Charter drafters agree to merge NHRC with Ombudsman
Constitution Drafting Committee yesterday merged the National Human Rights Commission and the Ombudsman to "benefit the people".
The CDC said merging these two organisations would make their work more efficient, with a selection committee to appoint the 11 members of the new entity.
“The CDC decided to elevate the status of the NHRC and the Ombudsman under the name Ombudsman and the protection of people’s rights for the benefit of the people,” said CDC president Borwornsak Uwanno.
He said members of the general public could be among the 11 members and they could report to Parliament publicly when a government official did not abide by one of their proposals. This would give it substantial teeth, he said.
Borwornsak said the management of the organisation would be stated in organic law but as the drafting process was still not finished, the CDC was still open for suggestions from agencies.
CDC spokesman Kamnoon Sidhisamarn said this topic was scrutinised under the provisional constitution’s Article 35 in section two, in which the necessity of strengthening organisations under the charter was stipulated.
He believed the move could strengthen freedom.
