Govt must decide if military can help disseminate charter: drafter
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THE constitution drafters will not reject a military offer to help spread the content of the new charter draft ahead of the national referendum as the decision rests with the government, according to a key drafter
However Thitipan Chuaboonchai, chairman of the Constitution Drafting Commission’s opinion-gathering subcommittee, said the CDC had not made a decision on whether to accept the offer.
He said the government should decide whether it was proper to accept help from the military, in response to concerns that doing so might result in the military “guiding” voters to back the constitution draft.
The CDC’s role was to explain and create an understanding about the charter, he said.
Thitipan’s remarks came as the drafters prepared to publicise the first draft on January 29.
From that date until February 15, relevant bodies and the general public can give their opinions on the draft for the CDC to consider before revisiting the document.
Thitipan said people in each region of the country could express their opinions on the charter.
Last month, Air Force officers and the staff judge advocate offered assistance to propagate the draft, he said.
Thitipan said the dissemination of the draft and explaining it to the public needed a collaborative approach from many sectors including the involvement of the military.
He said the CDC could not discriminate against the military by barring the Army from the process.
“I think we need to be fair in this matter. It’s the government’s decision if they want the military to help with the dissemination … That is understandable because they want the roadmap to be followed,” Thitipan said, adding that with help, people could understand the constitution before voting in the referendum.
The spokesman for the CDC subcommittee for gathering opinions, Thienchai Na Nakorn, said he did not know the details about the military’s offer to help disseminate the charter and if that happened it would be difficult for him to say whether it would be suggestive.
However, he said that eventually each voter decided how they voted.
Thitipan’s subcommittee will disseminate the draft and gather public opinion from February 1-15, with public dialogues held in the four regions of the country. The target audience will be civil servants.
The subcommittee aims to use media methods to make it easier for labourers and farmers to better understand the draft, while it will use social media for the middle class.
CDC spokesman Amorn Wanichwiwatana said the finished draft would be a truly new constitution.
Most charters adopted in the past had been adapted from previous drafts, he said, adding the current drafters are doing their best to come up with one of the best charters.
He said the drafters were reviewing the National Reform Steering Assembly’s proposals on the charter and the reforms.
He said anybody from any sector could express their thoughts on the draft as the charter drafting panel was open for all opinions.
