CDC panel sets up framework for gathering public opinion
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A Constitution Drafting Committee (CDC) panel has come up with guidelines on gathering public opinion for drafting the new charter.
The CDC’s subcommittee on public participation and hearing, chaired by Thawilwadee Bureekul, convened its first meeting yesterday to discuss the matter. After the meeting, she said the subcommittee’s key tasks were to study, analyse and comply with CDC’s orders.
Thawilwadee, who is also a member of the National Reform Council (NRC), said the subcommittee would meet once a week to perform its duties on four stages, namely:
- Helping people initiate constitution-drafting issues;
- Listening to people’s opinions on other issues;
- Passing their opinions on to the 18 NRC subcommittees; and
- Helping people become the owners of the new constitution.
She also said that taking into account the 18 NRC subcommittees, her sub-panel would follow the following framework on the matter:
- Creating a platform for discussing the drafting of the constitution;
- Forming a specific platform for juveniles, children and ethnic groups;
- Opening a forum for people to propose their issues of interest;
- Providing relevant information via media in order to prompt people’s participation; and
- Creating a questionnaire covering crucial issues and getting it answered by people before the charter is completed.
Meanwhile, National Reform Council (NRC) president Thienchai Kiranan yesterday officially opened a centre to accept public opinions about reforms. His deputies Borwornsak Uwanno and Tassana Boonthong along with some other members of the council were also present at the ceremony held in the Parliament.
Thienchai said the NRC had an urgent mission to gather public views on reform for relevant agencies, namely the CDC, the National Legislative Assembly, the Cabinet and the National Council for Peace and Order.
He said the motto for the centre was “Sharing Ideas to Rebuild Thailand, Uniting for the Future”, adding that it welcomed opinions from all groups of people and would respond to as many issues as it could.
“We have no framework and no predetermined goal that is in favour or against anyone. No opinion submitted will be wasted,” he said.
People can send their opinions via the 1743 hotline, PO Box 999 Parliament, e-mail at [email protected], Line ID nrc57public, and Facebook.
