PDRC backs outsiders for charter panel

Akanat said the PDRC would put a proposal to the Constitution Drafting Committee (CDC) on what the new charter should look like and will watch the whole process closely.

The PDRC spokesperson said there were valid reasons to have five outsiders appointed as CDC members, as it could make the composition of the committee more diverse. 

He suggested the names of legal scholars like Banjerd Sinkaneti and Amorn Chandrasomboon as possible qualified outsiders who could be appointed by the NRC as charter drafters.

Akanat acknowledged that since martial law was still being imposed, the PDRC members could not convene a large meeting to discuss the new charter and what it should look like. He said, however, that the PDRC was holding a series of small meetings to discuss the matter and would forward its recommendations to the CDC.

 

‘Reform Council already diverse’

NRC member Wanchai Sornsiri, meanwhile, predicted that the NRC would turn down the idea of appointing five outsiders under its quota of the 20 charter drafters. 

He claimed that more NRC members supported the idea of having all 20 drafters from the Reform Council’s quota being chosen from its own members. 

The decision will be made tomorrow when the NRC meets. He acknowledged, however, that the NRC’s ad-hoc whip has 11 votes versus eight in support of picking five outsiders.

Wanchai argued that the NRC was already diverse, with people from opposing sides of politics, so there was no need to bring in outsiders.

In a related development, the National Legislative Assembly is due to convene on Thursday to select five charter drafters under its quota. 

It will also discuss whether to pass a new law that would increase the penalty for sex offenders against minors. A new draft bill will seek to impose a penalty of four to 20 years’ imprisonment for those found raping children aged below 15.