CDC will not join in public debates on draft charter



BANGKOK: -- The Constitution Drafting Committee has turned down the Election Commission’s invitation for it to join public debates on the draft constitution which will be open to both supporters and opponents of the draft.

CDC chairman Meechai Ruchupan said Wednesday that there is no need for the CDC to participate in the debates because the committee is not in a position to argue with any individuals or groups of people about the draft charter.

Instead, he said he would like the CDC to spend the rest of the time before the August 7 referendum to clarify to the people about the content of the draft which will be more suitable. If there are distortions or misunderstanding about any parts of the draft, he said the CDC would try to make the clarifications.

The EC has planned ten public debates this month until August 5 and has invited both the New Democracy Movement and iLAW to participate in some of the sessions with the EC setting the issues for the debates.

Meanwhile, CDC spokesperson Norachit Singhaseni warned authorities concerned to exercise caution in dealing with a case in which an 8-year old girl was caught tearing a list of eligible voters in Kamphaengphet province because she is a minor.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/cdc-will-not-join-public-debates-draft-charter/

-- Thai PBS 2016-07-21

Best for the CDC to keep clear and avoid having to deal with those awkward questions regarding the militarys intention to maintain power as per instructions from the self elected PM.

What a gutless bunch. To scared to face the public in a forum where the hard questions will be asked.

I wonder how an 8 year old will handle a attitude adjustment camp? Maybe they hauled the parents in.

CDC spokesperson Norachit Singhaseni warned authorities concerned to exercise caution in dealing with a case in which an 8-year old girl was caught tearing a list of eligible voters in Kamphaengphet province because she is a minor.

CDC members are constitution draft writers. They are not law enforcement officers or prosecutors. Who are they to warn anyone about dealing with any possible criminal investigations? Too often Meechai seems to have endowed himself with junta powers by association.

You drafted the charter but have no guts to debate it.....what a loser...

Of course they won't participate,..... they have the guns undercover, and you know what that means........

After all they just wrote the thing. How would they have anything pertinent to add to a discussion, like what they had in mind for various bits of it?

Looks like Meechai is the architect of this draft charter and the rest are just rubber stamper and don't understand enough to debate. He may been told and instructed to draft the charter in a certain way and now either feel insecure or lack the moral courage to debate.