PM returns to a new deadline - a fresh CDC in 5 days

He met with many world leaders, from the West and the East alike, including US President Barack Obama, Chinese President Xi Jinping, and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

Prayut also received the ITU Global Sustainable Digital Development Award from the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). And he stepped on to the stage to accept on behalf of Thailand the rotating chairmanship of the Group of 77 for 2016-17.

A highlight of the prime minister’s trip, in terms of international politics, was his meeting with the UN secretary-general. General Prayut explained to the UN chief about the road map set by his government and the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO). He told Ban that Thailand would hold the next general election in mid-2017. That was a promise given to the world community and it must not be broken.

Before the election in the middle of 2017, General Prayut has at least two tasks to be completed. He has to finish them shortly after returning to Thailand later this week, so that the second stage of the road map will continue as planned. 

The first task is to appoint members of a new constitution drafting committee (CDC). The post-coup interim charter states that the NCPO must appoint new constitution drafters within 30 days after the demise of the previous CDC – that is no later than October 5, 2015.

The new CDC will consist of one chairman and no more than 20 other members. They are required to draft a new constitution within 180 days after being appointed.

The second task for General Prayut, as prime minister, involves the appointment of members of the Reform Movement Council, to replace the National Reform Council (NRC) within 30 days after the NRC’s becoming defunct – that is also no later than October 5. The new reform council has no more than 200 members and they have the duty of effecting reforms in different areas after receiving the baton from the NRC.

The media has paid much attention to the question of who will become chairman of the new CDC. Former Senate speaker Meechai Ruchuphan and former prime minister Anand Panyarachun have been the leading candidates to take the seat. However, the 77-year-old legal expert, Meechai, appears to have an edge now.

Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam, who is in charge of the government’s legal affairs, said recently that Meechai had asked for information to help him make his decision as to whether or not to assume leadership of the new CDC. Meechai wanted to know who would be appointed as new constitution drafters, according to Wissanu. And Meechai had requested a meeting with General Prayut before making his decision.

“Meechai wanted to know who would become members of the new CDC. He wanted to get a rough idea about the possible line-up of the members and their backgrounds. I told him that he might suggest some candidates to the prime minister. Meechai responded that he would then prefer to talk with the prime minister about that,” Wissanu said.

After returning from the US, Prayut definitely will have a meeting with Meechai to discuss this matter. He may let Meechai see the list of candidates with him to help the veteran legal expert decide whether to accept the chairmanship of the new CDC.

However, if Meechai decides to reject the offer after seeing the list of candidates, the prime minister may already have a solution. Wissanu said that three to four persons had been approached for the chairman’s seat. He declined to identify those individuals and he insisted that they should not be called “substitutes”.

Within six days we will know who are appointed as new constitution drafters and members of the new reform body. Let’s wait and see if many of them are familiar faces or not. At least some are likely to be from the former CDC and NRC.