ROAD MAP

Wissanu reassures about ‘road map’ but offers few details

SAKDA SAMERPHOP 
PRAPASRI OSATHANON 
THE NATION 

 

Wissanu

 

BANGKOK: -- DEPUTY PRIME Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam has insisted there are solutions to every problem related to the promulgation of the new constitution while maintaining that the government’s “road map to democracy” remains unchanged.

 

The government would submit the completed constitution for royal endorsement by November 9, Wissanu said.

Following the Constitution Drafting Commission's submission of the charter to the government on Tuesday, Wissanu said the government had 30 days to review the draft before seeking royal endorsement, which could take place within 90 days to enact the constitution. 

 

Full story: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/politics/Wissanu-reassures-about-road-map-but-offers-few-de-30297567.html

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2016-10-13

1 hour ago, webfact said:

while maintaining that the government’s “road map to democracy” remains unchanged.

 

 

more like "road block to democracy" remains unchanged... 

"Not offering details" is code for ........"we don't want people to know what we are up to".

1 minute ago, Brer Fox said:

"Not offering details" is code for ........"we don't want people to know what we are up to".

or

don't know what I'm talking about

"...In response to criticism that there are now more military officers than civilians in the NLA, Pornpetch said the members are specialists who work for the people's interests and could help raise their problems for the assembly's consideration..."

 

With statements like this we can be sure the 'Scary Clown' craze has well and truly arrived in Thailand (but here, the crazies don't dress in clown costumes).

 

As I see it, Thailand could be facing a constitutional crisis. And while it may not affect the “road map to democracy”  so much, it may well put back the date of the election quite considerably!!!

 

If, as Wissanu says, the government submits the completed constitution for royal endorsement by November 9, there is no guarantee that anything will happen with it for some time after that!

 

As noted in the Preamble of the draft charter, it requires the King's signature before it can be promulgated as the Constitution of the Kingdom of Thailand. A Royal Command can then be issued for its enactment to replace the Constitution of the Kingdom of Thailand (Interim), B.E.2557, and the count-down to the election can be said to have commenced.

 

Should the King be unable to sign (for whatever reason), we have to look to the Interim Constitution for guidance. However, it provides no direct way of dealing with the situation, instead its Section 2 states that the provisions of Chapter II of the 2007 Constitution...shall be continued in force as an integral part of it.

 

Therefore, we have to refer to the 2007 Constitution, specifically Section 18, which states:

Whenever the King is absent from the Kingdom or unable to perform His functions for any reason whatsoever, the King will appoint a person Regent, and the President of the National Assembly shall countersign the Royal Command therefore.

 

There are also provisions under Sections 19 and 20 of the 2007 Constitution to cover the situation where no Regent has been appointed by the King.

 

So, it will be interesting to see how Wissanu's "solution" eventuates, and how this impacts on the election date.