'Martial law won't muzzle opinions'
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CDC member says it should not hinder gathering of people's views for charter
Opinion is split on whether the imposition of martial law and media censorship will hinder the prospect of the people drafting the new charter.
Thawilwadee Bureekul, a Constitutional Drafting Committee (CDC) member, responded to public criticism over the junta’s interference with the Thai PBS programme on national reform, saying the issue would not affect the ad hoc committee’s work collecting people’s opinions on the charter.
“I am confident that people will not be afraid to express their opinion because they won’t be worried about the consequences,” she said.
She said the junta’s recent action in response to the Thai PBS show would ultimately benefit the constitution drafting process by not permitting people to point fingers and criticise one another.
The CDC member said she sympathised with those who had called for the lifting of martial law, as it would clear the way for stages where people could express their opinions.
However, she was also aware of the security aspect because the lifting of martial law might lead to security issues.
Ekkarat Changlao, a National Reform Council (NRC) member, said the junta’s censorship of the Thai PBS programme would create additional complications when collecting the public’s opinions because people might become cautious.
The NRC and CDC are now collecting people’s opinions on the charter.
A subcommittee and ad hoc committee members for the NRC and CDC respectively have been appointed to engage with the public.
Thawilwadee, who is also chairman of ad hoc committee for people’s engagement and opinion, said there must be definitive rules and processes that are in accordance with martial law when collecting opinions.
She said any political forum and gathering of more than five people must have junta permission.
Ekkarat Changlao, NRC member from Khon Kaen, said the body had concluded following a meeting that regional subcommittees would be appointed to collect people’s opinions on the drafting of the charter.
Ekkarat said there would be two subcommittees for each region, although the northeastern region might have three due to its larger population.
He said NRC provincial members had proposed having a 15-member subcommittee for each province that would be chaired by NRC provincial members.
However, some NRC members objected to the proposal because they viewed the working framework as inefficient and as a result the subcommittees would comprise regional members.
Akanat Promphan, a People’s Democratic Reform Committee spokesman, said he welcomed the opportunity to express an opinion on drafting the new constitution.
Akanat said PDRC representatives that included Satit Wongnongtoey and Thaworn Senneam would meet with the CDC on November 25.
He said key PDRC proposals would mostly centre on political reform, including political party reform, the revision of the party-list member system, the decentralisation of power, involving the public more in the political process, and corruption regulation.
The spokesman said the continued imposition of martial law did not provide obstacles for both the PDRC and the red shirts.
The junta was likely to be flexible in relation to political party meetings so they could appoint representatives to engage with the CDC, he added.
