Groups vow to monitor Meechai

FORMER Senate speaker Meechai Ruchupan, who has yet to officially accept the government’s invitation to head the Constitution Drafting Committee, faces rising opposition after activist groups vowed yesterday to check the new charter draft to prevent the junta from continuing to hold power.

Adul Kiewboriboon, who chairs the 1992 May Heroes’ Relatives Committee, said he heard reports that Meechai had already accepted the invitation as CDC chief. He said his group would keep a close watch on his work and monitor every process of the charter drafting because his group fears a repeat of history, because Meechai had brought about political conflicts that led to the May bloodshed in 1992.

He alleged that Meechai wrote the charter for the junta known as the Peace Keeping Council to be able to cling to power. He said even though Meechai had to be part of the National Council for Peace and Order on the NCPO’s order, he and the NCPO would have to take responsibility if the new charter allows the junta to stay in power.

Adul warned against retaining the National Strategic Reform and Reconciliation Committee (NSRRC). He questioned if the committee would be able to drive reform and prevent violence and bring about reconciliation through harsh law enforcement. 

“If the committee still exists in the [next] charter draft, the draft may not be accepted by the public in a referendum,’’ he said.

He urged the junta to allow different opinions because they are the “beautiful colours of democracy’’ and not to write a charter that allows the military to retain power. “The day the junta steps down from power, then they exit gracefully,’’ he said.

Thida Thavornseth, chairman of the United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD), said she believed if Meechai heads the new CDC, the new draft would not be accepted by the public because he had been a legal consultant of the junta and had never wanted to write a charter for elected governments.

“If Meechai wants to write an internationally accepted democratic charter, but people in power want otherwise, the charter draft will be the same as the one written by the CDC led by Borwornsak Uwanno. Do not expect a democratic charter from coup-makers,’’ she said.

Thida dismissed Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha’s remark that the NSRRC would help steer the country during a transition period, saying his statement meant nothing but distrust of the people. “He should let an elected government bring about reconciliation. US president Barack Obama said during the 70th Regular Session of the UN General Assembly that the UN supports problem solving by the people,’’ she said.

Thida dismissed as insignificant a move by Suporn Attawong, known as Rambo I-san, a former UDD core leader, being a candidate of the National Reform Steering Council. She said Suporn was no longer part of the UDD after he led a rally at Aksa road last year that the UDD disapproved of.

She said Suporn was joining the NRSC on a personal basis. The UDD would not take part in the political activity of coup-makers.

Meanwhile, government spokesman Maj General Sansern Kaewkamnerd said Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha was not happy about reports that Meechai had accepted the invitation since such reports would put the pressure on Meechai.

Sansern said Prayut met Meechai on Friday and the PM did not want Meechai to give an answer immediately. He said Meechai would be allowed to give his answer on Monday during an NCPO meeting. The interim charter stipulates that the NCPO chief selects the CDC members within 30 days after the National Reform Council rejects the charter draft. 

Sansern said the NCPO would have the list of NRSC members tomorrow.

Deputy government spokesman Maj-General Veerachon Sukonthapatipark also denied reports that Meechai had agreed to head the new CDC.

National Legislative Assembly member Klanarong Chantik said Meechai was a master of legal specialists. He did not believe that if Meechai heads the CDC, he would write the law from his own ideas without considering opinions of others.

Kanit Na Nakorn, former president of the Law reform Commission of Thailand (LRCT), urged the new CDC to push for justice reform, saying the rejected charter drafted by Borwornsak, did not have any content to push for the justice reform.