Contentious issues on the NRC agenda

Some contentious reform issues will come up today for three days of deliberation by the National Reform Council, which will decide on whether to accept 246 recommendations from 18 reform sub-panels.

Among the controversial proposals expected to see heated debate are the direct election of the prime minister and the Cabinet and the make-up of Parliament and changes to the election system.

The NRC is scheduled to officially forward the reform proposals to Borwornsak Uwanno, chairman of the Constitution Drafting Committee, on Friday. 

The NRC is responding to provision 31 of the interim charter, which stipulates that the NRC must present its recommendations to the CDC within 60 days after its first meeting held on September 19.

To bring about national reconciliation, strict control is proposed against hate speech disseminated through the media to prevent ill-intentioned and politically vested interest groups from instigating political conflicts and sowing national division that has taken place since 2004.

The establishment of a state agency is proposed to nurture national reconciliation and end political conflicts. 

The proposals on press freedom emphasise that freedom comes with great responsibility. The media would be protected against the domination, influence and interference of capitalists and against state control.

Under one of the proposals, during a run-up to the general election, a neutral Cabinet would carry on as a caretaker government to prevent an elected government from ill-treating MP candidates or any unjustified actions to gain political leverage. The permanent secretaries of every ministry will act as caretaker minister. They will elect from among themselves a caretaker PM. 

If a permanent secretary is chosen as PM, a deputy permanent secretary from that ministry will take over as caretaker minister. A caretaker PM has the authority to seek royal endorsement for the appointment of an elected PM. The public can gather signatures to seek the impeachment of politicians and sponsor bills, which must be tabled for its first reading three months after Parliament accepts the bill for consideration. 

They are allowed greater power to check the government’s projects and policies.

Although politicians will still be punished if they commit election fraud such as vote-buying, political parties will not be dissolved unless they commit grave offence against the monarchy, democracy, national security and the national interest.

Parliament will consist of upper and lower houses. The Lower House will comprise 350 MPs elected through only a constituency system, as there will be no party-list system. A constituency can have up to three MP candidates. One voter can vote for one MP candidate. The first three candidates with the most votes win the seats in that constituency.

The Senate is made up of two parts. Voters directly elect 77 senators from 77 provinces and 77 senators are appointed by legally established professional organisations and other professions. 

One of the reform panels has also proposed setting up a court to hear consumer-related cases and establish a national committee to evaluate and recruit high executives in state agencies. 

Another proposal is to set up an independent agency – the Parliament Budget Office – with duties to recommend financial and disciplinary policies and evaluate political parties’ election campaign policies.

On finance and budgeting, more public disclosure is underlined for auction, procurement and other procedures. A parallel system of function-based budgeting and area-based budgeting is proposed to increase public participation and decision-making in the use of natural resources.

To respond to local needs and solve local problems, output/result-oriented budgeting is proposed. A new national agency is proposed to promote local administrative organisations and balance power between local and central governments. 

To reform the justice system, a committee is proposed to be in charge of annual reshuffles, transfers and assignments of police to prevent political interference and domination in the agency. The National Police will be decentralised at both central and local levels.

Cases involving politicians must be tried at the Supreme Court’s Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions. The Supreme Court will appoint five judges to hear each case. Nine judges are to be appointed to the Constitutional Court for one six-year term.