Charter drafting assembly will cost Bt400m-Bt500m, deputy speaker says

The funds will come in two parts, from the fiscal 2012 and 2013 budgets. The amount to be taken from the fiscal 2012 budget would depend on when the CDA is established, as the fiscal year will end in about five months. The money would come from the Central Budget, which comprises funds not allocated to a specific agency. However, funding for the CDA in fiscal 2013 would be calculated and sought during Parliament’s Budget Bill debate, he said.

“Parliamentary officers are calculating the budget. It will be about Bt400-500 million. A CDA member will get the same salary as an MP. However, the Election Commission will request the budget for the CDA election from the Central Budget,” Charoen said.

Charoen yesterday said he planned to discuss the issue with the House Speaker and possibly the whips in order to make the parliamentary debate more effective.

He said government and opposition whips had had trouble reaching agreements lately, and that politicking had made parliamentary debate ineffective while many laws needed to be passed in the current session. 

Pheu Thai spokesman Prompong Nopparit said yesterday that the Pheu Thai MPs were asked not to counter-attack the Democrats or protest unless it is necessary, as it would delay the parliamentary debate – which is exactly what the Democrats want.

The second reading of the House-Senate joint session on constitutional amendment was halted last week due to the tsunami scare, and was scheduled to continue tomorrow and Thursday. The third reading was scheduled for May 8.

During last week’s debate, the Democrats attacked the government as trying to rush the charter amendment process within the current parliamentary session for their own sake and to favour former premier Thaksin Shinawatra.