CDC to hand draft charter to the NRC on August 22

Wanchai said the two bodies had discussed and agreed on the dates. The NRC would review the draft charter no later than September 7 and then vote, he added.

Wanchai said the CDC would invite all concerned bodies to acknowledge changes made to the charter by the CDC. 

It would also invite NRC representatives to help draft an organic law concerning “reform”. A new strategic committee would be set up to implement the government’s 20-year strategic reform plan, he added.

The NRC would review all of its 37 reform agendas until August 19 – the date set for completion of its work – and wrap the process up.

“NRC chairman Thienchay Kiranandana told the meeting that we have been in touch with other bodies to collaborate in reform work. The chairman stressed that what the NRC has worked on would not be a waste, and it would be taken further,” said Wanchai.

Wanchai personally disagrees with the new constitution and the election proceeding if the time is not yet right.

However, he is waiting to see the final version of the draft.

Some NRC members had requested a secret vote on the charter but he disagreed with that.

CDC chairman Borwornsak Uwanno said the draft charter would have less than 300 articles, and the CDC would rush to finish its article-by-article deliberations so it would meet the deadline.

Meanwhile, the CDC has wrapped up its one-month public hearings in all regions.

It conducted a survey on the new constitution on around 9,300 respondents, with 52 per cent saying the draft charter is okay and 27 per cent saying it should be improved. 

Sixty per cent are satisfied with the draft charter and 19 per cent are highly satisfied. Fourteen per cent did not respond. 

The promotion of citizenship, civil rights and reform and reconciliation were labelled the best sections, while 49 per cent said they would accept the charter and 28 per cent were unsure. Seven per cent did not respond.