Drafters ‘not fussed’ about political campaigns

Meanwhile, Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha did not confirm if the administration’s road map would be extended, as suggested earlier by drafting chairman Meechai Ruchupan. However, Prayut confirmed the election would take place next year.

The Constitution Drafting Commission (CDC) statement was made yesterday by spokesman Norachit Sinhaseni after a storm of criticism about the new draft.

Norachit said: “That is an opinion. Many people agree the 1997 charter was good. For the current draft, we have tried to improve [and learn] what happened or what brought us to this point.

“The people want honesty. So, we have tried to make it happen. But it is not under our power [to opt for the 1997 charter if the draft has failed].”

The spokesman said people could work on articles in the constitution. If anyone sees worthwhile points in previous charters, they could propose them to the CDC, as the drafters were open to recommendations, he said.

Contentious points include the prime minister’s access to power. Many fear that the process under which a new prime minister is appointed would allow an “outsider” to lead the country. There are also concerns that independent agencies could be given excessive power under the new draft.

The spokesman said yesterday the drafters had, in fact, not discussed those issues in detail.

Norachit affirmed that candidates to be premier must initially be proposed by political parties themselves. After that, they have to be approved by more than half of members of the House of Representatives. So, he said, the prime minister could not be an “outsider”.

In regard to independent agencies, Norachit said they had not been given more power than they already have. The drafters had only stated their roles and authority more clearly, he said.

Commentators, including the other four “rivers” of power, have until February 15 to submit their reactions to the draft after it was released last Friday. In the meantime, the drafters will work to publicise the draft.

Prayut said an election would be held next year, but did not specify which month.

He refused to say if the government’s timetable would be affected because of the estimated eight-month period it will take to write organic laws. He said he did not know how many laws there were, or whether the drafters could expedite their work.

Meanwhile, Deputy PM Wissanu Krea-ngam said he would meet with the Election Commission (EC) and other related agencies to consult on how best to hold the referendum on the charter draft.

The EC’s proposed rules will allow campaigns to take place but do not specify if people who cause a disturbance will face penalties. A new law was needed to address that possibility, he said.

The Army, meanwhile, will instruct military officers to encourage people to vote in the referendum. It will also invite the EC to give a lecture on the new charter to various unit chiefs, so they can better understand the content, a source in the Army’s unit chief meeting said.