CDC appear to have left door open for post-coup officials

[webfact]

BURNING ISSUE
CDC appear to have left door open for post-coup officials
ATTAYUTH BOOTSRIPOOM

BANGKOK: -- THE NEW constitution's "first draft" is ready, though there are certain clauses that will satisfy some and upset others.

It has been decided that of the five organisations set up by the junta after last year's coup, only members of the Constitution Drafting Committee (CDC) will be prohibited from holding any political office for two years once the new charter comes into effect.

However, there is no such ban against members of the other post-coup organisations, namely the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO, the Cabinet, the National Legislative Assembly (NLA) and the National Reform Council (NRC). This is in line with a clause in the provisional charter.

With the new charter leaving the door open for members of these organisations, it is suspected that the CDC may have paved the way for some members of the junta to carry forward the power they took hold of after the coup. However, it may be too early to accuse anyone of trying to "hog the power".

Let's first look at the political positions the members of these four organisations can assume.

They can become part of the new government that will be set up after the next general election, as the new charter has no rules stopping them from becoming ministers or even the prime minister. After all, the new charter does not require the prime minister to be an elected member of parliament.

Also, there is nothing banning members of these post-coup organisations from contesting to become MPs.

In addition, it is believed that the new Senate will be dominated by members of the four post-coup organisations, as the new charter does not ban them from holding political positions immediately after the new charter comes into effect. Senators under the new charter will not be directly elected, but will be chosen according to what the drafters refer to as "indirect election", but which critics consider "appointment".

According to some provisions that the CDC has written into the new charter, members of the four junta-appointed organisations can use several different paths to return to politics.

In the 2007 Constitution, created after the 2006 coup, many people involved in post-coup organisations returned in the form of senators. Hence, it is only understandable that some members of the NLA and NRC will take up senatorial positions this time.

Also, with the new charter not saving any seats for elected senators, these individuals will have more opportunities to sit in the Senate.

Then there are the two new organisations that will be set up according to the new charter. These bodies will be working on reforms to ensure this coup "is not wasted" - offering more options for NLA and NRC members.

The first organisation, "Reform Movement Council", will be comprised of 120 members, 60 of whom will come from NRC, 30 from the NLA and the remaining 30 will be experts from different arenas.

The second organisation, a committee on reform strategy, would have no more than 15 members who are experts in different areas of reform. Members of this committee will be appointed by the Reform Movement Council.

In addition, there will be other new organisations, such as the Ethics Council and the Ethics Assembly.

Though they will not be directly born from the new charter, it will give them considerable powers, including the power to impeach political office holders.

Also, certain independent organisations will be renamed scrutiny organisations, and there are no provisions banning members of the four post-coup organisations from joining them.

Without clear prohibitions, it is likely that we will see members of the junta-appointed bodies showing up here and there in new bodies set up under the new charter.

Some people may say these individuals have the right to "carry on" with their unfinished work, but for others this might be tantamount to "hogging power".

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/politics/CDC-appear-to-have-left-door-open-for-post-coup-of-30255842.html


-- The Nation 2015-03-12

[englishoak]

Zzzzzzzzzz

[Mango Bob]

When will they get the balls to write into the constitution that all coups are illegal.

[brucec64]

When will they get the balls to write into the constitution that all coups are illegal.

It is written in every constitution and is labeled as treason. That's why the first act of every coup maker is to rip up the constitution and give themself amnesty from treason charges.

[FangFerang]

"CDC appear to have left door open for post-coup officials" = The Sky Appears to Be Blue" = "Accurate Sources Report the Seas are Very Wet This Year" = "The Charter Appears to have a Political Coup Built In" =

No shit, Sherlock Holmes.

[Srikcir]

Why does Thailand even bother with having a constitution?

The constitutional monarchy of the United Kingdom has operated a democratic government for centuries without a constitution. And not a single military coup in that time span. Myanmar is a partial military-controlled government; Vietnam is a one-party communist government; Cambodia is a constitutional monarchy; Malaysia is a constitutional monarchy. Who would miss Thailand not having a constitution?

The Thai military could accomplish as much by including a short chapter in its Soldier's Guide! It's the military that matters first anyways. Everything else in Thai society just trails along as servants of the state.