Seven weeks after the 242 members of the National Legislative Assembly settled into their new jobs, their performance evaluation produces two conclusions, which the coup leaders and Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont should take into serious consideration.

The monthly salary of the legislators is too high. And they are showing no respect for taxpayers' hard-earned money.

Early last month, the Cabinet approved Bt104,330 in remuneration for each NLA member - the same pay as for elected Upper- and Lower House members - while the NLA speaker gets about Bt11,000 more than other members.

However, the NLA members are different from elected parliamentarians because they take the post as a "part-time" job and do not need to quit their full-time employment. They are also free from shouldering "necessary" expenses to secure their popularity such as attending local functions or ceremonies.

The coup leaders appointed them along with the Surayud government in a proclaimed bid to "re-build" the image of Thailand's democracy.

In other words, many of them, including senior government officials, state enterprise executives and academics are getting double pay for taking two positions at the same time. This does not count their benefits and perks, such as healthcare, free land and air tickets and allowances for attending meetings of NLA committees.

They had turned a deaf ear to criticism that they should show their spirit by taking taxpayer's money only from one position. They claimed they could see a great mission ahead to repair the country after former premier Thaksin Shinawatra wreaked huge damage during his five-year reign.

Despite the NLA members' oath to deliver on their mission, the NLA session on Wednesday, which lasted 75 minutes, saw only 129 of 242 members attending. As one can expect when there is no heated exchange between government and opposition parties, only two of the 129 legislators proposed two motions to the floor.

NLA member Borwornsak Uwanno clearly understands what is going on in the NLA these days. He told the session that he proposed 13 amendments and bills for the NLA to pass on to the government because, if the government approves them, the NLA would have to deliberate on this legislation before they become law.

Then the NLA "will have something to do", he said.

Yesterday's session was cancelled as no agenda was pending for consideration. The NLA is scheduled to meet every Wednesday and Thursday.

The NLA first convened on October 24 to hold an election for its speaker, which Meechai Ruchuphan won by a landslide. But not until Wednesday, November 15 did the NLA start its "real" work by accepting a bill on illegal acts committed via computers in a "quick and smooth" session of less than two hours, which saw 174 members present and less than 15 members debating the bill.

The Thursday session was cancelled as no issues were left on the agenda.

The sessions of November 22-23 were skipped with the same excuse as the previous Thursday, but with the added reason that the assignment of committee seats to NLA members was proceeding during the break.

Although the debate over lottery and government budget bills two weeks later heated up when some outspoken members questioned the government over its bad planning, only the "same old faces" of about 20 members addressed the chamber. Again, less than 150 members joined the sessions.

As the coup leaders have promised to usher in a new era of transparency and responsibility, they are now required to sort out their own creation - the NLA - before telling other agencies to follow their agenda.

Just keep in mind that taxpayers' money is worth more than anything.

Weerayut Chokchaimadon

The Nation