Regime's top bodies suggest charter changes

The suggestions for changing the charter draft from the Cabinet, the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) and the National Reform Council (NRC) were to reach the Constitution Drafting Committee (CDC) yesterday.

The provisions that would allow the prime minister to pass legislation in lieu of Parliament if his government survived a no-confidence debate and to move for a “confidence” vote on himself have been criticised as risking a parliamentary dictatorship, since the PM would be able to avoid checks by the opposition.

Another controversial provision is the one that allows for the establishment of a committee to propose endorsement of a royal pardon for people providing useful information.

The CDC has the right to accept or reject the charter amendments proposed by the major agencies set up by the military after its coup a year ago.

The CDC will submit its final draft to an NRC vote on whether to accept it as is. If it is voted down, the NRC and CDC will be dissolved.

CDC spokesman Kamnoon Sidhisaman said it was likely that the CDC would accept proposals to change the draft as suggested by major actors, including Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva. The agency would spend more time scrutinising controversial provisions such as Articles 181-182 that the Cabinet, NRC and Abhisit want dropped.

“We may remove some provisions to prevent conflicts and improve content in some provisions,’’ he said.

The CDC will not rush to vote on any issue if the drafters are split over the principles of the provisions. They will make the decision on the controversial provisions at the final deliberation.

“We expect pressure from all sides because this is a special situation and it’s different from the 1997 charter,’’ Kamnoon said.

The CDC is expected to have the final draft ready within 60 days. The framers will start working on Tuesday without taking any days off. They will meet at Suan Son from June 22 to July 3. The CDC will take up the provisions one at a time.

It will hold a press conference every day to report on any changes.

Interior Minister Anupong Paochinda said his ministry had submitted its list of recommendations to Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam. 

It is the CDC’s discretion to accept opinions from village heads and kamnan around the country, who were concerned about the reduction of the power of ministry officials and district chiefs, he said.

At the special Cabinet meeting yesterday, he said he expects the decision on the balance of power between local and central administrations. 

“I understand the importance of decentralisation, but regional administration is necessary, as it serves as a link between central and local administrations,’’ he said.

“The country needs the central, regional and local links. Another important issue is how to ensure a fair local election. If the same group of people wins elections, this could lead to a colonial era as happened in history,’’ he said.

Kamnoon said CDC members would begin processing the proposed changes today, and the process would take three days to complete. Some of those seeking changes – about three to five people from each agency – would be invited to give oral explanations from June 2-6. 

The CDC will meet today to decide on whom to invite, including representatives from political parties. NRC chairman Thienchay Kiranandana ordered members of the council to attend a seminar on “lessons chairan on dissolving political conflicts and reforming the country towards democracy’’ at the Foreign Ministry today.The NRC will look at the lessons from France. The NRC would not schedule any meetings, as the members should be at the seminar, he added.