Nitirat group wants 20 MPs on draft panel

The current Constitution of 2007 should be tossed aside because it was born out of the 2006 military coup, the group said during a seminar on “Nullifying the legality of the 2006 coup-granting amnesty and bringing about reconciliation” at Thammasat University.
The event was part of a campaign to amend Section 112 of the Criminal Code for lese majeste offences.
The Independent National Rule of Law Commission led by Ukrit Mongkolnavin has been insisting on a 34-member drafting panel, but the Nitirat group said MPs should be given the right to write the charter since they came from the people.
The committee should also include three elected senators and two appointed senators.
Worajet Pakirat, a member of the Nitirat group, said that when the draft was completed, a public referendum must be held and if the draft was rejected, the current charter could continue to be used.
The process to draft and legalise a replacement should take about nine months. It should be based on the charters of 1932 and 1997 because they were known to be the constitutions of the people and for the people, he added.
Piyabut Saengkanokkul, another Nitirat member, said the group disapproved of a charter drafting assembly with many members because it would be too unwieldy.
Thapanant Nipittakul, a group member, denied that the group was presenting suggestions that favour prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, saying its proposal was founded on righteousness.
“Thaksin can live 50-60 years but we want our ideology to last forever. If Thaksin causes problems, we can deal with him,’’ he said.