ACADEMICS CALL FOR GRASSROOTS UNITY

       The public should to be calm and not give up hope while politicians negotiate for answers, Thammasat University's academics urged yesterday. In a seminar seeking solutions to Thailand's social, economic and political problems, Former Thammasat University rector Charnvit Kasetsiri, who is also a noted historian, said conditions for avoiding disaster included creating nationwide unity, especially at the grassroots level, and successful negotiation among the power holders: the capitalists, the elite and the middle class.
       Charnvit conceded the word 'negotiate" often had a negative meaning, referring to those groups who negotiate for their own power and benefits. But such negotiation is unavoidable.
       Charnvit also stressed the importance of change to the charter.
       "The Constitution must be amended and drafted as a new one - and its content must be truly democratic without hidden agendas to serve any [particular] groups of people," he said.
       The monarchy must remain the highest and most revered institution, not claimed for the interest of any particular group, he said. At the same time, the institutions of military, government officials and justice should stay away from politics and concentrate on national security, country development and preserve fairness and justice in society.
       All people, said Charnvit, should take less action and think more carefully.
       Praipol Koomsup, lecturer from the Faculty of Economics, said the government was coming from the right direction in increasing government spending to save the country's economy.
       But it should select investment in really useful and worthwhile projects, not luxurious or redundant ones - while prosperous individuals should spend their money to fertilise the economy.
       Praipol said evolving the country's economy to create its own brand, a more self-dependent and less export-dependent economy, was an alternative in the long run. But unless the country was ready with stable, strong and transparent politics, any attempts at change for the moment would be use?less and risky.
       "If the [political] system is not compatible, don't change [the economic focus]," he said.
       Thailand should remain focused on the food, electronics, automobile and jewelry industries as they are its strength, and it should turn more to markets within the region.
       Kasian Tejapira of the faculty of political science said the opposing red shirts and yellow shirts should look for areas where their ideologies overlap. A country governed by the extreme of either ideology would not be able to survive, he said.