Many Fear Thai Charter-Related Crisis: Poll

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AMENDMENT BID
Many fear charter-related crisis: poll
The Nation


Democrat party-list MP Ongart Klampaiboon

Idea of electing all senators has support, but 67% believe govt's push to change Constitution might end in violence

BANGKOK: -- Fewer than half the respondents to a recent survey by Abac Poll approved a move to amend the Constitution, with many believing the attempt could bring about a political crisis because the change would be geared for politicians' interests and not that of the Kingdom.

Of 2,298 respondents, 67 per cent feared charter amendment might result in political violence; 41 per cent believed the government was running the country with difficulty under the current charter, (but 30 per cent did not believe so); and 44 per cent believed it was a good time to amend the charter, while 29 per cent did not believe so.

However, 70 per cent agreed with amending the charter to remove appointed senators; 62 per cent believed the current charter was good enough at protecting people's basic rights; and 47 per cent believed politicians benefited from the charter change, not members of the public.

Green group coordinator Suriyasai Katasila said it would not be easy for the coalition parties to take a short cut to amend the charter by resorting to their voting majority because all 17 previous charters received public approval through referendum.

He said the ruling Pheu Thai Party must seek a public referendum to determine if people across the country approved the charter amendment. Besides, Article 122 of the Constitution also banned MPs and senators from carrying out their duties with conflicts of interest. He said he believed MPs and senators teamed up to decide who should endorse their signatures supporting amendment of provisions which do not concern them, to prevent being charged with violating Article 122.

The Green group is planning to file a petition seeking a Constitution Court ruling if the charter amendment is in violation of Article 122. The group is also transcribing taped scripts of all lawmakers who took to the House floor and would file complaints with the National Anti-Corruption Commission if they are believed to have violated the law.

Meanwhile Democrat party-list MP Ongart Klampaiboon called on government MPs to respect the Opposition and give it a chance to carry out their parliamentary duty. He said the government resorted to a majority vote to close the House session even though the Opposition still had time left to debate, as agreed over time allotment.

He cited the occasion when House Speaker Somsak Kiatsuranont resolved that the number of days House committees should scrutinise the charter amendment bills was 15. This was not lawful, because at that time the House lacked a quorum. He said Somsak must recall a House meeting to set things right, otherwise the Opposition would seek a Constitution Court ruling which would delay the amendment process.

Ongart added that Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra should show leadership by solving the dispute.

Pheu Thai Party spokesman Prompong Nopparit insisted the party believed the House Speaker did not violate the Constitution over the dispute. Even though the Democrat Party Pitsanulok MP proposed the House committees take 60 days, he did not declare it before the House and was not at the House meeting. The ruling party viewed the Democrats' move to seek the court ruling as a delaying tactic.

House adjourns

Three House meetings have been cancelled for Songkran. "On April 18, the original schedule will be followed. There are no urgent motions tabled for debate on that day," chief whip MP Udomdej Ratanasathien said yesterday.

The chamber meets on Wednesdays and Thursdays.

Udomdej said MPs from the provinces asked the Speaker to call off sessions over the new year. They feared they would not be able to secure tickets to visit their constituencies, when many people return home, he said.


-- The Nation 2013-04-08

[NongKhaiKid]

What a wonderful article with so many little nuggets, e.g the call for the PM to show leadership in solving the issue of time for the charter debate. Show leadership is a good one as she never has and is always on overseas trips anyway.

I especially liked the call to suspend sessions over Songkran as MPs feared they would not get tickets to go to their constituencies - most have luxury cars and some have drivers but the idea an MP could not get a ticket is ridiculous.

[Locationthailand]

Gross mismanagement and corruption - certainly a great excuse for civil unrest - but wait - there's the issue on the change to the constitution...

[siampolee]

The greater majority of M.P.s travel in many cases by air, thus the risk of actually coming into contact with the great unwashed who might well ask some awkward questions is negated.

[Buchholz]

The greater majority of M.P.s travel in many cases by air, thus the risk of actually coming into contact with the great unwashed who might well ask some awkward questions is negated.

.

The other paper is telling the real reason is not concern over MP's being able to secure bus tickets (agreeably, a laughable contention), but the MP's want an extended Songkran holiday (tremendously increased plausibility).

.

[rubl]

The 1997 version on Senator election is split over section 124 - 126 and seems less strict than the 2007 Constitution which has various clarifications on the Senators and their qualifications and restrictions to be eligible for either candidacy or selection. The selection part was new.

Section 115. A person having the qualifications and having no any of the prohibitions as mentioned below has the right to be a candidate in an election or selection of senators:

(1) being of Thai nationality by birth;
(2) being of not less than forty years of age on the election day or the date of nomination;
(3) having graduated with not lower than a Bachelors degree or its equivalent;
(4) a candidate in an election of senators shall also possess any of the following qualifications:v (a) having his name appear on the house register in Changwat where he stands for election for a consecutive period of not less than five years up to the date of applying for candidacy;
( b ) being born in Changwat where he stands for election;
( c ) having studied in an education institution situated in Changwat where he stands for election for a consecutive period of not less than five academic years;
(d) having served in the official service or having had his name appear in the house register in Changwat where he stands for election for a consecutive period of not less than five years;
(5) not being ascendants, spouse or child of a member of the House of Representatives or a person holding a political position;
(6) not being a member or a person holding any position in a political party, or having been a member or having been holding a position in a political party and his membership has terminated or he vacates office in a political party for a period of not more than five years on the date of applying for candidacy or the date of nomination;
(7) being disfranchised under section 102 (1), (2), (3), (4), (5), (6), (7), (8), (9), (11), (12), (13) or (14);
(8) not being a Minister or a person holding a political position other than a member of a local assembly or a local administrator or vacating office for a period of not more than five years.

[A Member]

I'll bet TAT don't want this story to go international