New CDC chair to beat same drum

As chairman of the new Constitution Drafting Committee, Meechai yesterday said the new charter must correspond with the problems facing the country.

However, the new CDC may revive certain controversial provisions from the charter draft rejected by the National Reform Council, given remarks by some junta members. 

A National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) member said there is a need for the new constitution to be drafted by the new drafting committee to maintain the National Strategic Reform and Reconciliation Committee (NSRRC). Its form might be adjusted but its essential role would be the same as mentioned in the previous draft by Borwornsak Uwanno’s team, he said.

The Strategic Committee would be authorised to take over executive power to end a crisis whenever it deemed a government could not function, he said. 

Justice Minister Paiboon Koomchaya confirmed that the NSRRC would exist in the new draft of the charter in order to push ahead with reform agendas. It would be a mechanism to save the country from crisis and maintain reconciliation, he told the ‘Hour26’ television program at Now26 station. 

After days of anticipation, Meechai’s chairmanship was officially confirmed yesterday after a 90-minute meeting of the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) at the Baan Kesakomol government guesthouse, which also serves as the NCPO’s meeting place.

In response to suggestions that his CDC may not be independent, Meechai said: “I don’t think anyone can write a constitution totally in the way you like. It’s not for your own household’s use, it’s for people around the whole country.”

The CDC chairman said there must be a framework to the charter drafting, including what had been stipulated in Article 35 of the 2014 interim charter, and a framework provided by the NCPO as the supreme power in the country.

Meechai said the NCPO had provided five points for the charter-drafting framework:

 The new constitution must be well written in line with universal norms to resolve the problems facing the country; 

 An effective mechanism must facilitate reform and reconciliation; 

 A mechanism must be in place to prevent politicians from exploiting national resources for their own gain; 

 Approaches must be made to efficiently curb corruption and misconduct;

 The people must be allowed to participate.

Article 35 of the post-coup interim charter, which is in effect now, outlines 11 points to be included in the new constitution, including national reform, efficient mechanisms against corruption, political abuse and populist policies.

Meechai said he agreed to become CDC chairman because Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha told him it was necessary for him to do this job. Saying “no” would have made him appear ungrateful to the nation, he said.

“This isn’t an easy job and there are many difficulties. It’s difficult to please everyone. And it’s difficult to write a new constitution in a way that allows the country to move forward while making it acceptable to every side,” he said, adding that he would do the best he could.

When asked why his appointment had not been revealed earlier, Meechai said procedures needed to be followed as stipulated in the interim charter that related to the NCPO being authorised to appoint CDC members.

He said the 20 other members of the CDC were selected by the NCPO and the government but he did change some of the names. The other members have expertise in fields such as law, economics, international relations, politics and public administration.

No former CDC members have been picked for the new panel but four ex-National Reform Council members are on it.

The new committee also includes a member of the National Legislative Assembly, Niwat Sripen, who is tasked with facilitating cooperation between the CDC and NLA as they will work together in writing the charter’s organic laws.

The previous charter draft was shot down in a vote by the NRC on Sept 6. 

In accordance with the 2014 interim charter, the CDC responsible for that draft had to be dissolved and replaced by a new NCPO-appointed committee within 30 days.