Four options outlined in case draft Thai charter fails in referendum

[webfact]

Four options outlined in case draft charter fails in referendum



BANGKOK: -- Four options have been considered in case the draft constitution fails to receive public approval in a referendum, said Deputy Prime Minister Visanu Kruea-ngarm on Thursday.

He outlined the four options as follows: to set up a new National Reform Council and a new Constitution Drafting Committee to draft a new charter; to form a panel to craft a new draft without setting up a new NRC; to assign the National Legislative Assembly to craft the new draft; and to assign one organization or more to choose one of the previous charters for reconsideration.

He admitted that he could not say which of the four options was suitable as he had to propose the four options to the consideration of the government and the National Council for Peace and Order first.

As for the shape and look of the final draft charter, the deputy prime minister admitted he had no idea how it would look like because he was not interested in this aspect but he suggested that the final draft charter should not be too long.

Dr Visanu said he would be the only minister to clarify to the CDC this Saturday about the cabinet’s proposed amendments to the draft.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/four-options-outlined-in-case-draft-charter-fails-in-referendum


-- Thai PBS 2015-06-04

[dominique355]

It is of utmost importance that the one option, which will used in case of a rejection is clearly communicated to the people so that they know what will be the consequences of a NO vote.

Option 1, 2 and 3 are in my view unacceptable because they will prolong the actual situation with a coup installed executive and legislative, which is contrary to the Junta's own promise to restore Happiness and true Democracy.

Option 4 should be clarified in such a way that the "fall back" constitution should be announced unequivocally before the referendum. Most academics favor the 1997 Constitution. But this will probably not happen, because that version does not contain a blanco pardon for the coup makers.

[Just1Voice]

Option 5 - The Junta says "Who needs a damn constitution, anyway," and decides to stay in power indefinitely, or until a real civil war breaks out. Whichever comes first.

[webfact]

REFERENDUM
Wissanu offers 4 options if charter rejected
THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- DEPUTY PM Wissanu Krea-ngam said yesterday he would present the Cabinet and the National Council for Peace and Order four options to pick from if the charter draft does not pass a referendum.

The four options are: using the same procedure - setting up a new National Reform Council and Constitution Drafting Committee; setting up a new committee to draft a new charter without a new NRC; assigning the National Legislative Assembly to write a new charter; or allowing an agency or several agencies to pick one of the previous charters and work on it.

He said that though the five core agencies would meet on June 17, he did not support the move to let the five agencies decide on the matter.

He said he was not sure if one of the options could be what former Pheu Thai leader Chaturon Chaisang had suggested - to hold a general election and then set up an assembly to draft the charter.

Wissanu said he would represent the Cabinet in explaining its proposed amendments to the charter drafters on June 6 tomorrow. He said the Constitution Drafting Committee might ask him to clarify more than 100 amendments proposed by the Cabinet.

The NRC suggested that MPs must belong to a political party to strengthen a political party, CDC spokesman Kamnoon Sidhisamarn said yesterday. He was speaking after the NRC members led by Pongpayome Vasaputi explained their recommendations to amend the charter draft on the third day of talks.

The NRC has sought changes to 78 provisions, and the important change was the total removal of Article 71, which calls for the establishment of provincial councils as a checking mechanism by the civic sector. The NRC said such a mechanism should be removed because it does not have balance of power.

Regarding the establishment of a "Civic Assembly", the NRC wanted to change the composition of the assembly and the qualifications of members and their terms. The NRC opposed setting up the assembly as an organisation but wanted to create a process to give the public opportunities and allow public participation to carry out their roles as citizens, Kamnoon said.

The NRC also proposed that the term "political groups" be removed from 29 provisions and provisions 175 and 176 be scrapped, because the NRC opposes a merger of the National Human Rights Commission and the Office of the Ombudsman.

The NRC suggested the term "large-scale local administrative organisation" be changed to "specially structured local administrative organisation".

Meanwhile, a network of civic groups for a welfare state and a network to push for the national pension system petitioned CDC chairman Borwornsak Uwanno to support five provisions on setting up the national pension system, health insurance, education insurance and finance for society as well as reforms on consumer protection.

The group proposed that the National Human Rights Commission be a separate entity from the Office of the Ombudsman. It also sought to remove the word "welfare" from the charter draft to prevent discrimination.

Borwornsak said he had no problem with removing the word "welfare" and the CDC did not want the word to have a negative connotation of being poor, insisting that the charter draft gives equal opportunity to everyone.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/politics/Wissanu-offers-4-options-if-charter-rejected-30261649.html


-- The Nation 2015-06-05

[Srikcir]

Junta-appointed Wissanu will present to the Junta-appointed Cabinet and the NCPO Junta four options to pick from if the charter draft does not pass a referendum.

The only option not to be presented is to ALLOW the Thai people to decide their options.

[WhizBang]

The only option should be the 1997 charter.

The referendum should ask, do you want this 2015 junta charter or the 1997 charter. But they will never ask that question, as the 1997 charter would win by a landslide.

[chainarong]

Let's face it the options are not great, what needs to be done is to make sure the Thai Charter meets the public's approval and this of course places the NRC in uncertain territory , at this stage there has been talk that this is a sham, set up to fail, so that the Junta can continue into 2017 and one wonders why, perhaps the underlying reason for the coup will become more evident as the year progress , who knows , P. M Prayut - O -Cha might even level with the people for once.

[JAG]

Option 5 - The Junta says "Who needs a damn constitution, anyway," and decides to stay in power indefinitely, or until a real civil war breaks out. Whichever comes first.

Sadly the most likely outcome.