Charter panel does not support direct election of Cabinet, PM

The committee yesterday maintained the previous system authorising the Lower House to elect the head of government was preferable.

“We will use the same old system as in the 2007 constitution to have the House of Representatives elect the prime minister and approve Cabinet members, said Suchit Bunbongkarn, head of the panel on state policy, Parliament and Cabinet.

However, a minority in the subcommittee reserved their right to debate the proposal for direct election of the PM in a general meeting of the CDC, he said.

Directly electing the prime minister and Cabinet would make the government too strong if a monopoly of power was held by ruling politicians, he said.

Israel once adopted a system to directly elect the PM but changed it later, believing it led to too strong a premiership, Suchit said.

He said that directly electing the head of government, as in the presidential system in the US, might not fit Thai political culture.

In regard to elections, Suchit said the subcommittee proposed to reduce the number of MPs in the House of Representatives to 350 from both party list and constituencies. The smaller number of MPs may enable the Lower House to work more efficiently, he said.

The Senate membership would comprise elected and selected senators, he said, and noted a selection committee for the Senate would include representatives of civil society. The Senate would retain its power to impeach office-holders in executive branches as in the previous charter, he said.

“These are proposals. They could be changed later when the CDC makes its final decision,” Suchit said.

The CDC yesterday held a meeting with all 10 sub-committees assigned to collect ideas and proposals from members to put in the constitution. 

CDC spokesman Khamnoon Sitthisaman said the meeting assigned Kanchanarat Leeviroj, who is now secretary of the CDC, to chair a subcommittee to write the text of the charter. CDC chief Bowornsak Uwanno, who is a law expert and familiar with constitution drafting, would act as an adviser to the writing subcommittee. Other writers included law expert Banjerd Singkaneti.

Kanchanarat said she would collect all elements, ideas and proposals from all subcommittees and members of the CDC to draft the charter. The constitution, she would draft, would be clear and accurate in all details, she said.

The National Reform Council would consider the framework and elements of the constitution next week, Khamnoon said.

On the subject of an amnesty, which was earlier proposed by a CDC member, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said any amnesty declaration would not ignite more conflict in the country. 

But when asked if it was necessary to have an amnesty for reconciliation, Prayut said the two issues were separate. “No need to link them. If you want reconciliation you can, and we don’t need any reason. But the amnesty is about the law and I don’t have any suggestions on that matter.