Opposition boycotts deal on charter debate

Chief opposition whip Jurin Laksanavisit (Democrat Party) told a press conference at Parliament that the boycott was called because the government had failed to comply with agreements reached at recent tripartite whips’ meetings.

He cited a similar meeting where an agreement was reached on the framework for the recent parliamentary debate on the government’s four executive decrees for post-flood borrowing of Bt350 billion. Jurin said the agreement – particularly the part involving the time allocated to opposition MPs – was ignored by government MPs, who took advantage of their voting majority to end the debate early, effectively silencing many opposition MPs.

Jurin said the Opposition wanted government assurances that the same thing would not happen during the upcoming parliamentary debate.

House Speaker Somsak Kiartsuranont, who is the ex-officio Parliament president, has scheduled tomorrow for parliamentary deliberation of three bills seeking amendment of Article 291 of the Constitution to allow establishment of a Constitution drafting assembly. The bills were separately proposed by the Cabinet, the ruling Pheu Thai Party, and the coalition Chart Thai Pattana Party.

Other drafts presented by the civic sector, including the red shirts, were also submitted, but were not included in the upcoming debate, as identity verification for the several thousands of signatories was deemed too time-consuming.

Coalition and senatorial whips yesterday agreed to schedule tomorrow and Friday for joint sittings of the two Houses on the bills to amend the Constitution. It was agreed that the Senate, the Opposition, and the coalition would be each given eight hours of debating time, according to Pheu Thai MP Chonnan Srikaew, who is secretary to the coalition whips.

He said one hour and 30 minutes would be allocated for proponents of the three separate bills to present their drafts before Parliament.

Coalition MP Chonnan said that a 45-member vetting committee would be set up, with 10 members from the Senate and 35 from the Lower House – 19 from Pheu Thai, 11 Democrats, two from Bhum Jai Thai, and one each from Chart Thai Pattana, Chart Pattana, and Palang Chon.

Meanwhile, Law Reform Committee chairman Kanit na Nakorn sent a letter to the Parliament president, asking that the debate on Constitutional amendment be postponed to allow time for drafts from the civic sector to be deliberated. The letter also mentioned that the Constitution drafting assembly should consist of people from various groups, and that other amendment drafts should be included in parliamentary deliberation.