Samart elected chair for vetting charter change
The 45-member panel tasked with vetting the charter amendment bill convened its first meeting on Wednesday and elected Pheu Thai MP Samart Kaewmechai as chairman.
The panel members include senators and coalition and opposition MPs. They have a 30-day deadline to complete scrutiny of the bill before the second and third readings to pave way for the formation of the Constitution Drafting Assembly.
Samart will be assisted by four deputies, Somchart Phanphat from the Senate, Pirapan Salirathavibhaga from the Democrat Party, Phiraphan Phalusuk from the Pheu Thai Party and Ruangsak Ngarmsompak from the Bhum Jai Thai Party.
Before the panel meeting, Democrat MP Suthas Ngernmuen called for the vetting of draft provisions to spell out a clear framework on charter change.
The charter rewrite should not touch on provisions related to the monarchy or independent organisations, he said, adding that the panel should make sure the CDA would not have an ulterior motive to amend the charter for partisan and vested interests.
