Apiwan, former Thai deputy House speaker, backs charter change delay

Apiwan, former Thai deputy House speaker, backs charter change delay
Bangkok Post, January 5, 2012

Former deputy House speaker Apiwan Wiriyachai agrees with Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yubamrung that the charter amendment should be delayed for about eight months, saying that it is not urgent.

What should be tackled urgently is post-flood rehabilitation, particularly in the industrial and agricultural sectors.  Charter amendment could be carried out as planned after the people;s lives had returned to normal,  the Pheu Thai MP for Nonthaburi said on Thursday.

Col Apiwan said the government should not initiate charter amendment by itself, but should leave the matter to  members of the House of Representatives and the people.

As far as he knew, the Pheu Thai Party did not have a charter amendment draft to be submitted to parliament, he said.

Payap Panket, a Pheu Thai party list MP, said the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) had an amendment draft which might be submitted to parliament soon.

The UDD was in the process of gathering signatures to support it, he said.

Mr Payap, a UDD core member, said the UDD draft would call for the amendment of the entire constitution, not only Section 291, taking the 1997 constitution as a model.

Thailand: Charter draft to take one year

Thailand: Charter draft to take one year
Bangkok Post, January 3, 2012

Parliament president Somsak Kiatsuranont expects a new charter draft will be completed within a year and a referendum will decide if it should take effect.

"Of course, after the New Year the first political issue will be charter amendments. People must be open-minded. Do not stick with any single thing or any individual. That will be pointless," Mr Somsak said.

"The final answer will rest with the people. Please help things progress in a democratic fashion. If this cannot happen, I must say frankly that I can't see any other way."

Mr Somsak stressed that amendments to the constitution were inevitable because his Pheu Thai Party had raised the matter during the election campaign and 15 million people had voted for the party.

The government said it would seek amendments within a year of coming into power.

Mr Somsak said the Pheu Thai Party will this month propose that parliament amend Section 291 of the constitution to allow the establishment of a Constitution Drafting Assembly (CDA). It will consist of 77 members who will be elected from Thailand's 77 provinces as well as 22 academics. Once formed, it should take a few months to draft a new constitution.

Asked if the 15 million votes Pheu Thai received in the July 3 election gave the government a strong enough mandate to replace the constitution, Mr Somsak said the new charter draft would be put to a referendum and the public would decide its fate.

"We do not cite the 15 million votes to justify the new constitution. Those votes tell us to seek to change the charter and whether the change will be accepted or not will depend on 64 million people," the parliament president said.

The nationwide election of charter drafters, and a referendum was the best way to introduce a new constitution as the public could take part in both processes.

A new constitution which resulted from democratic processes should be acceptable to most people. "Democracy means people's elections ... and the majority rules. Rejecting this is tantamount to rejecting democracy," he said.

Thai constitution amend: PM backs plan to set up CDA

Thai constitution amend: PM backs plan to set up CDA
Bangkok Post, December 24, 2011

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said on Saturday that she agrees with the plan to amend the Article 291 of the charter to pave way for setting up the charter drafting assembly.

She said this when asked about the proposal by her deputy Chalerm Yubamrung that a 99-member Charter Drafting Assembly be set up to rewrite the 2007 Constitution.

Ms Yingluck said it is a good proposal but I would like the decision on this issue be made under parliamentary process.

“I only want to make sure that members of the charter drafting panel are really representatives of people of all groups”, she said, adding that she also agreed that public referendum on charter change should be held.

Nithi Aiewsriwong, an independent academic, said he supports the constitutional amendment plan.

“But the government must make it clear to the general public the amendment process. It should make known whether or nor a charter drafting assembly comprising people representatives, lawyers and academics will be set up to do this mission”, he said.