Thai politics: Murmurs as charter draft leans toward coalition govt

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Murmurs as charter draft leans toward coalition govt
ATTAYUTH BOOTSRIPOOM

BANGKOK: -- THE National Reform Council (NRC) this week is debating the draft charter just completed by the Constitution Drafting Committee (CDC).

NRC members are also making suggestions for revisions to the draft, and the CDC will decide later whether to follow the suggested changes.

Judging from public reaction, this constitutional draft seems not to be widely acceptable. Opposition to different clauses of the charter is even stronger than with the previous post-coup constitution of 2007. And the voice of discontent appears to be getting louder.

During their seven-day debate on the charter draft, members of the NRC, which has the power to decide whether to pass the draft, focused on the issues involving the political structure. Members of the NRC's political reform committee have voiced their opposition to certain clauses in the electoral system, the appointment of senators and the reintroduction of a non-MP prime minister.

Academic Sombat Thamrongthanyawong, who chairs the NRC's political reform committee, called the new electoral system "regressive". It is based on Germany's electoral system with the main goal of preventing a complete majority in the House of Representatives.

It seems that the new electoral system is aimed at encouraging the formation of a coalition government, in the hope that the smaller partners may "balance against" the largest coalition party. In fact, we have had such coalition governments in the past, and they were mostly unstable due to too much bargaining among the many coalition parties.

Many constitution drafters are aware of this lesson from the past but they simply ignore it in the hope that coalition governments will help end the problem of frequent conflicts between the country's two largest political parties.

NRC members question the clauses that give a lot of power to unelected senators, although they are not true representatives of the people.

The provision that allows non-MPs to become prime minister has also prompted criticism. Many people were unsure that the "outsider PM" would assume power only in case of crisis, as claimed by the constitution drafters. Critics were afraid that due to this provision, an unelected prime minister might be appointed after the next general election, although there was no sign of crisis. Constitution drafters say this provision is one of the principles they will not revise.

Political parties also question those clauses in the constitutional draft. They are afraid that political parties will be weakened, with reduced roles, while political groups recognised under the new charter will become stronger.

Politicians disagree with "open list" voting in the new electoral system that allows voters to rearrange the order of party-list candidates previously determined by the political parties.

Their standpoint is described by constitution drafters as an attempt to protect their own interests. Borwornsak Uwanno, the chief charter writer, once said the new constitution was written for all 65 million Thais, and not just 5,000 politicians.

Courts of law are the latest group to voice disagreement with certain clauses in the constitutional draft that would result in changes to existing court practices.

Let's wait and see how the constitution drafters will deal with this mounting opposition against their charter draft.

It will be interesting to see if they will eventually manage to win public acceptance for the final draft.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/politics/Murmurs-as-charter-draft-leans-toward-coalition-go-30258550.html


-- The Nation 2015-04-23

[jerojero]

Coalition of what? Appointed not elected. Pro-coup, no opposition voices allowed. Media muzzled. Gonna be a long time before any semblance of democracy is seen or allowed.

[Ichabod]

Appointed PM = institutionalized coup

[Nbarch]

“It’s Democracy, Jim, but not as we know it......…”

[Alwyn]

Why does he even bother pretending? He has artcle 44 in place, he can do what he wants anyway, constitution or not. Stop pretending with all of this democracy sh*te and say it as it is and will be.

[Srikcir]

"Borwornsak Uwanno, the chief charter writer, once said the new constitution was written for all 65 million Thais, and not just 5,000 politicians."

Borwornsak is out of touch with the Thai people's rights and liberties.

He has a constitution written for 65 million Thais by a couple hundred people appointed by the Junta and without the permission or approval of the 65 million Thais. The 2007 constitution was at least approved marginally by 51% of the Thai electorate but still failed support of the 3,000 flag officers. Maybe if Borwornsak put the sovereignty of the Thai people ABOVE and BEYOND THE REACH of the power of the military, a representative constitution for the Thai majority would be acceptable.