December 2005 : Popularity of the Constitution Organs The Election Commission endorsed election results in Pichit and Singburi. The Administrative Court was the first Constitutional organs impressed by Bangkok residents. The senate appointed NBC panels appealed to the Administrative Court. The Senate voted to bar state officials sitting on a state enterprise board from holding shares in a state enterprise. Forrest Community Bill has to wait for the next parliamentary session. The draft school transfer bill passed stage 1 in the House of Reps. Mobile cabinet meetings in 2005 approved 121 billion baht projects. Unemployment rate hit lowest in 2005 and Chavalit would be head to fight poverty. Election results endorsed The Election Commission endorsed results in Pichit and Singburi that Siriwat Kajornprasart, Mahachon party and Payap Panket, Thai Rak Thai won in Pichit constituency 3 and Singburi constituency 1 respectively. Administrative Court most impressed Bangkokian. The Abac poll found out that the Administrative Cogurt won 61.1% public support from Bangkok residents and was the first among Constitutional organs. The second was the Constitutional Court[58.9%], followed by the National Human Rights Commission [47%] and the Office of the Ombudsman [44%]. The National Counter Corruption Commission and the Office of the Auditor General finished in a tie at 36.9% and the least faith [ 35.3%] was placed to the Election Commission. Though the Administrative Court appeared to won impression from its ruling on Egat Plc and the National Broadcasting Commission but the Supreme Administrative Court President Prof Ackaratorn Chularat reminded that the Court is another court of justice similar to the Supreme Court, judicial courts and the Constitutional Court, not an independent agency whose role is to keep the government under checks and balance. Its duty is to rule on administrative cases which concern disputes between private entities and administrative bodies ranging from the government to state agencies and officials exercising administrative power but nothing to do with personal disputes because they do not involve individuals but rather the use of power or orders. NBC candidates appealed to Administrative Court Seven candidates appointed by the Senate to sit on the National Broadcasting Commission [ NBC] panel appealed the Administrative Court’s ruling that invalidated the selection process. The appointees’ petition is unprecedented because they are not officially involved in the dispute, which has pitted would-be NBC candidate Pramut Sutabutr against the selection committee and the Prime Minister’s Office as the supervisor of the panel’s formation. Previously, the Office of the Prime Minister’s Office have petition the Supreme Administrative Court against the Central Administrative Court’s ruling which nullified the NBC selection process. Lastly, the Administrative Court on December 27 rejected the seven candidates petition on ground that they are not entitled to petition since they are not and never been in the parties from the beginning of the selection process. Organic law to be amended The Senate on December 19 voted 76:1 to pass a draft amendment bill on an organic law to set a new requirement in the selection of state enterprise board members. The amendment was on articles 5 and 6 to bar state officials sitting on a state enterprise board from holding shares in a state enterprise. They will also not be allowed to sit on the boards of more than three state enterprises at the same time. The amended bill was proposed by Bangkok Senator Sophon Suphapong and received the overwhelming support of senators. Forrest Community Bill should wait until next session The joint-House panel on the scrutiny of the draft Community Forrest Bill had submitted the Bill to the parliament for consideration but was too late for this session due to the draft was not listed as a motion for this parliamentary session. The Forrest Community Bill was first proposed over a decade ago when more than 50,000 forest dwellers and civic groups presented their signatures to support its promulgation but the draft bill was officially first read in 2001. However, the Senate disagreed and changed some substantive articles to make it unlawful for human settlements to exist in protected forests. A joint House-Senate panel was subsequently formed to consider the bill and finally agreed to set up “special conservation zones” in which no human activities would be allowed. This has upset forest dwellers and lastly on November 2005 about 100 of them started to march from Cheingmai to Bangkok to demand the House to take up the draft bill for consideration in its present session, vote it down and re-consider the previous version which allowed management of protected forests by local communities. Draft school transfer bill passed stage 1 The House of Representatives on December 4 voted 322 with 65 abstentions in favor of the draft amendment of the Power Decentralization Act. The bill would go through another three reading before sending to the Senate for final approval. The amendment of the 1999 Power Decentralization Act is in the context of the transfer of public schools and their staff from the Education Ministry to local authorities by lifting the 10-year time frame as well as adding the move will only take place on voluntary basis. The proposed revision came after teachers from across the country made it clear they wanted to remain under the control of the ministry. After the bill passed its first reading about 50,000 teachers gathered in front of parliament building on December 7 demanding the parliament to remove the clause allowing the transfer “on voluntary basis” from the daft bill on ground that it provides leeway for any public school to decide whether or not it wants to come under the administrative body in its locality. Mobile cabinet approved 121 billion baht projects in 2005 Since Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra took office in 2001, mobile cabinet meeting were held in the provinces and each approved several millions to billions of baht to boost the economy as well as using funds to ease poverty. The funds will be allocated to annual budget and some would be tie-over over the next four years. In 2005 the government has approved at least 121,809.65 million baht in seven mobile cabinet meetings namely: 1. 256.68 million baht was approved on January in Chiangrai for A border economic zone in Tak including tap water expansion in Mae Sot, Phop Phra and Mae Ramat districts. An OTOP-cum tourism promotion project. An industrial estate project. Environment impact assessment in the economic zone. Farm production restructuring 2. 2,303.91 million baht was approved on May 17 in Buri Ram to eradicate poverty and generate income through water source and management projects as well as tourism and transport development. 3. Approval investment plans of mega projects set for 2005-2009 and development scheme n the upper north on June 13-14 in Phayao. 4. 2,708.06 million baht was approved on August 1-2 in Chantaburi for immediate projects on water resources and management for the Eastern Seaboard Orchard restructuring. 5. Approval of n.a budget on September 5-6 in Phangnga for Six immediate development projects: a Phangnga-Krabi highway, marine transport on the Tha Lane Bay-Ko Yao-Phuket route, Phi Phi island rehabilitation, oil palm expansion, biodissel production, and oil palm research. Medium-term projects: a 60.5km Phangnga-Krapong-Takua Pa highway, water supply for Andaman triangle provinces, Phuket as a centre of service business. Approval for 30 immediate solution projects. Approval for two medium-term solution projects: a long-stay city in Kura Buri and a bridge to Ko Khor Khao island. Follow-ups on tsumani relief attempts. 6. 116,000 million baht was approved on November 1 in Nakorn Sawan to build low-priced housing projects apart from the 1.7 trillion baht planned investment in the mega-projects. 7. 541 million baht was approved on December 20 in Sukhothai for five development program for the lower northern provinces to improve water management and tourism. Unemployment rate lowered The National Economic and Social Development Board [NESDB] reported Thailand’s unemployment rate in 2005 hit a three-year record low at 1.36 % while the number of employed people rose to 36.5 million. Though unemployment in Bangkok soared to 2.02% from 1.53% in the third quarter of last year, urban poverty and crime rates are lower in the third quarter due to job distribution and grassroots economic stimulation policy was effective in the provinces rather than the capital since new employment was concentrated on the farming sector. The quality of education of the 37 million people in the working-age group improved, with numbers of high school graduates rising to 38.9% from 38.1% last year but serious concern is on the English language proficiency of students in secondary schools. Chavalit to fight poverty Prime Minister thaksin Shinawatra appointed former deputy prime minister Chawalit Yongchaiyudh as head of the national poverty eradication program and director of the anti-poverty centre. Land distribution and debt relief will be key issues to end poverty. Other immediate solutions included housing assistance and jobs for the poor while long-term solutions are better education and sustainable natural resources management. Mr. Wan Muhammad Nor Matha former interior minister will also take over the job of drug suppression and head of the government’s anti-narcotics centre.