NRSA Whip to discuss assembly’s role in explaining public referendum question

BANGKOK, 18 April 2016 (NNT) - The National Reform Steering Assembly Whip will be this week discussing if the assembly should assist the National Legislative Assembly in explaining the public referendum question to the public.

NRSA’s 1st Vice President Alongkorn Ponlaboot said that the assembly’s special committee, or Whip, will hold a discussion on April 21 to debate if it should let the NLA be the main body in offering all explanations related to the question of “Should senators be allowed to select a prime minister?”, which the legislature has proposed to be included in the public referendum process on the new charter.

Mr. Alongkorn’s comment was heard after Chairperson of the Constitution Drafting Commission Meechai Ruchupan said that it should be the NLA to handle the process as it is the one who proposed the question.

He said that, if the NRSA Whip agrees the assembly should assist the NLA in this process, this decision will be brought up at the NRSA-NLA coordinating committee’s meeting in the following week.


-- NNT 2016-04-18

CDC Chairman Meechai is not even sure if current law covers CDC authority to explain to the public the provisions of the draft constitution.

So exactly what legal authority exists to give the NLA the ability to make similar explanations to the public? Probably none.

But fortunately for the NLA, it can pass laws to legalize its actions and/or receive a NCPO directive.

As the Thai electorate can only look and listen, the unelected Four Rivers squabble over who's going to get the recognition to officially speak for the nation to explain the draft constitution. And this just points to the fundamental flaw in the entire draft constitution process - it belongs solely to the NCPO.

A camel is a horse designed by a committee. - Alec Issigonis

A committee is a group of people who individually can do nothing, but who, as a group, can meet and decide that nothing can be done. - Fred Allen

A committee is a group that keeps minutes and loses hours. - Milton Berle