CDC members prefer fresh Thai charter draft

[webfact]

CDC members prefer fresh charter draft
KASAMAKORN CHANWANPEN
THE NATION

USING PARTS OF OLD CONSTITUTIONS 'MAY MEAN TOO MUCH WORK'

BANGKOK: -- THE Constitution Drafting Commission is looking to write a fresh charter rather than adapt elements from previous ones, its spokesman Amorn Winichwiwatana revealed yesterday.

Meanwhile, CDC chair Meechai Ruchupan said he wanted a brief draft.

While it was not officially resolved at the CDC meeting yesterday to write a fresh charter, most members found the idea agreeable, Amorn said during a daily press briefing.

The spokesman also revealed that CDC vice chair Prapan Naikovit, an expert in the drawing up of laws, had told the meeting that borrowing parts of old charters would not be as easy as it seemed as they would need to be brushed up. Writing a completely new draft could be an easier job, Amorn quoted him as saying.

Members agreed with their chief that the new charter should be concise and contain only a handful of key principles, the spokesman said.

Meechai told reporters before the meeting that he wished to see a brief new draft and further details could be left for the next government to deliver using its own organic laws.

Meechai said the draft's main structures would remain the same as the shot-down draft, both in terms of essential content and their order.

But the drafter chief did not confirm if it would come in four chapters like in the rejected draft.

The CDC chairman expressed satisfaction with the process to date, saying he believed the draft would be completed within the 180-day deadline as the drafters were working well together.

Amorn said a brief charter version would be in line with the universal norms, as outlined by the National Council for Peace and Order.

He revealed that when the drafters finished reviewing the framework to be used for the constitution this week, they would go through the details article by article.

From today until Thursday, representatives from independent agencies such as the National Anti-Corruption Commission, the Auditor General, and the Ombudsman will attend CDC meetings to detail problems facing the country.

Ombudsman president Sriracha Wongsanyangkool said representatives from his office would meet with the CDC on Thursday. He said they would ask the drafters not to dissolve or merge the agency with other any other agency so that it maintains its power as stipulated in the 2007 Constitution.

Under that charter, his office was given the power to commence investigations, call for evidence from concerned authorities, and file charges against wrongdoers.

The Ombudsman's resolutions must be bound to disciplinary actions, he said, adding that it should also be given more extensive power so it can file civil actions on behalf of the public.

Sriracha said he would discuss with the CDC the possibility of allocating 1 per cent of the total state budget to independent agencies to enhance their independence.

The Election Commission (EC) will today meet with the CDC to submit its proposal on enhancing its efficiency via the new charter.

Election Commissioner Boonsong Noisopon said the EC would ask the CDC to maintain the agency's power so it could pursue allegations of election fraud and ask the courts to make use of its investigation reports.

Heavy penalties against election fraud should be considered, while |the EC should be retained as the |main agency organising elections, he said.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/politics/CDC-members-prefer-fresh-charter-draft-30270735.html


-- The Nation 2015-10-13

[deckape]

A handful of key principles eh? How about "it is generally bad to tear up the Nation's constitution".

[fred Kubasa]

New ! Well of course to lenghten salaries/benefits so why elect the easy

way. A swift reading of old charters, ( 15 ? ), would quickly reveal

workable/unworkable chapters, cull a little, reject more, accept a few,

complete it in a week but, as usual, no one reading this will be alive

to read the ALL NEW/IMPROVED THAILAND CHARTER - 2087 !

[elgordo38]

I think once it is drafted it will rephrase a lot clauses that were objectionable in the last rejected charter. I think we are in for a long period of "Charter Ring Around The Rosie" There has to be articles according to people in power to maintain control same as the last time. Write reject write reject and so on.

[Srikcir]

Much ado about nothing.

Another charter to be written for the People by those who are not the People.

Another charter for which the People have no right to defend and protect.

There are increasing instances where even a communist nation seems more democratic than Thailand.