Status Of Bill To Rewrite Thai Constitution Remains Uncertain

[webfact]

Status of bill to rewrite constitution remains uncertain

Pravit Rojanaphruk,

Pimnara Pradubwit

The Nation

Whip says move afoot to kill draft; Bhokin still pushing for 3rd

BANGKOK: -- Chief government whip Udomdet Ratansathien confirmed yesterday that a move is underway to kill the charter amendment bill in Parliament to prevent possible political turmoil."But so far no one has supported the proposal," he said.

Bhokin Bhalakula, the chairman of the coalition committee on charter amendments, has said his panel would push for the government to pass in its third reading the bill to establish an assembly to frame a whole new constitution.

Bhokin's announcement led to concerns that the government's opponents would stage massive protests. A group of senators has also threatened to seek a Constitution Court ruling on the establishment of a constitution drafting assembly.

Udomdet said the final vote on the bill would have to be held eventually because the third reading has been pending for months.

If the bill is rejected, the coalition would have to go back to square one to consider how to proceed with fixing the charter.

Bhokin said yesterday that he would leave the fate of the bill in the hands of the majority of MPs and senators.

Pheu Thai MP Samart Kaewmechai, a coalition whip, said the coalition partners would today show their common stance in support of charter amendments and would begin the nationwide public relations campaign for the amendments.

Coalition MPs would be asked to visit their constituencies to drum up support for the amendments.

Democrat MP Ong-arj Klampaibul said the Democrats were against a new charter for fear that it would dilute the power of the royal institution and independent organisations as well as the role of the judicial branch.

The coalition should address specific articles in the present charter instead of forming a new CDA, he said.

Vorajaet Phakeerat, an esteemed law expert at Thammasat University, said Thailand cannot indefinitely postpone amending or rewriting the constitution and making it more democratic.

"In my assessment, the rewrite move will incite [political] conflicts. But we're already having conflicts. It's unavoidable. The choice is conflict now or tomorrow," said Vorajaet, head of the influential Nittirat Group of Thammasat University law lecturers.

Issues such as the role and power of the judiciary, particularly the Constitution Court and the Administrative Court, the appointment of senators, the scope of royal authority and the military must be reviewed to make the supreme law more democratic, he said.

Some in the Pheu Thai government think that charter changes should be put off until the last minute as they are in power now, but there's no escaping the need to decide on what to do with the charter as many people want to see a rewrite, he said.

The junta-sponsored 2007 charter is undemocratic and sometimes too detailed, such as by setting the retirement age of judges, he said.

Thai constitutions have been dumped over and over again over the past eight decades of parliamentary democracy, with the current one the 18th, until it doesn't mean much to many ordinary citizens any longer, he said.

"So we don't have the sense that it's valuable like elsewhere," he said, citing the United States and Germany as examples.

"It was made meaningless," he said. "It has been torn down till it no longer has value."

"The Thai political system has been a failure. When external [unconstitutional] forces interfere, society was never able to scrutinise that external power. It destroys the fundamental values of a common binding contract that is the constitution."

Sirote Klampaiboon, a political scientist, warned that even if a new constitution is composed, which opponents of the Yingluck Shinawatra administration have vowed to fight, it will unlikely be the last permanent charter for Thailand. The frequent military coups and charter editions reflect the "unsettled" sharing of power in Thai politics and society, he said.

"That's why the constitution can be nullified."

-- The Nation 2012-12-10

[Thai at Heart]

no one knows the status of Bill?

anyone seen Bill?

[Soi Dog]

Thailand does not have a constitution. It's a periodical. Even when everyone agreed they had it right the Army came in and changed it all around. This is like Ground Hog's Day.

[lungmi]

In ancient time there was an open minded Souveign of Thailand. He wanted to create a legal system in Thailand. The system was created. But no qualified judges to use it.

The first judges were UK judges.

We see what happens now.

[lungmi]

All the fighting for a Constitution is fake. A stable Constitution needs 2/3 of involved people (it depends on the country).

If Thailand is not ready for this you can forget all you prognostics.

[Thait Spot]

How well organized the circus is

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Thaivisa Connect App

[rubl]

Chief government whip Udomdet Ratansathien confirmed yesterday that a move is underway to kill the charter amendment bill in Parliament to prevent possible political turmoil."But so far no one has supported the proposal," he said.

Thailand Live Monday 10th #11 has

"The government's awareness campaign to sway sentiment in favour of charter change kicking off today is simply a brainwashing exercise, rather than an effort to educate people, an academic said yesterday."

and the other newspaper mentions that there was a UDD rally led by Payap Panket, Darunee Kritboonyalai, Prasang Mongkolsiri and Suthachai Yimpraset amongst others. Freely driving from Democracy Monument to the CTP office to call on them to join the Pheu Thai in amending the constitution, following they went to Pheu Thai offices submitting a letter to ask their political arm to expedite the third and final reading of the amendment bill. Finally they went back to Democracy Monument to celebrate a day well spent. Rumour had it our dear fugitive might phone-in around 9PM.