Bangkok elections a farce, say critics

"The middle class [Bangkokians] don't really gain anything from them. They directly contact the sources [of administrative power] when in need and could voice their complaints through the media while poorer Bangkokians still have to rely on [these] representatives," said Chaiwat Thirapanthu, chairman of Civic Net and co-founder of Bangkok Forum, both middle-class based civic groups.

 

 Chaiwat said research is needed to find out how the system could be made more responsive. He suggests that perhaps the immediate surrounding provinces around Bangkok should become part of Bangkok, headed by an elected governor with six mayors running policies in tandem with the governors also elected. This way, Bangkok and its vicinity can be better served. "We must reinvent governance [in the area]," added Chaiwat because many people live in greater Bangkok but come to work in Bangkok every weekdays.

 

 More pessimistic is the view of Kwansuang Atibhodhi, former lecturer of Urban Planning at Chulalongkorn University and an urban activist. Kwansuang said these local elections in Bangkok has beenr reduced to a test run of national election by big parties as well as a mean for these party to reward their canvassers by helping them win these district and city council seats.

 

 "They are fake. What they claim to do for local people is never delivered. Thailand is a Janus-face society. It's just a way of giving some positions to canvassers. This is a pseudo [democratic] system. It's fake and people still pretend otherwise," said Kwansuang who added that he will vote on Sunday but mark on a no vote box.

 

 Kwansuang added that the election is a reflection of national politics where all parties divided up national budgets for their own benefits while pretending otherwise.

 

 "There may be a bit of excitement with the New Politics Party eager to score their first victory but essentially it's nothing but an overture for the general election."

 

 Another critic who said he will vote for nobody is Karin Klinkajorn, lecturer of Urban Planning at King Mongkut's Institute of Technology.

 

 Karin told The Nation that these local councils are not responsive to people's need beyond the accasional flood remedies. The lecturer has been an advisor to groups of residents affected by noise pollution from Suvarnabhumi Airport said the local district representatives there who are from Pheu Thai merely stick to their party policy and are not responsive to those affected by noise pollution.

 

 "It's more about link to national politics which is different from what we want to see, which is local representatives that would serve the local people," said Karin who added that he hopes that if enough people mark "no vote" box, eventually some different breed of candidates may emerge for Bangkokians to choose.

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