The new CDC has both good and bad news to offer

The new charter – the first draft of which will be delivered in January and final draft in April – includes several controversial points that many believe will ruffle feathers, especially those of politicians opposing the junta. 

The National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) has given CDC chairman Meechai Ruchupan specific guidelines to follow – including the interim charter’s Article 35, as well as a five-point framework set by the NCPO. 

Immediately after learning about the guidelines, Pheu Thai Party issued a statement asking the CDC to not include the 10 points outlined in Article 35. The Article targets corrupt politicians, banning them for life, and also curbs the use of populist policies to win votes. 

As for the five points in the junta’s guidelines, two are very controversial and will certainly raise hackles if included in the draft. The first is a mechanism to prevent politicians from abusing their power, seeking personal benefit and spending taxpayers’ money on policies to legitimise themselves, while the second point offers approaches on curbing corruption and misconduct. 

Meechai appears to have accepted the directions unquestioningly. Since taking over as head of CDC, he voiced support for many points that are believed to be the reason why the now-defunct National Reform Council shot down the previous draft. 

One controversial point is the crisis panel, which Meechai reckons Thailand desperately needs in case there is a political paralysis. 

However, this very point was one of the reasons the previous charter draft was rejected. The last draft gave intervention power to the National Strategic Reform and Reconciliation Committee, allowing it to take charge in times of crises. Many saw this as allowing the panel to overrule the government, which they found unacceptable. 

Another contentious point was an outsider or non-elected premier, a point that Meechai hinted might also be included in his draft. 

Meechai, as leader of charter drafters, also came up with the 1991 Constitution, which allowed then-coup leader and non-MP General Suchinda Kraprayoon become an “outsider PM”. This eventually lead to bloodshed in May 1992. 

Apart from not being democratic, observers also consider these points as means for the junta to retain power. 

Despite insisting that the task of writing the draft is a tough one, Meechai – one of the most veteran legal experts in the country – is bound to find a way to include all the points, be they controversial or not, handed over by the junta. 

But the tough job for the junta may be to get the public to accept the draft. 

The junta and the government have more or less made it clear that they want the draft to undergo a referendum.

Plus, they seem to be providing full support to the CDC. 

Soon after the CDC was formed, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha called on all sides to offer constructive opinions and not pressure the drafters. 

In addition, the junta recently tasked soldiers with explaining the current political situation and the charter draft to people living in the provinces. The junta also created a scheme to educate some 300,000 Army Reserve students about the charter draft with the hope that they will share their knowledge with their families, friends and others. 

The good news is the junta appears to be making a concerted effort to push the draft through a public referendum and is trying hard to clean up politics by writing tough measures to get rid of bad politicians. 

But the bad news is that certain controversial points are still seen as moves to keep the junta in power.