Listening to public crucial to charter's acceptance: Ombudsman

Siracha said some CDC members had complained to him about what they see as the committee chairman’s “dictatorial” behaviour and his tendency to impose his personal opinions on people at meetings. 

“If they think the chairman |is not doing his job properly, |then CDC members should have the courage to stand up for themselves,” he said. He said Borwornsak Uwanno should be reminded of the responsibility he carried as CDC chairman, and that the charter-drafting process should be based on people’s views rather than his own views in order to avoid future conflict. 

He said Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha might have selected the wrong CDC chairman, because there were many things being put into the charter derived from pure theory without practical experimentation. 

This may lead to problems in the future or the charter might not be passed in a referendum, he said. 

Meanwhile, CDC spokesman Kamnoon Sidhisamarn denied reports that charter drafters had set up a meeting with National Reform Council members for backroom wheeling and dealing ahead of their official meetings to debate the draft between April 20 and 26. 

He said the meeting was requested by NRC members so they could express their opinions.

The NRC is scheduled to debate the final constitution draft before proposing recommendations to the CDC for review. 

The drafters have 60 days to consider the proposals before submitting the new charter to the NRC for approval.

According to the provisional charter of 2014 imposed by the junta after it seized power, if the NRC votes to reject the new permanent charter, both the NRC and CDC will be dissolved and the process of drafting a new constitution will go back to Square 1.

Borwornsak and fellow CDC member Suchit Bunbongkarn have insisted that the controversial provisions in Section 2 of the charter on political structure, political parties and politicians should not be amended, despite contrasting views from some NRC members. 

The new constitution will see the establishment of a National Reconciliation Committee, which will have the power to propose pardons. 

There have been reports that it could pave the way for former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra being pardoned as part of the junta’s reconciliation plan.

But Kamnoon said that would not happen, as the purpose of the National Reconciliation Committee was to propose pardons for people who acknowledged their guilt and had provided valuable information that could contribute to national reconciliation.

Only a small proportion of convicts will be given pardons, he said.