Parties and independent bodies to be invited to share opinions on draft charter

BANGKOK: -- Political parties and independent organizations will be asked to share their opinions on the draft constitution with the Constitution Drafting Committee, said committee chairman Meechai Ruchupan on Friday.

Speaking to reporters before chairing the CDC meeting, Mr Meechai assured all the opinions from political parties, including the inputs made earlier with the former CDC, would be considered by his committee which would base its decision on the best interests of the country and the people.

He explained that independent organizations would be invited to share their views for instance the National Anti-Corruption Commission regarding graft problem because he would like to know what went wrong that efforts to tackle corruption have failed to ease the problem.

Mr Meechai expected the first draft charter to be completed next January and ready to be submitted to the cabinet, the National Council for Peace and Order, the National Legislative Assembly, the National Reform Steering Assembly and the public for consideration.

The CDC chairman disclosed that his predecessor, Dr Bowornsak Uwanno had recommended Dr Jate Dhonavanik, a former member of the CDC, to help out.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/parties-and-independent-bodies-to-be-invited-to-share-opinions-on-draft-charter

-- Thai PBS 2015-10-09

"...for instance the National Anti-Corruption Commission regarding graft problem because he would like to know what went wrong that efforts to tackle corruption have failed to ease the problem..."

1. It's called "check-and-balances". Putting strict controls on how contracts are let for bid and how bids are excepted.

2. It's called full disclosure of all high level politicians in all provinces and amperes on their net worth and where that net-worth was derived from.

3. It's called putting a system in place whereby citizens can easily call in complaints anonymously. It may not get a conviction, but it will alert authorities to problem offices or politicians that need to be investigated.

Look to other countries that already have laws in place to fight corruption and have made significant strides over decades and stop thinking you have to create unique laws because Thailand is different and no one understands you.

Mr Meechai assured all the opinions … would be considered by his committee which would base its decision on the best interests of the country and the people.

Easy to say, but a Constitution is only the fundamental principles that determine how a State will be governed, not how the citizens respond to being governed.

In a country where citizens don’t place much store in fundamental principles such as: social order; code of conduct; ethics; responsibility; and respect for law, the rules are always going to be broken.

Social Hierarchy and the ostentatious Hi-so culture; the domestic patronage system; and the endemic belief in quid pro quo will severely challenge the efforts of the CDC Mark II team and the success of the new Charter.

It looks like that challenge is going to be even harder (if not impossible), especially as, after all his years of experience, Khun Meechai still “would like to know what went wrong that efforts to tackle corruption have failed to ease the problem”.