Bangkok: Amidst the fierce election campaign, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Muhammad Ilyas Yaprung highlighted a significant change, particularly the unveiling of the executive committee of the "People's Party," a strategy well worth studying and perhaps the first time in Thai history that an executive team has been presented in this manner.
According to Thai News Agency, Associate Professor Dr. Muhammad analyzed that the People's Party's method of announcing its leadership team one person at a time each day is a clever way to keep the public guessing about what will happen next and who will be in charge. This differs from the traditional method of introducing only 3-4 technocrats at once, as seen in the past. The selection of each individual for public unveiling also reflects a clear strategic direction.
Regarding the justice system, the introduction of Associate Professor Dr. Munin Pongsapan, former Dean of the Faculty of Law, Thammasat University, aims to emphasize justice system reform, particularly addressing the limited accessibility and long-standing impact on the poor over the past 10 years since the coup. In foreign affairs, the introduction of Mr. Pisal Manavapat, a former 250-member senator and former Thai ambassador to several countries, including major powers like the United States and India, is aimed at building international confidence. In the field of education, the launch of Assoc. Prof. Dr. Anuchat Puangsamlai, who has the concept of transforming education from "suffering" into "happiness" and emphasizes the development of intellect over bureaucratic rules.
What is most interesting, according to Assoc. Prof. Dr. Muhammad, is that this strategy aims to reject the quota system. In the past, Thai politics has been stuck in a quagmire of quotas based on political factions or powerful political houses, disregarding merit, which has prevented the country from progressing far within ASEAN. While the separation of the "executive" and "legislative" branches has been questioned by some within the party about whether ministers will be appointed, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Muhammad believes that competition based on policy and truly capable individuals in specific fields will provide a clearer picture for the public and lead to more constructive politics.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Muhammad also compared the Bhumjaithai Party, which emphasizes a team of technocrats such as Dr. Ekniti Nitithanpraphas, Ms. Supajee Suthamphan, and Mr. Sihasak Phuangketkaew, noting that the Bhumjaithai Party focuses on internal discussions and rarely releases policies for public scrutiny or debate. Furthermore, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Muhammad warned about the current issue of "digital footprint," where past information can be easily unearthed, citing cases like that of Ekniti and the Thai Airways rehabilitation plan, or the personal case of former Ambassador Phisarn. Modern politicians must be prepared to face this intense scrutiny.
However, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Muhammad believes that if political parties were to openly and transparently disclose their management teams and policies, it would benefit the public's decision-making and be a crucial step in transforming Thai politics from one dependent on individuals or influential groups to one driven by knowledge and competence.