Nla Dubbed "eunuch In Green" By Media!

From today's 12-30-07 Bangkok Post:

NLA dubbed 'Eunuch in Green' by media

Reporters have last laugh at politicians

The National Legislative Assembly (NLA) has been dubbed the Khan-Tee Si Khiew (Eunuch in Green) in an annual nickname picking contest by parliament reporters. The nickname came about as the NLA is accused of issuing legislation benefiting the coup-makers of the Council for National Security and increasing the power of the military, such as the controversial Internal Security Bill.

The NLA is seen by some as servile to the military and is likened to a dove which is ready to coo at the snap of its owner's fingers.

Also, NLA Speaker Meechai Ruchupan has been described as the ''CEO of the NLA''.

One of the country's top law experts, Mr Meechai was entrusted by the CNS to lead the assembly and never disappointed them.

Whatever bills the CNS and the government want to be deliberated by the legislators, he can always manage to line them up for consideration in the assembly.

He is thought to have a firm hand in controlling diverse groups of assembly members. They fear and respect him in the same way company staff do a CEO, according to the parliament reporters.

The reporters also coined the name Saeb Sanit Sit Kor Mor Chor (Conniving Students of the CNS) for the Constitution Drafting Assembly.

The 100 charter drafters, endorsed by the CNS, returned the favour by appending an article to the present constitution, which gave amnesties to the generals who staged the Sept 19 coup.

The drafters' reputation was also marred over the alleged irregularities of the publishing of the copies of the draft constitution.

Parliament's Event of the Year title went to the breaking into parliament of about 50 protesters led by former senator Jon Ungphakorn, who stormed the building on Dec 12 with the aim of forcing

the NLA to stop legislating new laws.