Citizens 'can halt state projects'
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CHARTER WILL PROVIDE FOR ACTION AGAINST SCHEMES 'INTERFERING WITH PRIVATE BODIES'
CONSTITUTION DRAFTERS yesterday agreed to give citizens the right to seek the suspension of state projects through the courts – something that did not exist in previous charters.
The Constitution Drafting Committee (CDC), on the fifth day of going through the draft article by article, mainly discussed fundamental state policies.
A CDC member stressed that the clause “the state must adhere to concrete standard procedures” would be inserted in the new constitution.
In response, a member of the subcommittee in charge of writing the charter draft said forcing the state to perform any tasks must be done in accordance with the state administration.
However, the subcommittee It was explained by a subcommittee that if the state was suspected of violating its authority by interfering with private agencies, the public should be able to file a complaint with the Administrative Court.
Moreover, if the state’s actions fit the above criteria, the public could file a complaint with the court to have a state project suspended.
The CDC agreed with the subcommittee and will insert this article in the new charter.
The highlight topic of civilian rights was also mentioned again yesterday when strengthening public participation in political legal arenas was discussed.
The drafters claim the new constitution will aim to empower citizens by allowing them to acknowledge access information on government policies, not only in the country but also internationally, and scrutinise laws that directly affect them.
Article 82 from the 2007 Constitution that was scrapped by the junta when it seized power last year was also mentioned. It says the state should cooperate with other countries including obeying human-rights treaties, with one CDC member calling on the treaties to be defined to help the public understand them.
The CDC decided not to do that, with its president reasoning that Thailand is not big enough to do that.
On Thursday, the drafters discussed the impeachment article in relation to civilians requesting that the president of the Senate impeach politicians, including those who are no longer active politicians, if 20,000 signatures are obtained.
Yesterday the committee also considered Article 78 of the 2007 charter, with one member suggested that the state eradicate inequality by creating a system to prevent corruption and decentralising government by empowering local administrations.
In relation to the state’s policies topic, a One drafter said more focus should be placed on decentralisation and more of the central budget allocated to local administrations. Another CDC member opposed this, saying that issues other than decentralisation should also be the focus.
CDC president Borwornsak Uwanno intervened by suggesting that this proposal would go through and stating that this topic would be explained clearly once it was time to write it into law.
When the drafting process nears the end, Thailand Post will provide the CDC with post boxes for the public to make charter proposals.
Borwornsak said this would benefit national reform too.
