Abhisit slams proposal to include crisis panel in charter

 He said the matter should be left up to the new Constitution Drafting Committee (CDC) to decide, so it would have the chance to be endorsed in a referendum.
Abhisit warned that stubbornness in pushing for a draft charter similar to the one that has already been rejected by the National Reform Council could lead to deeper conflicts and prompt allegations that the current powers that be are seeking to keep their hold on power even after elections.

Abhisit said that an NSRRC would create a state within a state, and would increase conflicts and create problems, so the idea should be abandoned.

The Democrat chief urged for calm consideration of the matter by the yet-to-be-appointed CDC, because the majority of people want to see a charter that is able to solve old problems, while pushing for inclusion of the NSRRC in the new charter would risk repeating an old mistake.

The court, independent agencies and the people, said Abhisit, are most suited to scrutinise the draft charter. Even if there were to be an NSRRC under the new draft charter, the limits of its power must be clearly spelled out – for instance, it should not be able to propose any reform that would be binding. He added that no reform should be carried out without the endorsement of executive and legislative branches.

Abhisit also asked how the NSRRC could solve problems during a crisis, because, in the end, it would have to depend on the police and the military operating under martial law.

“I liked it [Prime Minister] Prayut [Chan-o-cha] when he said reconciliation can only be achieved when law is enforced and its violators are punished. Any discussion of the new charter is possible only when it is clearly laid out. Problems of previous charters need to be addressed. Writing it the old way won’t help us make progress.”

He pointed out that in order for it to pass a referendum, the draft charter must convince the public, adding that the second round of drafting will face more pressure as nobody wants to see another rejection.

Separately, Surachai Liengboon-lertchai, vice president of the National Legislative Assembly, said outsiders may be appointed to the CDC. He admitted that it would be difficult to find willing drafters, because they would be banned from holding any political position for two years.