Clean sheet likely for new Thai charter

[webfact]

Clean sheet likely for new charter
Kris Bhromsuthi,
Khanittha Thepphajorn
THE NATION

First meeting of CDC considers whether to use any of previous constitutions

BANGKOK: -- The new charter to be written by the Constitution Drafting Commit-tee (CDC) is likely to be fashioned from scratch and not be a modified version of former constitutions.

The CDC held its first official meeting yesterday, with its chairman Borwornsak Uwanno proposing the key talking point on whether the committee will use the 1997 and 2007 constitutions as prototypes when drafting the new document or whether the drafting process should start from scratch.

Borwornsak said that the first option would involve using some parts of the 1997 and 2007 charters and dropping elements that were no longer effective. Alternatively, he said the deliberation of the drafting process could start afresh, beginning with the most important issues such as monarchy, public, courts, the administration, the parliament and the Cabinet. This would be done bearing in mind the country's key problems such as political conflict and reconciliation, economic inequality and corruption.

CDC spokesman General Lertrat Rattanawanit supports the fresh-start, saying if charter drafters used past constitutions as a model it would mean "we didn't learn anything new".

Lertrat said the CDC members expected to form a consensus on this matter by next week.

He also pointed out that the drafters must deliberate on the 10 mechanisms in the interim charter's Section 35 on the new constitution's drafting process.

A CDC source said most members believed the 1997 and 2007 charters had good content and focused on protecting people's rights, but their implementation was problematic. Hence these members believed the focus of the new charter should be on its effectiveness and practicality.

CDC member Paiboon Nititawan said most of members agreed that the drafting process should start from scratch and this issue occupied a large part of yesterday's meeting.

The media has raised questions about the CDC meeting behind closed doors and the prospect of public participation in the drafting process.

Borwornsak said the purpose of the closed-door meetings was to encourage charter drafters to let go of their past political stance and speak decisively.

Paiboon said all the members had a lot of ideas to contribute to the process, but if the meetings were not closed they might be encouraged to express themselves in "great detail and descriptiveness". He said the absence of the media and the public could lead to shorter discussions and a better outcome.

"The purpose is to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of the meetings in the early stages to set structures before the public participates," the former senator said.

Commenting on suspicion that the CDC is dominated by people with strong ties to the junta, Paiboon insisted that all the members were well qualified and had contributed ideas and proposals without any particular person dominating the sessions so far.

He said he was very satisfied with Borwonsak's leadership as he was open-minded and possessed the ability, experience and work ethic to steer the committee.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/politics/Clean-sheet-likely-for-new-charter-30247187.html


-- The Nation 2014-11-07

[visionchaser45]

The old charters probably contain too many provisions for legitimate democracy. In order to invent" true" democracy, it will be easier than deleting or retro-fitting references to aspects of legitimate democracy. By "legitimate" democracy, I mean one that places power with the people and offers the people choices. A one party system that can override the will of the people can never be a legitimate democracy. Call it what you will, it is nothing more than a jewel in a pig's snout.

[jaidam]

Please do not dig for dirt on me, I beg you. I must say you can't do that now.

This guy, and his mates, have no place anywhere near a constitution rewrite. Just another dishonest politician basking in the piles of dodgy assets,power and cash he has accumulated, while denigrating other bent politicos that did exactly the same. Sickening hypocrisy, and I for one am not buying a single word of any tripe that this junta says.

[Thai at Heart]

So they even don't choose to attempt to learn from their previous mistakes.

[siampolee]

Well as Thailand is more renowned for it practices of imitation as opposed to innovation possibly a copy of the Magna Carta might be worthwhile as as base for a new charter.

[Thai at Heart]

Well as Thailand is more renowned for it practices of imitation as opposed to innovation possibly a copy of the Magna Carta might be worthwhile as as base for a new charter.

Trial by jury of peers.

Or is that nongs....never going to allow anything so forward looking as a document as this.

Edited November 6, 2014 by Thai at Heart

[Tatsujin]

So they even don't choose to attempt to learn from their previous mistakes.

You know as well as I do that Thai's never make mistakes and that they also have nothing to learn from anyone, anywhere ... they know everything there is to know already (in their own minds).

My (overly optimistic) high hopes for some major changes here in Thailand have disappeared in smoke with this junta, so I'll just have to accept things are what they are in this mickey mouse country and that nothing will change much simply because they don't want it to despite much "talk" to the contrary.

[soalbundy]

A clean sheet, well that would be a first for Thailand, ''clean'' i mean.

[rickirs]

Will the Thai military learn from the mistakes of the past?

2013-05-13

“Thailand's Defence Minister on Sunday refuted rumours that Army Chief Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha would be dismissed, saying the claim was groundless.”

“The defence minister also reaffirmed that relations between the government and the army remained strong.”

NNT 2013-09-16

“Army Chief General Prayuth Chan-ocha has urged all sides to learn from the 19 September 2006 coup d’tat, while ordering all soldiers not to get involved in politics.”

“… he [Gen. Prayuth] has urged all military officers not to get involved in politics and to stick to their duty, which is to protect the people and the country.”

2013-12-04

“The Thai armed forces have totally ruled out a coup to end the political turmoil, navy chief Narong Pipathanasai said today.”

“The armed forces have discussed the political conflicts and agreed that they would definitely not stage a coup based on lessons learned in the past, he said.”

“They have to find a way for co-existence to avoid violence in the future. The military does not have a political role, he indicated.”

The Nation 2014-08-15

“Taking previous lessons into account, the NCPO and Prayuth must be decisive. They must have supreme control.” (my underlined emphasis)

The Nation 2014-10-07

The NRC is empowered to nominate 20 out of the 36 CDC members, while the remainder will be nominated by the NCPO, the Cabinet and the NLA.”

Yes, the military learned its lesson. The military will have complete control over the “new” constitution and any government formed after Prayuth's regime..

[SiggiCM]

what a joke,

Thailand want to invent the wheel new,

and this behind close doors,

this criminal junta will get what it deserves

by media the junta has 90% support from the Thai people so why they dont make their goverment

leagal and make a democratic election?

may be it would shows the trues

[bikerbri]

The one word that stands out in this piece "Fashioned"