Thanks, again, to Patiwat, for drawing our attention to a key political statement, this time from “respected intellectual” Prawase Wasi. The Nation carries a summary of Prawase’s manifesto for what I like to call “sufficiency democracy“:

The new constitution should reduce the power and number of MPs and help bureaucrats be independent from politicians, respected intellectual Dr Prawase Wasi suggested yesterday. Prawase said society had to admit that politicians – who are elected to represent the people – create problems.”They neither have the knowledge nor the competency. They are only interested in making connections in order to get into the House. It is more suitable to call them election winners,” he said. MPs or politicians should not be empowered to be executives. “Their role should be limited to writing policies.”

Prawase said the new constitution should reduce the number of MPs in each province to the basic necessity. The structure of power should be increased from the three branches of government. The House and law courts should have at least five to six branches including a bureaucratic branch.

“I propose that bureaucrats should be independent from politicians, who can no longer be removed or transferred from the post, because if the bureaucrats are strong, they can keep a check on politicians,” he said.

MPs did not need to work at the ministries – they could stay at the House to work on policies, he said. Permanent secretaries, director generals and high-ranking ministry officials should work under limited terms and be protected from being sacked. A national selection body should be established to select bureaucrats to the executive posts. Representatives from the media, the education sector, the law and other institutions could apply to be part of the selection body.

If politicians focus on writing policies, what will intellectuals (respected and otherwise) like Prawase have to do?