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310 Soraj Hongladarom

a country that is less bound to the past while still retaining its own
cultural identity. An example can be seen from a particular thread,
“The king said new constitution is acceptable.” The thread started
from an important event in recent Thai history, when the King
signed the new constitution into law. Discussion then ensued in SCT
concerning the new constitution. Naturally the discussants hoped
that the new constitution would bring a new era in Thai politics, an
era when the old dirty, vote-buying, voters-bullying, raw power poli-
tics would be over. There were some disagreements, however. One
rather controversial point in the new constitution concerns the qual-
ifications of those who are to enter politics. Candidates for parlia-
mentary election are now required to possess a minimum of a
bachelor’s degree. The rationale of the Constitution Drafting Assem-
bly, the organization responsible for drafting the new charter, was
clearly to react against the current situation where many powerful
MPs and hence cabinet members do not have the necessary knowl-
edge and skills for running the country. As a result, these leaders
often act as if they represent their constituencies only and do not
have a broader view of the country as a whole.
However, a significant number of SCT members voiced their dis-
agreement with the clause. A member, Prapasri Rajatapiti, writes:

That the one issue I have been strongly opposing for the
new constitution. I for one believe these articles to be very
discriminatory. I believe that as long as one can read and
write, one can serve as an MP. Education is only compul-
sary up to grade 6. How can we tell these people who did
not have the chance to go to school, and was told that it
was OK then (since it is not compulsary), that now they
won’t have a chance to be MP or senator unless they go
back to school. Formal education is only 1 form of educa-
tion, not all. 2

As usual for threads of discussion, Prapasri’s argument did not go
unopposed. Another contributor, giving only his personal name,
Tirachart, raised exactly the same point as the CDA on the ability of
undereducated politicians to run the country:

Hello;

It’s about time to change or else Mr. Cow and Mr. Kwai will
be minister of something. Does it make you happy to see the