House Speaker Pushes For TV Coverage Of Thai Charter-Change Debate

[webfact]

House speaker pushes for TV coverage of charter-change debate

Kornchanok Raksaseri,

Atapoom Ongkulna

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- House Speaker Somsak Kiartsuranont yesterday insisted that the House-Senate meeting on Constitution amendment be broadcast live on NBT channel despite MPs being against it.

"I think the deliberation is important and should be broadcast," he said.

Somsak yesterday called for a break in the meeting because during that period NBT, a free television channel under the Public Relations Department, was assigned to air other programmes.

Government whip Pissanu Hatthasongkroh had said earlier that though airtime on other free channels was not available, the Parliament channel would continue broadcasting and it could be accessed via satellite TV and the Internet. However, Democrat MPs Prasert Pongsuwan-siri and Chuti Krairiksh said only a few people had access to this channel.

Government chief whip Udomdej Ratanasatien, meanwhile, said he and his counterparts in the opposition and Senate had agreed that the meeting would run from 9.30am to midnight from Tuesday to tomorrow.

He added that it was up to the House Speaker to decide whether the meeting should continue beyond that period and if the House should meet on Thursday, which is normally the day when the House meets to pass laws. Udomdej added that it would be wrong not to broadcast the meeting because it would be like closing people's eyes.

On Monday, some Pheu Thai MPs proposed that the NBT broadcasting be stopped in retaliation to the Opposition's move to extend the charter-change debate. However, the majority did not agree.

Yesterday morning, Somsak told the meeting that NBT would not be broadcasting the debate for a few hours because it had to air the opening ceremony of the University Games.

Airtime on NBT is also not available from 3pm to 6pm today because it is broadcasting a ceremony, presided over by HRH Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn, held in honour of police officers who lost their lives in the line of duty. After that, the channel will broadcast the opening ceremony of the government's scheme to help indebted farmers, he said.

Yesterday, the ninth day of the second reading of the charter amendment, which began on April 10, marked the deliberation of a change to Article 291, which identifies the process of amending the Constitution. The meeting voted for the establishment of a Constitution Drafting Assembly.

Yesterday was also the second day of deliberation on drafted Article 291/6, which states the process of getting 22 Parliament-appointed CDA members.

Democrat leader Abhisit Vejjajiva said the definition of "private-sector organisations" that can nominate CDA member candidates should be clearly identified as legal entities and should have been established for a specific period of time. Moreover, he proposed that at least one parliamentarian be allowed to vote for having less than 22 CDA members, otherwise only certain groups would be able to dominate the CDA member selection.

Parliamentarians criticised the draft as giving too much power to the House Speaker in identifying rules for the selection process and in selecting a qualification verification committee.

Samart Kaewmeechai, chairman of the ad hoc panel on charter amendment, said the qualification of appointed CDA members have been identified in the Constitution, so only "good" people would be chosen.

"I am confident that the House Speaker will follow the laws. Besides, he would be closely monitored by parliamentarians so it is impossible for him to be biased when naming people to be selected as CDA members," Samart said.

Senator Prasert Chitapong, meanwhile, proposed that the entire Parliament participate in the selection process instead of just the House Speaker. He also said that the qualification verification committee should have 27 members, instead of 15.

"The panel speaker said 2,000 names would be nominated, and with just 20 days to complete the job, even 27 may be too few," Prasert said.

-- The Nation 2012-05-02

[Pseudolus]

Should be fun then; I wonder if they will have to show a warning about sexual images, scenes of drunkenness, violence and abusive language prior to broadcast ....

[OzMick]

I can understand why MPs might object to this riveting spectacle being televised. It means they might

have to consider being:

1/ present

2/ awake

3/ sober

[sparebox2]

Like Thai people care to watch?

[Ricardo]

TV-coverage of the debate would be helpful, to inform the public of the pros/cons, before their vote on the amendments to the Constitution, in the sometimes-promised/sometimes-unmentioned national-referendum. It doesn't have to be live, to get the message across, if that's inconvenient for other programs scheduled.

So of course there should be TV-coverage, as part of a wide public-consultation/debate process, won't there ? Or perhaps not ... better to rush it through ... manifest will of the 'huge majority' of the voting-population ... mushrooms best kept in-the-dark ... a Parliamentary vote is all that's required ... MPs know what's good for you all ... true democracy ... Dear Leader knows Best !

[thaicbr]

Like Thai people care to watch?

That's part of the problem. And the reason why the Shinwatra family run Thailand.

Posted with Thaivisa App http://apps.thaivisa.com

[MEL1]

Well, at least, TV coverage would give some indications of who is present and who is not; who is clocking in with who else's electronic voting card, who is receiving mobile phone calls with regard to voting for who; and if the PM actually manages to clock in herself, or if she is having a suave time meeting landowners, business owners, and pay-out victims in cheap hotels (with a self-liner of a huge bin-bag for returned favours); and, finally, if Chalerm is selectively deaf, thru ear-infection again, or if he is cantankerous as ever and aiming to topple Thaksin himself.

TV coverage would be a great spectacle for all, even if Dubai camera interference had some moments of fuzziness.

