CDC must open up to public participation: legal expert

The Nation

BANGKOK:-- Calls are growing for the Constitution Drafting Commission (CDC) to allow more public participation in drafting the new charter.

At a seminar on "The new charter draft: where are the people?" organised by the Law Reform Commission of Thailand, legal specialist Pairoj Polpetch urged the CDC under the leadership of Meechai Ruchupan to allow greater public participation in writing the country's top law. He said the new constitution should not be written by a small group of people and then enforced on all citizens across the country.

"The constitution will be meaningful only if the public has participated in its drafting, so that it belongs to the public as a whole and not just one person,'' he said.

He said that at least the previous charter draft, written by the CDC under Borwornsak Uwanno, had strengths in terms of reform and reconciliation.

The previous CDC, he said, had given ample opportunity for the public to reflect on the content of its draft. "They allowed people to debate the content. But we have no idea what the focus of this new charter draft is, because it is not accessible by the people,'' Pairoj said.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/politics/CDC-must-open-up-to-public-participation-legal-exp-30275573.html

-- The Nation 2015-12-24

It is clear this incarnation of the CDC has no plan for wide public participation. They have said the writing will be completed and the draft published in January.

I am hoping for an English language translation. I believe the previous draft was translated by an independent group; the Junta has no interest in making it easier for international media.

As for public input, I predict a limited set of sessions in which the CDC or their proxies selectively "explain" parts of the Charter. The anemic Thai press will take a few pot shots. Politicians will rightly criticize it. TVF members will have an impassioned, albeit illogical, debate. The ghost of Thaksin will hover over the whole mess.

At about that time, there will be some bewildering comments about the challenging logistics of printing 20 million copies of the damn thing. Campaigning for or against the Charter will be banned again, sort of. The majority of Thai people will be left in the dark until the last possible moment.

Edited December 24, 201510 yr by phoenixdoglover