D-Day for controversial bills
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Coalition chiefs to decide on course of action for charter and unity bills
Coalition leaders will decide today whether the government will push ahead with the constitutional amendment and the controversial reconciliation bills, the coalition chief whip said yesterday.
Udomdej Ratanasathien, who is also an MP from the ruling Pheu Thai Party, said that leaders of the coalition parties would meet this afternoon at the Miracle Grand Hotel to try to reach a conclusion about the contentious issues.
At their meeting yesterday, he said, the coalition whips agreed the government still had three options following the recent Constitution Court verdict on the charter-change case – amendment by articles, holding a public referendum on whether constitutional changes were necessary, and going ahead with voting in the final parliamentary reading on the government-sponsored amendment bill.
“However, whips are just coordinators among the coalition parties. The final decision will be made by leaders of the coalition parties,” Udomdej said.
He said some coalition whips expressed concern that the Constitution Court’s verdict that it has the power to accept for judicial review petitions against people accused of amending the charter with the goal of overthrowing the country’s democratic regime, would attract many more cases in the future.
Fear of possible legal action also could discourage supporters of constitutional amendment from voting for the bill in the third reading, the chief government whip said.
House Speaker Somsak Kiartsuranond yesterday voiced the idea of amending the Constitution by articles, which he said would be “the least problematic” among the options.
He said the budget of Bt1 billion allocated for a constitution drafting assembly, whose establishment is required under the government’s constitutional amendment bill, would be left intact as long as the bill has not been withdrawn.
“There should be no problem. The budget is just part of the preparation – just in case it is needed,” he said.
Two weeks after the court made its ruling on July 13, the government has yet to comply with the court’s judgement that amending the charter to allow writing of a new one could not be done without first holding a referendum to ask the public, as the current post-coup Constitution was supported by the majority in a popular vote.
Somsak said yesterday that, regarding the reconciliation bills, what he could do as House speaker was to suggest that they be postponed.
“My suggestion was that the bills should be delayed further, and not withdrawn. I insist that I am not doing it for any one person alone. I mainly look at the country’s benefit,” he said.
The speaker said that he has no power to order any of the proponents to withdraw their reconciliation bills.
Critics and the opposition have described the reconciliation bills, proposed separately by MP and ex-coup leader General Sonthi Boonyaratglin and Pheu Thai MPs, as an attempt to whitewash fugitive ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra, who is believed to be pulling the strings behind the ruling party.
Meanwhile, opposition chief whip Jurin Laksanavisit said yesterday the government was “buying time” by adopting a delaying tactic with its constitutional amendment bill and the four controversial reconciliation bills.
Jurin, who is a senior Democrat Party figure, suggested that in order to ensure peace and prevent a new round of political conflict, the government should withdraw those bills. He also called on Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra to get involved in a bid to solve the dispute.
“She should not just say that this is a matter for Parliament. Three of the four reconciliation bills are proposed by the Pheu Thai Party, in which the prime minister is part,” he said.
