New EC panel brings together diverse parties to facilitate reconciliation

The committee, set up on Tuesday on the orders of EC president Supachai Somcharoen, is headed by Anek Laothamatas, honorary member of the Thammasat University Council, who has a record of working with the ruling government. 
In 2014-15, Anek was a former charter drafter and a member of the defunct National Reform Council, under which he chaired its reconciliation committee. 
Anek tossed the idea of creating a “grand design” to unify a range of agendas, from the junta’s policies to the 20-year national strategy. Under the grand design was also “a grand coalition”, or a temporary government, involving figures from different political blocs to help shape future politics during the transition period.
Anek is currently invited among 38 noted experts on the government’s Super-Committee or “Por Yor Por”. He is known to be a proponent of the reconciliation approach, which includes “reconciliatory and transitional justice delivery”, or amnesty with condition.
According to EC acting secretary-general Poompitak Kongkaew, the new committee also consists of, among others, Pheu Thai Party secretary-general Phumtham Wechayachai, Democrat Party deputy leader Chamni Sakdiset, Bhum Jai Thai Party leader Anutin Charnvirakul, and key Chart Thai Pattana figure Nikorn Chamnong.
Initially, the committee will aim to come up with a “strategy, plan, and approach” to develop political parties in line with the reform approach as stipulated in the new charter draft, Poompitak said.
He insisted that the setting up of the committee was not the result of a government order. 
“We only work in line with the government’s approach,” he said.
“There are only representatives from major parties because too large a committee would not be able to work flexibly,” he said. “The members also join the committee personally so their decisions will have nothing to do with their [party] affiliation.”