-mel.

[h90]

Like Thai people care to watch?

Some?

a few?

[OZEMADE]

Like Thai people care to watch?

That's part of the problem. And the reason why the Shinwatra family run Thailand.

Posted with Thaivisa App http://apps.thaivisa.com

I disagree, as the Thai's either side of my home have been watching it every time it is on, to the point that their wives are nagging them for not going to work on their bikes to sell food around the streets.

[rubl]

My personal observation in this, confirmed with asking colleagues and customers I work with, is that the current (second) reading of the charter amendment proposal is good for putting small children to sleep (and a few grown-ups as well).

I still think that PM Yingluck having returned from China should be present, but I can really imagine why she grasps at any opportunity not to be :-)

[MAJIC]

Is this a meaningful gesture by the House Speaker,to try to ensure an Unbiased Debate? or just going through the motions,for the Publics benefit,who as far as the Reds go,have already decided, to bring Thaksin back,by whatever means is needed to change the charter or,amend as necessary ,to achieve that aim,

[Skywalker69]

My personal observation in this, confirmed with asking colleagues and customers I work with, is that the current (second) reading of the charter amendment proposal is good for putting small children to sleep (and a few grown-ups as well).

I still think that PM Yingluck having returned from China should be present, but I can really imagine why she grasps at any opportunity not to be :-)

The parlament is Yingluck´s "boogieman"

[MILT]

Like Thai people care to watch?

What does that mean? The people that have to work cannot watch and the ones that are not working are still busy trying to get by. Whose has the time?

How many people do you personally know that watches Government wrangling? in your perspective homeland?

Your statement comes across like very "mellow" Thai bashing

[Buchholz]

BANGKOK: -- House Speaker Somsak Kiartsuranont yesterday insisted that the House-Senate meeting on Constitution amendment be broadcast live on NBT channel despite MPs being against it.

Well, at least, TV coverage would give some indications of who is present and who is not; who is clocking in with who else's electronic voting card, who is receiving mobile phone calls with regard to voting for who; and if the PM actually manages to clock in herself, or if she is having a suave time meeting landowners, business owners, and pay-out victims in cheap hotels (with a self-liner of a huge bin-bag for returned favours); and, finally, if Chalerm is selectively deaf, thru ear-infection again, or if he is cantankerous as ever and aiming to topple Thaksin himself.

TV coverage would be a great spectacle for all, even if Dubai camera interference had some moments of fuzziness.

If I may add to your "finally".... and particularly in light of the OP, it would also behoove MP's, especially the role model House Speaker, not to snooze away with the cameras rolling...

It's the role model House Speaker and Pheu Thai MP Somsak Kiatsuranon.

.

Edited May 3, 2012 by Buchholz

[Sao Jiang Mai]

Like Thai people care to watch?

Many Thais watch parliament debates, and even more listen on the radio. I know I do. I know many others who do too. We are not special. So t it is a tad on the nose to insinuate we are all ignorant and disinterested. But then again that would make you superior wouldn't it? Was that the point you were trying to make?

[Skywalker69]

BANGKOK: -- House Speaker Somsak Kiartsuranont yesterday insisted that the House-Senate meeting on Constitution amendment be broadcast live on NBT channel despite MPs being against it.

Well, at least, TV coverage would give some indications of who is present and who is not; who is clocking in with who else's electronic voting card, who is receiving mobile phone calls with regard to voting for who; and if the PM actually manages to clock in herself, or if she is having a suave time meeting landowners, business owners, and pay-out victims in cheap hotels (with a self-liner of a huge bin-bag for returned favours); and, finally, if Chalerm is selectively deaf, thru ear-infection again, or if he is cantankerous as ever and aiming to topple Thaksin himself.

TV coverage would be a great spectacle for all, even if Dubai camera interference had some moments of fuzziness.

If I may add to your "finally".... and particularly in light of the OP, it would also behoove MP's, especially the role model House Speaker, not to snooze away with the cameras rolling...

It's the role model House Speaker and Pheu Thai MP Somsak Kiatsuranon.

.

My conlution is that the chairs in Parlament is much to comforaible.

[Buchholz]

Like Thai people care to watch?

Many Thais watch parliament debates, and even more listen on the radio. I know I do. I know many others who do too. We are not special. So t it is a tad on the nose to insinuate we are all ignorant and disinterested. But then again that would make you superior wouldn't it? Was that the point you were trying to make?

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, Sao Jiang Mai, but...

As a Thai, we are not taught to think, but merely following orders.

[scorecard]

Should be fun then; I wonder if they will have to show a warning about sexual images, scenes of drunkenness, violence and abusive language prior to broadcast ....

And maybe we could watch people taking their ear infection medicine, that would be exciting.

[h90]

My personal observation in this, confirmed with asking colleagues and customers I work with, is that the current (second) reading of the charter amendment proposal is good for putting small children to sleep (and a few grown-ups as well).

I still think that PM Yingluck having returned from China should be present, but I can really imagine why she grasps at any opportunity not to be :-)

why should she be present?? She doesn't understand anything about it and she is not in charge for any decisions.