Process of choosing CDA experts kicked off
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House Speaker Somsak Kiatsuranont has started making advance preparations for the selection of 22 members of the Constitution Drafting Assembly (CDA) from a pool of academics and professionals.
Somsak made his decision yesterday even though the second reading for the charter amendment bill related to the formation of the CDA is still incomplete.
House of Representatives secretary-general Pithoon Phumhiran will oversee the selection process, such as naming the organisations qualified to nominate candidates, Somsak’s aide Wattana Sengpairoh said.
“By designating Pithoon for the selection process, concerns about the House Speaker and his Pheu Thai Party dominating the nominations should be allayed,” Wattana said.
He added that advance preparations for the selection process would pre-empt any moves to delay the formation of the CDA through litigation about the nominations. In reaction to his assignment, Pithoon said he was looking into relevant provisions on the selection process.
He said that as part of the preparations, he would draw up a plan to kick-start the operations of the selection committee immediately after the charter-change legislation is passed.
The plan will also cover the budget that is needed to finance the CDA’s operations, he said.
He also said he did not believe his duties would include having to check each CDA candidate’s qualifications, adding that this task would be handled by a separate panel that is appointed by Somsak later.
Meanwhile, Prapun Naigowit, a member of the Election Commission, said the EC had started writing up regulations for the election of CDA members after a House-Senate meeting agreed to use the Election Act for MPs and the rules on choosing senators to elect the CDA.
