The potential referendum concerning changes to the charter sparked concerns as the Move Forward Party (MFP) suggests the government is procrastinating. Deputy Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai tasked with forming a panel to study the referendum plans, stated that discussions about the referendum’s necessity are still ongoing. This announcement came after the Cabinet’s first meeting this week.

 

The focus of the Cabinet’s first meeting was on pressing policies, including the need to democratise the existing charter, seen by many as a legacy of the 2014 coup. Commerce Minister Phumtham, who is also the Deputy Prime Minister, has been approached by numerous academics and interest groups willing to assist with the charter’s overhaul.

 

However, their stances on what needs to be amended vastly differ, he said.

Phumtham further explained that the government aims to avoid legal and technical hindrances that previously held back the charter amendment efforts. This comment was about the charter amendment attempts by various parties, halted after the Constitutional Court ruled a referendum was needed to decide on the constitution’s rewrite.

In response to the government’s plan to establish a referendum study panel, MFP list MP Parit Wacharasindhu suggested it is merely a time-buying tactic.

 

by Atima Homtientong

Picture courtesy of Bangkok Post

 

Full story: The Thaiger 2023-09-16

 

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I can see the government getting right on with that.

 

They wouldn’t be in power if it wasn’t for the current charter, and unelected senators that it brought.

Thailand should make a charter with a few simple basic rules, like the American constitution and which can't be broken by anything, instead of after every coup a new charter. In the new constitution should be mentioned that coup/high treason is capital punishment in public..... period without clemency. 

If you want a faster decision, lock all the committee in a room with only one toilet (no door). feed them on prison food every 12 hours and only water to drink, (no ice) and only release them when there is a 90% vote in favour of a referendum. Give them all a paper to sign with their photo to sign and add their fingerprints to it, but only after they are released.

Just put it in the list of things to be done once MF are in power after the next election.

32 minutes ago, ikke1959 said:

new constitution should be mentioned that coup/high treason is capital punishment in public.....

That's pretty much what the 2007 Constitution said before the coup abolished it in 2014, rewrote it without a referendum to eliminate the crime and added a provision granting amnesty to the coup. 

If wishes were candy, we'd have no teeth.

1 hour ago, ikke1959 said:

Thailand should make a charter with a few simple basic rules, like the American constitution and which can't be broken by anything, instead of after every coup a new charter. In the new constitution should be mentioned that coup/high treason is capital punishment in public..... period without clemency. 

Having something that can never change or be modified can be dangerous, i.e. Islam.

 

What if the last charter change was that, unelected senators would be here forever.

1 hour ago, billd766 said:

If you want a faster decision, lock all the committee in a room with only one toilet (no door). feed them on prison food every 12 hours and only water to drink, (no ice) and only release them when there is a 90% vote in favour of a referendum. Give them all a paper to sign with their photo to sign and add their fingerprints to it, but only after they are released.

Nice thought.

4 hours ago, ikke1959 said:

Thailand should make a charter with a few simple basic rules, like the American constitution and which can't be broken by anything, instead of after every coup a new charter. In the new constitution should be mentioned that coup/high treason is capital punishment in public..... period without clemency. 

Slightly off topic but agreed in the main however you still need to remind most American's what an 'amendment' means as some seem to believe that mean's that it's set in stone

 

from: https://www.britannica.com/topic/amendment

 

'amendment, in government and law, an addition or alteration made to a constitution, statute, or legislative bill or resolution. Amendments can be made to existing constitutions and statutes and are also commonly made to bills in the course of their passage through a legislature'

 

I reckon Thailand needs a few 'amendment's' in order to right the wrong's of junta anti democratic policies, unfortunately that would need a none corrupt and functioning judiciary which in Thailand is rarer than rocking horse faeces....

10 hours ago, JBChiangRai said:

I can see the government getting right on with that.

 

They wouldn’t be in power if it wasn’t for the current charter, and unelected senators that it brought.

Agreed. 

 

If anything they'll make an amendment extending the unelected Senates powers.

 

Nobody in the current government is going to derail the money train.

 

Unfortunately It's going to take something close to a revolution to get Thailand back to anything resembling a democracy. 

 

 

But but ... MFP are trying to overthrow the Monarchy!

 

Or, as Shakespeare might have commented: Butter me no butts.