‘Distortions key risk to charter vote’

[rooster59]

‘Distortions key risk to charter vote’

BANGKOK: CDC chief Meechai says drafters doing their best, should pass referendum

THE chief constitution drafter says people who try to distort the charter draft should be held responsible if it fails to pass the referendum.

Meechai Ruchupan, chairman of the Constitution Drafting Commission (CDC), said the drafters were working to the best of their ability and not concerned whether the draft passes a national referendum.

He said if the draft failed to pass the vote it would be the result of people causing a misunderstanding among voters through distorted claims.

"That's the answer you will get from the drafters. The drafters are writing the new constitution as best as our intelligence permits," he said.

Meechai, speaking to The Nation, said the new draft contained provisions that aimed to rectify weaknesses in previous charters that led to the political crisis over the past decade.

He said the new draft would have a mechanism that could help prevent violent street protests, which were blamed for political unrest in the past. He said the charter would require an organisation to be set up that has the power to make rulings aimed at preventing political crises.

"The problem will no longer be allowed to drag on until it has to be solved on the streets again," he said, referring to street demonstrations that caused chaos over the past decade.

However, he said that did not mean the new draft aimed to prevent street protests. "The right to demonstrate is guaranteed by the constitution, as long as the rights of other people are not violated. This will be a focus for this new constitution. Guaranteed rights must be exercised in a way that does not infringe on other people's rights," Meechai said.

The new constitution would also have a mechanism that helps prevent corruption in a concrete way, according to the chief drafter. He said people convicted of graft or electoral fraud would be banned from contesting an election for life.

"This is a strong measure. We hope that aspiring politicians will be aware of its severity and avoid wrongdoing," Meechai said. Political office holders would also be subject to tough rules that would see them banned from holding public office for life, if they failed to abide by them.

He said certain prohibitions in previous charters, which were not followed because there was no penalty, would now carry a punishment. For example, any MP, senator or Cabinet member who failed to follow a ban on misusing state funds would be removed from office.

Meechai said the new constitution would contain mechanisms aimed at encouraging real participation by the public in politics and lessening corruption and electoral fraud.

"This is aimed at purifying the politics and making the country move forward. We will be no longer be trapped in the old problems," he said.

He said the people would have three main parts of participation in politics including the right to be informed and comment on the government's important policies.

They would also be permitted to take part in selecting government members, with a mechanism that gave them a clearer picture of political candidates vying for MP seats or to be prime minister.

Members of the public would also be able to apply to be selected as senators without having to get involved with a political party.

He did not think the new charter would contain any provisions that made it compulsory to achieve reconciliation. "If we could achieve reconciliation by writing it in law, we would have done so long before. I don't think you can achieve reconciliation just by writing law."

He considered a national reform and reconciliation committee, as suggested by the National Legislative Assembly, unnecessary. "We have never thought of having it or thought as to why we need one," he said.

Meechai said the draft now had 250 to 260 articles compared to the previous charter's 309. He added that the final number could be lower, as some articles would be merged or removed during the revision process.

The drafters had agreed there needs to be provisions that require compulsory reform in certain areas, such as education and law enforcement. The drafters were also seeking input from the National Reform Steering Assembly to determine if other areas of reform should be required.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/politics/Distortions-key-risk-to-charter-vote-30276024.html

-- The Nation 2016-01-03

[jaywalker]

""That's the answer you will get from the drafters. The drafters are writing the new constitution as best as our intelligence permits," he said."

I wish them intelligence.

[Somtamnication]

Ah, distortions. The govt hates for others to imitate theirs.

[Reigntax]

No. People finding out the hidden truth and intention are the risks to the vote. Hard trying to get the masses to agree to something where the purpose it to maintain power for the military and the elite cronies.

Remember the last dozen or so attempts. All failures like those who wrote them.

[MZurf]

"He said if the draft failed to pass the vote it would be the result of people causing a misunderstanding among voters through distorted claims."

OK, so it could not be because you're going to submit a draft that's thoroughly undemocratic??

