Foreign Tour Operators Flood Phuket, Taking Jobs from Locals

[webfact]

CONSTITUTION WATCH
CDC told to heed political reforms
NITIPOL KIRAVANICH,
KHANITTHA THEPPHAJORN
THE NATION

NEW CHARTER WILL BE 'SHOT DOWN IF WRITERS IGNORE THE NRC'

BANGKOK: -- NATIONAL REFORM Council member Alongkorn Ponlaboot yesterday urged the Constitution Drafting Committee to listen more to the NRC's suggestions to prevent the new Constitution being "shot down".

"I believe there is a high chance the constitution would be disapproved or shot down by the NRC if the CDC does not amend the draft in accordance with NRC political reform suggestions, with some members already reserving the right to propose the amendments," Alongkorn said.

Alongkorn was speaking at a NRC political reform committee meeting in which CDC members responsible for political affairs were asked to explain the progress in drafting the charter.

He said the charter was the responsibility of both CDC and NRC, and many NRC members had suggested holding joint meetings between the two agencies to make the drafting process smoother.

The focus of yesterday's meeting was the new electoral system, the mixed-member proportional electoral system (MMP), proposed by CDC member Nakarin Mektrairat.

The NRC's political reform panel wanted to be informed on the process of the system to determine if it would be synchronised with the NRC's proposals.

CDC member Paiboon Nititawan explained that the system was proposed due to concerns that the previous coalition government was unstable for the Thai governmental system

"I personally believe that the MMP system still has weaknesses, but the CDC scrutinised past issues for the political system in Thailand tied to a single-party government," Paiboon said.

"Therefore solving these problems could give more chances to small political parties and make every vote count.

"In addition to the MMP electoral system the CDC suggested the use of a popular vote in addition to the party-list system in local regions."

Sombat Thamrongthanyawong, chairman of the political reform committee, said it was a good system overseas, but it required further scrutiny to determine if it would work here.

Sombat said the CDC had adopted the idea from Germany and while Germany had no problems with government scrutiny, Thailand faced many issues.

"Therefore, the important thing is the need to create an efficient scrutiny system," he said.

CDC member Choochai Supawongse, who is also on the NRC's political reform panel, warned that no matter what system was used, politicians would always find a way to exploit it.

"Thai politicians always find the way to exploit the system, even a system designed to prevent buying votes. They find a way to buy them," Choochai said.

The CDC will have to scrutinise the system further before the matter is discussed in about a month.

Meanwhile, CDC member Kamnoon Sidhisamarn informed the meeting that the constitution was half completed.

He urged related agencies with proposals on the charter to submit them to the CDC as it was open for suggestions.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/politics/CDC-told-to-heed-political-reforms-30253231.html


-- The Nation 2015-02-03

[wowfactor10]

Och the idea is Different Thai political groups working TOGETHER !!

Hahahahaha

[rickirs]

"I believe there is a high chance the constitution would be disapproved or shot down by the NRC if the CDC does not amend the draft in accordance with NRC political reform suggestions"

Then the NRC political reform "suggestions" are not "suggestions" but directives. A bit like the NCPO directives, just less direct but still motivated by military rule. The whole military-dominated NLA/NRC/CDC is just a charade to convince the Thai public that there is some kind of democratic process taking place, albeit without any electorate approval or representation. Apparently, some of the CDC members have gotten carried away with some vestitage of democratic spirit and need to be yanked back to the reality that the reform has nothing to do with democracy. I think the CDC members need some tender NCPO attitude adjustment.