By Pravit Rojanaphruk, The Nation |
<p>Most red shirts still oppose congress headed by Prawase and Anand despite claim of 'transcending political divide'<br />
The three-day National Reform Congress concluded yesterday with its chairman Prawase Wasi boasting that the meeting, which drew some 2,000 participants, "transcended" political division and "united" people from all walks.</p>
<p>Following a proposal on land reform by the National Reform Committee last month (see <a href="http://bkkpost.9destinations.com/business/news/221727/cabinet-approves-land-reform-proposals">here </a>and <a href="http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2011/02/15/national/Anands-land-reform-proposals-approved-in-principle-30148731.html">here</a>), Chair of the National Reform Assembly Prof Dr Prawase Wasi has explained in an <a href="http://www.matichon.co.th/news_detail.php?newsid=1298894257&grpid=01&catid=&subcatid=">article</a> published in Matichon how giving 5-6 rai, or about 2-2.4 ac</p>
<p>A member of Prawase Wasi’s reform committee has proposed tax increases, in VAT in particular, to implement the government’s welfare programme.</p>
<p>About 100 NGO workers, activists, students and academics have signed an open letter addressed to their peers in civil society, rejecting the Reform Thailand plan being pushed by Prawase Wasi and Anand Panyarachun, and criticizing it as illegitimate and untrustworthy.</p>
<p>According to the letter, the signatories are part of the civil society movement, including current and former NGO workers, students, academics and social activists who are seriously concerned with their fellows’ response to the call to the Reform Thailand.</p>
By Bai Tong Hang |
<p>At last, we have seen the full package of the Abhisit regime’s reconciliation kit, including the fact-finding committee on the May killings, the committee on constitutional amendments, and the committees on national reform by the Anand and <a href="http://www.prachatai.org/english/node/1898">Prawase</a> duo.</p>
<p>So, is this reconciliation with the 90 deaths? Impossible. It’s just an attempt to convince naïve people into believing that there’s reconciliation to isolate the red shirts and others who want true democracy.</p>