[oneday]

"...THE chief constitution drafter says people who try to distort the charter draft should be held responsible if it fails to pass the referendum..."

How incredibly naive to say something like this. It says a lot about their level of education.

Besides, we all know where the "distortions" come from and it's not the general public or even the media.

[phoenixdoglover]

The "ban for life" provision, broadly applied, is a bad idea. It raises the stakes, promotes divisive contention, and remains vague about who wields the power to ban.

This CDC is doing a better job of obfuscation; less opportunity for public debate or criticisms in the press.

Yet the basic message of the article: stupid voters are easily confused by "distortions".

Edited January 3, 2016 by phoenixdoglover

[JOC]

Nothing new here.........................

From Twitter:

Thai junta, military government picks Meechai Ruchupan to head new constitution drafting commitee. Meechai led pro-army 2006 charter panel.

[gamini]

""That's the answer you will get from the drafters. The drafters are writing the new constitution as best as our intelligence permits," he said."

I wish them intelligence.

I am sure all the drafters are far better educated and much more intelligent than you.

[JOC]

""That's the answer you will get from the drafters. The drafters are writing the new constitution as best as our intelligence permits," he said."

I wish them intelligence.

I am sure all the drafters are far better educated and much more intelligent than you.

Sorry to inform you, that if you had followed the news, you would understand the sarcastic post from Jaywalker !!

Makes who less intelligent ??..........................................

[Srikcir]

"He said the new draft would have a mechanism that could help prevent violent street protests, which were blamed for political unrest in the past. He said the charter would require an organisation to be set up that has the power to make rulings aimed at preventing political crises."

A constitutional junta?

[edwinchester]

New Constitution not even finalised and here is the CDC Chief already preparing excuses should it be voted down. Can't even be democratically dismissed, oh no, it has to be I'll intentioned people distorting the content to fool an entire electorate who presumably have no ability to decide for themselves.

As with the previous attempt I'm seeing a rejection coming up with the resulting extension of the Juntas rule.

Edited January 3, 2016 by edwinchester

[jesimps]

""That's the answer you will get from the drafters. The drafters are writing the new constitution as best as our intelligence permits," he said."

I wish them intelligence.

I am sure all the drafters are far better educated and much more intelligent than you.

Doubt it.

Although better educated than the fanboys who swallow any old blx they come out with.

Edited January 3, 2016 by jesimps

[yellowboat]

""That's the answer you will get from the drafters. The drafters are writing the new constitution as best as our intelligence permits," he said."

I wish them intelligence.

I am sure all the drafters are far better educated and much more intelligent than you.

But are they honest and thinking about the Thais who are struggling , or they just looking to preserve the privileged ?

[baboon]

""That's the answer you will get from the drafters. The drafters are writing the new constitution as best as our intelligence permits," he said."

I wish them intelligence.

I am sure all the drafters are far better educated and much more intelligent than you.

But are they honest and thinking about the Thais who are struggling , or they just looking to preserve the privileged ?

Take a wild guess..

[retarius]

So setting up a 'can't campaign against the charter' law or Art 44….same as last time, and which nullifies the election from an international perspective. Incidentally there are still some folk in jail for campaigning against the army's last charter in 2006.

[phoenixdoglover]

"He said the new draft would have a mechanism that could help prevent violent street protests, which were blamed for political unrest in the past. He said the charter would require an organisation to be set up that has the power to make rulings aimed at preventing political crises."

A constitutional junta?

Yeah, the "Steering Commitee" idea was supposedly ruled out....but I suspect the treachery of a legal mind on this one.

[noosard]

The road map as usual is full of potholes

Just like the roads

And the cartographers a using white out

[elgordo38]

""That's the answer you will get from the drafters. The drafters are writing the new constitution as best as our intelligence permits," he said."

I wish them intelligence.

I am sure all the drafters are far better educated and much more intelligent than you.

But are they honest and thinking about the Thais who are struggling , or they just looking to preserve the privileged ?

No and Yes to the obvious.

