NLA committee steps up efforts to vet four bills by deadline

[webfact]

NLA committee steps up efforts to vet four bills by deadline
By THE NATION

 

BANGKOK: -- THE NATIONAL Legislative Assembly (NLA)’s constitution-vetting committee will expand its work to scrutinise four organic bills amid fears that it might not have enough time to complete the task, the committee’s vice chairman yesterday.

 

Thaweesak Suthokwathin said the committee, chaired by |NLA vice chairman Surachai Liengboonlertchai, would supervise the vetting of the four bills so that they could be examined in harmony. The four bills relate to political parties, House of Representatives members, the Election Commission and senators.

 

Full story: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/news/politics/30299925

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2016-11-14

[trogers]

There should be enough time if less is spent on the green...

[NongKhaiKid]

What are they on about ?

I'm sure the bills could be approved now, if they haven't been already, and no need for all the BS that they're working their balls off.

TIT, nothing's done at the double although they are good at leaving things to the very last minute !

[baboon]

Well how long does it take to rubber stamp 'APPROVED' on a few pieces of paper, for God's sake? Not months, surely?

So just do that now then natter about it among yourselves in your own time. Sorted!

[waldroj]

"... However, the NLA feared it would not have enough time as it would have only 60 days to vet each bill..."

 

One has to wonder what they fear !!!

 

Maybe Para 4 from Section 267 is the cause for their concern:

In the consideration of the Organic Bills as specified in Paragraph One, upon receipt of the Organic Bills from the Constitution Drafting Committee, the National Legislative Assembly shall complete the consideration of each Organic Bill within sixty days as from the date of its receipt. In the event where the National Legislative Assembly is unable to complete the consideration of any Organic Bill within the required period, it shall be deemed that the National Legislative Assembly has approved such draft as presented by the Constitution Drafting Committee.

 

Or, perhaps as Section 268 says:

Election of members of the House of Representatives under this Constitution shall be held within one hundred and fifty days as from the date the organic laws under Section 267 (1), (2), (3) and (4) have come into force.

 

If there is to be an election by the end of 2017 (as Prayut said during his speech at the United Nations General Assembly in September) then delays resulting from the death of His Majesty will start to seriously impact of this being achievable without some serious effort on the part of the NLA, the CDC, and the Constitutional Court.

 

At the moment, the whole process is in limbo until the Constitution has been promulgated. Only then can these four bills be submitted to the NLA.

 

Then, the serious work for the NLA begins! One doesn't want to consider what happens if any Bill is rejected at this time, so assuming they get approved, there will be further delays (caused by processes as defined in Sections 81 and 148) before the Bills came come into force and the election timetable can be achieved.

 

All in all, that assurance given to the UN is looking a bit shaky without some sustained concentration on the part of the constitution-vetting committee!