NRC to debate rewritten version of draft charter
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The latest draft of the new constitution presented to the National Reform Council (NRC) contains some adjustments, including a requirement that party-list MP candidates could only be elected if they received more votes than the "No" vote - people who di
The draft also includes permission being given for Senate candidates to publicly campaign – but under strict regulations, which differ from those for MPs.
The revelations came after the NRC on Friday received copies of the latest version of the draft charter from the Constitution Drafting Committee (CDC). No more than 150 NRC members are expected to take the floor in a five-day debate to vet the new draft charter, starting tomorrow.
Each NRC member will have 15 minutes to address two issues.
General Ekachai Srivilas, second deputy chair of the NRC’s political reform committee, said no particular framework had been set to shape the debate although 18 issues had been chosen that touched on the structure of the political system. The topics are now being revamped, said Ekachai.
Wanchai Sornsiri, spokesman for the political reform committee, said emphasis would be placed on members with similar speech topics speaking after one another to make the debate cogent.
He added that the final decision on whether to recommend that charter drafters amend some points and articles in the draft constitution would depend on how well the CDC members were successful in
explaining and defending their positions.
The amendment to the requirement governing the election of party-list candidates mirrors the constituency-based MP system.
In another adjustment, the committee that would vet elected Senate candidates so they represent the quota of each provinces has been renamed the Screening Committee so that its members would appear to be elected and independent – not appointed.
The time required for the quorum of Senate members that was 85 per cent of the total Senate members to convene its first meeting was extended from 180 days to 190 days.
One of the duties of Senate members, to vet the suitability of those nominated to become a permanent secretary, a director-general, or their equivalent, has been removed in the latest draft version of the charter. Senate members’ duty to vet those nominated to be appointed as Cabinet members has been retained, however.
Some of the CDC’s proposals have drawn strong criticism from activists and rival political parties, which have not ruled out election boycotts, Reuters reported.
“Now isn’t the time to say whether or not we’ll run for elections,” said Pheu Thai Party politician Samart Kaewmeechai, a former lawmaker.
“There’s still time for the CDC to fix a major part – to make it a democracy that can be accepted by all sides,” he told Reuters.
Controversial amnesty clause
One controversial clause is an amnesty covering last May’s coup. A similar bill proposed in 2013 by the then-ruling Pheu Thai to forgive most political-related offences committed in the wake of the last putsch in 2006 triggered months of mass protests and eventually a military take-over.
Another contentious issue is a clause allowing an individual not elected via the ballot box to become prime minister, providing he/she has two-thirds house support.
Some analysts believe the article is designed to allow Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha to stay in charge beyond an election that is expected in 2016. Prayut, the general who led the coup, on Friday reiterated he had no desire to cling on to power.
NRC member Direk Tuengfung said the constitution in its current form would stir more trouble. “If you only want committees to be happy and don’t listen to anyone, there will be problems,” he told Reuters.
“From what I see from each political party, none of them want it and that could affect the next elections.
