PM pushes 20-year national strategy

The three most powerful political bodies in Thailand met yesterday before the regular weekly Cabinet meeting to discuss the planned 20-year national strategy.

Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha invited the ruling National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), the Cabinet and the Constitution Drafting Commission (CDC), including chief charter drafter Meechai Ruchupan, to the meeting.

During the 30-minute meeting before the weekly Cabinet session, they acknowledged the processes to anoint His Majesty the King’s Heir to the Throne following royal traditions and the charter.

On the national strategy, Prayut said the CDC would principally draft the organic laws and he wanted the commission to understand the government’s intention to lay a framework to accomplish goals without having power over future administrations.

Prayut said the CDC would jointly draft the organic laws along with the National Economic and Social Development Board (NESDB) and the agenda for the first five years would be addressed in the 12th national economic and social development plan.

Prayut said his government had the responsibility to pave the way for the plan since its five-year implementation would start next year, when the junta government would still be in power. He said all ministries would also be assigned draft action plans in line with the master plan and the final shape would eventually depend on future governments.

Starting next year, the 20-year strategy will cover at least six sub- strategies, ranging from security, economic competency, human resource development, social equality, eco-friendly quality of life, and governmental administration development. However, the premier remained quiet about possible changes in the junta’s ongoing “road map to democracy” as some Cabinet members hinted earlier that the road map could be decelerated if affected by “unforeseeable factors”.

He said he had not discussed the matter with the CDC at the meeting. “The road map is the road map. What would you like it to be? Whether the road map will be changed or not depends on all people, not me,” Prayut said after the Cabinet meeting. “It will depend on domestic and international situations, peace and stability. When will you understand this?”

Prayut also refused to confirm whether the road map would remain unchanged. “I can’t be bothered to answer this kind of boring question,” he said.

The CDC vice chair, Supoj Khaimook, meanwhile, said the CDC had managed to settle a previously conflicting issue concerning the Election Commission (EC) members’ qualifications and should be able to resolve the issue along with the political parties bill this week.

Supoj said the new qualifications of EC members would follow the new charter. Under the new charter, some qualifications regarding EC membership have been adjusted, adding more requirements, which could result in some members losing their current posts.

This led to opposition from some EC members, including commissioner Somchai Srisutthiyakorn, who challenged the CDC to apply the same rules to all members of other independent agencies. Supoj said the CDC had been working on the wording of the draft bills and was ready to forward them to the National Legislative Assembly shortly after the promulgation of the new charter.

He said he hoped that political parties would be able to adjust to the new rules and prepare themselves for the coming election despite their concerns on the current restrictions. “They are sophisticated and I have heard that some have started to prepare themselves already,” said Supoj.