[ramrod711]

Guaranteed rights must be exercised in a way that does not infringe on other people's rights," Meechai said.

So, basically these "rights" should be called privileges. Abuse the privilege to protest by occupying an airport, or set up a fortress in the middle of a major intersection, you lose that privilege. On the other hand, only the people at fault should lose it, and depriving everybody in the country of the right to protest is obviously an abuse of authority.

[SOUTHERNSTAR]

Here we are with the 4th constitution (2007, junta's interim one, 2014 one that was turned down and now this one) in a row that's been written by the traditional elites/conservatives/ultra-nationalists without any input from normal citizens or national debate. Interesting if this one is turned down there is no provision in the interim constitution for what is to follow. My guess is that they will then take 6 months to change the interim constitution and then start a new process, blaming the delay in elections on the pesky politicians that distorted their constitution. So it will continue until the big change takes place.

[waldroj]

THE CCD of the CDC says they are not concerned whether the draft passes a national referendum, yet he warns that people who try to distort the charter draft should be held responsible if it fails to pass the referendum.

Talk about a distorted way of trying to influence the outcom.

Should the draft charter fail, it will be because the majority of those Thai people who vote at the referendum, have deemed it to be so (even though they probable do so in the knowledge that this may throw the whole election process into disarray, and provide the junta with an excuse for it to retain control).

[Barfinebob]

Here we are with the 4th constitution (2007, junta's interim one, 2014 one that was turned down and now this one) in a row that's been written by the traditional elites/conservatives/ultra-nationalists without any input from normal citizens or national debate. Interesting if this one is turned down there is no provision in the interim constitution for what is to follow. My guess is that they will then take 6 months to change the interim constitution and then start a new process, blaming the delay in elections on the pesky politicians that distorted their constitution. So it will continue until the big change takes place.

The people will win, eventually. This fight, for democracy, has been going on for decades and slowly but surely the end is fast approaching for the dark side. Viva la Democracy.

[tbthailand]

THE chief constitution drafter says people who try to distort the charter draft should be held responsible if it fails to pass the referendum.

you mean, for example, by calling the charter "democratic"

[tbthailand]

Here we are with the 4th constitution (2007, junta's interim one, 2014 one that was turned down and now this one) in a row that's been written by the traditional elites/conservatives/ultra-nationalists without any input from normal citizens or national debate. Interesting if this one is turned down there is no provision in the interim constitution for what is to follow. My guess is that they will then take 6 months to change the interim constitution and then start a new process, blaming the delay in elections on the pesky politicians that distorted their constitution. So it will continue until the big change takes place.

The people will win, eventually. This fight, for democracy, has been going on for decades and slowly but surely the end is fast approaching for the dark side. Viva la Democracy.

I would say that you are far too optimistic.

It's not clear that democracy will win, and IMO, it is not at all clear that the end is fast approaching for those who hate self-governance in Thailand...

[tbthailand]

""That's the answer you will get from the drafters. The drafters are writing the new constitution as best as our intelligence permits," he said."

I wish them intelligence.

I am sure all the drafters are far better educated and much more intelligent than you.

given their public record of inane commentary and the cluster-f of the first draft, I would have to disagree with you. Just as the self-appointed "PM" doesn't appear to be the sharpest knife in the drawer, his appointed lackies don't impress either...

[Jim walker]

Only the junta charter draft writers should be held responsible if it fails to pass the referendum the people or the peoples elected representatives will decide at the end of the day what is in the Thailand charter and can just be changed as normal to make sure any corrupt leaders military or otherwise cannot be prosecuted for crimes they may have committed against the Thai people.

[Barfinebob]

Only the junta charter draft writers should be held responsible if it fails to pass the referendum the people or the peoples elected representatives will decide at the end of the day what is in the Thailand charter and can just be changed as normal to make sure any corrupt leaders military or otherwise cannot be prosecuted for crimes they may have committed against the Thai people.

Shouldn't the Junta personnel who selected the draft writers be ultimately accountable? After all it would be the second consecutive time the team they selected has failed.