CDC split over referendum on parts of charter
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MEMBERS of the Constitutional Drafting Committee (CDC) have differing opinions on whether a referendum should be held on some parts of the new charter - or whether a poll would need to approve or reject the entire draft charter.
The debate has arisen from the fact that some of the charter’s provisions are more controversial than others; hence there are calls to have a referendum on only certain controversial issues in order to save time in returning the country to democracy and civilian government.
However, some members also prefer the junta administration to stay on in office if its administrative performance is satisfactory.
CDC member Buntoon Srethasirote said the proposal to have a referendum on parts or specific articles in the charter was not restrained by law.
And although there were critics who viewed that the proposal could be problematic since articles and parts were connected to one another, Buntoon said he did not see that as a difficulty because those linked parts or provisions could be grouped together.
National Legislative Assembly (NLA) vice president Peerasak Porjit said the proposal offered a good alternative option because referendum results pointed to only certain parts or provisions that needed to be amended.
CDC member Wuthisak La rp-charoensup said a charter referendum should be on the whole drafted version because the process of educating the public on how each part or provision of the charter was connected could be complicated and challenging.
CDC vice-chairman Suchit Bunbongkarn said a referendum on parts of the charter could not be held because rejection of certain parts of the charter could affect the others.
Meanwhile, the National Reform Council (NRC)’s political reform panel chairman, Sombat Thamrongthanya-wong, said he would hold a public forum on political reform on May 15, in order to put together a proposal on charter amendments to CDC president Borwornsak Uwanno.
Leaders of political parties, academics and various sectors of the public have all been invited to join the forum to give their opinions.
Former People’s Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) leader Suthep Thaugsuban, who is now in the monkhood, said if the country benefited more under the junta administration then there was nothing wrong with it staying in power for another three to five years.
