Listening to public crucial to charter's acceptance: Ombudsman

[Lite Beer]

Listening to public crucial to charter's acceptance: Ombudsman
THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- CHIEF OMBUDSMAN Siracha Vongsarayankura yesterday called on Constitution Drafting Committee (CDC) members to listen to public opinions in relation to the charter, otherwise they could face resistance.

Siracha said some CDC members had complained to him about what they see as the committee chairman's "dictatorial" behaviour and his tendency to impose his personal opinions on people at meetings.

"If they think the chairman |is not doing his job properly, |then CDC members should have the courage to stand up for themselves," he said. He said Borwornsak Uwanno should be reminded of the responsibility he carried as CDC chairman, and that the charter-drafting process should be based on people's views rather than his own views in order to avoid future conflict.

He said Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha might have selected the wrong CDC chairman, because there were many things being put into the charter derived from pure theory without practical experimentation.

This may lead to problems in the future or the charter might not be passed in a referendum, he said.

Meanwhile, CDC spokesman Kamnoon Sidhisamarn denied reports that charter drafters had set up a meeting with National Reform Council members for backroom wheeling and dealing ahead of their official meetings to debate the draft between April 20 and 26.

He said the meeting was requested by NRC members so they could express their opinions.

The NRC is scheduled to debate the final constitution draft before proposing recommendations to the CDC for review.

The drafters have 60 days to consider the proposals before submitting the new charter to the NRC for approval.

According to the provisional charter of 2014 imposed by the junta after it seized power, if the NRC votes to reject the new permanent charter, both the NRC and CDC will be dissolved and the process of drafting a new constitution will go back to Square 1.

Borwornsak and fellow CDC member Suchit Bunbongkarn have insisted that the controversial provisions in Section 2 of the charter on political structure, political parties and politicians should not be amended, despite contrasting views from some NRC members.

The new constitution will see the establishment of a National Reconciliation Committee, which will have the power to propose pardons.

There have been reports that it could pave the way for former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra being pardoned as part of the junta's reconciliation plan.

But Kamnoon said that would not happen, as the purpose of the National Reconciliation Committee was to propose pardons for people who acknowledged their guilt and had provided valuable information that could contribute to national reconciliation.

Only a small proportion of convicts will be given pardons, he said.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/politics/Listening-to-public-crucial-to-charters-acceptance-30257880.html

-- The Nation 2015-04-11

[FangFerang]

The charter includes wild gerrymandering, proscriptions that only favor Bangkok protests (protests must be held during specific hours and during specific times that favor the Bangkok middle class and no one else), and appointed governments the "people" have no say in whatsoever. Welcome back to the feudal system. Congratulations, and you are not a Duke.

And the Charter authors are "exempt" from prosecutions. Does anyone else realize this is a free ticket? They could kill people, and they will (look at the south, strangely pro-yellow while all the bombs go off--no need for vote buying, let's just hijack the whole electorate), and claim it was in the National Interest. Maybe YOU need to be taken to an army camp and be made to "understand". PIGS. You support this? Justifying the newest coup with the claims of corruption that every other coup has said were their motivations is tiresome and vacuous. Vacuous --without substance.

This whole fiasco is unmitigated bullshit.

It is a joke with no punchline. It is a lie. Just like the other 18 coups were lies. People who read history know this. People who read TV act like this year is different than all the last twenty years, and you are kidding yourselves. These landless farmers, these poor people who make others rich, are demanding a voice in governance...the details are crap. No one launched the public health scheme--oh, that was populist...taking care of people without doctors holding them ransom for their life. Oh, no, no yellow apologists talk about THAT. My God, you might actually be supporting poor people. No yellow apologist on TVF has ever even addressed this health policy, because they are timid wenches waiting for the next beer order. Twits.

In short, read history..all 18 coups,,,there is a genuine similarity that even an idiot could see. Perhaps you are not on par with an idiot...

[phoenixdoglover]

Other than scrapping it entirely, the best way to improve the new Charter would be to remove at least 50% of the articles. While it is difficult to judge, there have been enough leaks to know that a government based on this unwieldy document, if it ever gets off the ground, will likely crash a short time later.

I suppose this could be the designers' intent.

[candide]

It's obvious that pardon by this hand picked committee will be selective according to colors...

[jerojero]

Thailand HAS an Ombudsman? I'm sure he's totally free to honestly report government wrongdoings.