Ex-Democrat MP mocks 'tank-driven reform bodies'

“The charter draft reflects the fact that Borwornsak [Uwanno] wrote a better charter than he was instructed to write. Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha should not take heed of suggestions by this group of academics because the new charter, if approved, will widen the rift and push the country into an unwanted scenario in which the people stage rallies against the charter,” he said. 

“Prayut will have his hands tainted with blood,’’ said Watchara, who is a former Democrat Party MP.

If the National Council for Peace and Order wants this charter draft, it should hold a public referendum. If the public votes to reject the charter draft, the PM should exercise his power under Article 44 to invoke another charter. 

“Do not cling to power because this will lead to bloodshed,’’ he said. 

He raised 10 points in the charter draft that he disapproves of:

- Reducing the number of constituency MPs to 250, which he claimed was not right because each MP would have many people to take care of;

- Increasing the number of party-list MPs to 200, saying the “open list” would cause wrangling among candidates;

- Allowing a non-elected PM;

- A total of 200 senators will be indirectly elected;

- Senators have too much power and even the PM has to submit a list of Cabinet members for senators to screen;

- The PM can dissolve the House if a censure motion receives less than half of total votes;

- A new body will be set up to reduce the role of the Election Commission, paving the way for political interference;

- Merger of the Office of the Ombudsman and the National Human Rights Commission;

- Setting up a national reform committee that has the power to direct the government;

- Setting up the National Reform Mobilisation Assembly.