CDC pulls back on some new political party rules

THE CONSTITUTION Drafting Commission (CDC) yesterday backed down on some new rules in the recently introduced political party law, reducing the seed funding for individuals to Bt1,000 and cutting the number of members a party had to recruit to 10,000 from 20,000.
The annual membership fee of Bt100, however, remained in the law despite controversy.
The revision of the draft law followed heavy criticism that the new rules were unrealistic and unfriendly to political enthusiasts aspiring to form a new party.
CDC spokesman Norachit Sinhaseni said yesterday that after listening to opinions from the public and politicians, the drafters agreed to make five changes to organic laws.
Firstly, though the law still required a new party to have at least Bt1 million capital fund, the seed money contributed by an individual member was reduced to at least Bt1,000, down from Bt2,000 as stipulated previously in the law, he said. 
Founding members must be comprised of between 500 to 300,000 people, he said.
Another change involved the number of members a party must recruit. The law previously set a minimum of 20,000 members in four years. The CDC reduced that to 10,000 members following politicians’ complaints.
The third revision involved the punishment imposed if a party fails to carry out activities demanded by the law such as encouraging public scrutiny of the state. The CDC decided to adjust the penalty from party dissolution or revocation of electoral rights to cutting financial subsidies from the EC.
For the offence of undermining monarchical, national, and economic security, the drafters reduced the jail term punishment to between two and 10 years with a Bt40,000 to Bt200,000 fine. Previously, the punishment was five to 10 years in prison.
The punishment for trading political offices remained unchanged with the maximum term set at life imprisonment or capital punishment. 
Norachit said the provision clauses had not been completed. However, the CDC initially agreed that the existing parties should have 180 days or six months to adapt to the new procedures and adopt the new rules. Previously, they were given 90 to 180 days, he said.
Parties also have to submit their members’ records to the Election Commission within 30 days of the law coming into effect, he said.
In addition, the spokesman said media stockholders, journalists, public servants, members of provincial or local assemblies were eligible to be members of political parties while monks and priests were  prohibited.