Activists call on court to halt Article 190 change
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A group of activists yesterday asked the Constitutional Court to halt the planned amendment of Article 190 of the charter, while an academic filed a complaint with police against the court's judges.
The United Front for Solving National Crises, led by Boworn Yasinthorn, submitted a petition to the Constitutional Court accusing the Parliament president and 315 MPs and senators of violating the charter in relation to the bill that seeks to amend Article 190. The change would remove the requirement that the government seek Parliament’s approval before establishing the framework of negotiations with foreign governments. The amendment was also aimed at freeing the government from having to hold public hearings on negotiations with foreign governments.
In the petition, Boworn’s group alleged that those pushing for the amendment had dishonest intentions; that the move would affect the public; and that it was against Article 68 of the Constitution. The group asked the court to issue an order to stop amendment process.
The bill to amend Article 190 and two other bills have passed their first readings and are pending deliberation in a second reading by Parliament.
In a related development, Worapol Prommikkabutr, a lecturer at Thammasat University in sociology and anthropology, filed a complaint with the Crime Suppres-sion Division against the Constitutional Court judges.
Worapol alleged the judges violated Article 166 of the Criminal Code by accepting a petition against the ongoing amendment of Article 68. He said Article 166 bars anyone from interfering with the work of the authorities and from damaging that work.
In a separate development, the House committee vetting charter amendment yesterday scrutinised the proposed amendment of provisions regarding the roles and responsibilities of senators.
A group of Democrat MPs and senators proposed that senators be deprived of some roles and responsibilities to prevent them from teaming up with MPs to launch an impeachment drive against the Supreme Court president. Democrats and senators agreed that not only should all senators be elected, but also that their roles and responsibilities be changed. Currently, some senators are appointed.
Democrat party-list MP Nipon Bunyamani said change was needed to prevent politicians from resorting to voting majorities to launch impeachment proceedings against officials in independent agencies and state agencies, such as the Supreme Court president.
Appointed Senator Weerawit Kongsak said the role of a senator is to balance the power of MPs if they join forces with other MPs to carry out any political activity, meaning the country’s checks and balances would run into a snag.
