminar at Chulalongkorn University yesterday to criticise the Council for National Security for not delivering on its promises.

Members of the assembly, a network of the People's Alliance for Democracy, held a seminar at Chulalongkorn University to criticise the junta.

"Nearly two months after the CNS announced its four missions, we have not yet seen whether they can solve the country's problems, because we still see the Thaksin regime underlings living well," said Suriyan Thongnu-iad, who represents the Northern Alliance.

Suriyan was referring to the justifications given by the junta for its seizure of power: social division, corruption, a collapse of the system of checks and balances and suspicious activities seen as offensive to the monarchy.

The junta not only did nothing, it also continued the problems of the Thaksin regime, he said.

He said the CNS had no connection with the public and cited an example of the absence of a relationship between the government and people.

"Last month farmer representatives handed over a letter to Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont during his trip in Lampang province in the hope of solving their problems, but nobody [in the government] received the complaint. Under the Thaksin government, although they were bad, government agents received farmers' letters and later set a committee to solve the problem," he said.

Wilaiwan Sae Tia, head of the Thai Labour Unity Committee,  criticised the National Legislative Assembly for not being a truly representative body.

"If the junta wants to reform politics by drafting a new constitution, they should provide a chance for people and private sectors to participate," she said.

She also urged the CNS to cancel the requirement of a university degree for MPs and senators, calling it a limit on people's rights.

"Most people are in poverty. They have no degrees, but they have experience, so we should not limit people's abilities to a degree."

Sirichai Mai-ngam, secretary-general of a state-enterprise workers' group, said that although he accepted the appointments of senior generals to the boards of state enterprises, some had more than four, which was unnecessary.

He urged the CNS to appoint economic and social academics to these boards and to lift martial law as a New Year's gift to the people.

Separately, Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva also warned the junta about the senior officer appointments.

"They should explain this to the people. If the senior generals are appointed to examine corruption in the state enterprises, they should show their sincerity to the public and tell us what they will do with them," he said.

Suphon Thanukrit,

Bancha Khaengkhan

The Nation