NRC rejects push for 'outsiders'
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Borwornsak fears it may look like new charter just penned by 'winners'
The National Reform Council (NRC) yesterday voted overwhelmingly against the idea of nominating non-NRC members as drafters of the new constitution.
NRC members voted 175:39 to shoot down a proposal from the council’s temporary whips to nominate five “outsiders” – in addition to 15 NRC members – for the Constitution Drafting Committee (CDC). Five NRC members abstained.
As a result of the vote, the NRC will only nominate its own members for the CDC. According to the interim charter, the NRC is allowed to nominate 20 of the 36 CDC members, with the remainder to be chosen by the National Legislative Assembly (NLA), the Cabinet and the National Council for Peace and Order.
NRC vice president Borwornsak Uwanno and Democrat Party politician Alongkorn Ponlaboot were behind the idea of nominating non-NRC members.
Borwornsak told the meeting yesterday that in a move to ensure fairness to all and more widespread support for the new charter, drafters should come from as many groups as possible, especially those who were involved in the long-standing conflict that preceded the May 22 coup.
He suggested the NRC nominate five outsiders – one each from the three largest political parties, namely Pheu Thai, the Democrats and Chart Thai Pattana, as well as two from the People’s Democratic Reform Committee and the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship.
“We should allow people involved in the conflict to have a say in drafting the new constitution. I don’t want people to think that the new charter and the new rules are just written by ‘winners’ who are not elected by the people,” Borwornsak said.
‘Don’t make things tough’
He went on to say that new rules should not be written in such a way that the “winners” make things tough for the “losers”, referring to those currently in power and politicians from the ousted government.
However, many NRC members disagreed with the idea of outsiders joining the CDC, saying nominating non-NRC members, especially those involved in the political conflict, may negatively affect the drafting the new charter and could even lead to a new round of discord.
In a related development, NLA vice president Surachai Liengboonlertchai said yesterday that the assembly would nominate five of its members for the CDC.
“No outsiders will be nominated under NLA’s quota,” he stressed, adding that the assembly would meet today to finalise the list of nominees.
Surachai added that CDC members should have political and administrative experience that is relevant to the task. Also, they should have a background related to public law and not be linked to a political party.
A source said the NLA members most likely to be nominated as charter drafters are General Somjet Boonthanom, Pattarasak Wannasang, Kanchanarat Leeviroj, Chookiat Rattanacharnchai, and Thaweesak Sutakawatin or Wuthisak Larp-charoenpol.
