THE CONSTITUTION Drafting Commission (CDC) has written in a provisional chapter allowing the National Legislative Assembly (NLA), the Cabinet and the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) to continue carrying out their duties with full authority until new bodies are ready to replace them.

The NLA will serve its term till the day before the first Parliament meeting is held. The Cabinet and the NCPO will be in office till the new Cabinet is appointed.

The National Reform Steering Assembly (NRSA) will continue working for one year after the new charter is promulgated.

Members of the NLA, the NRSA, the Cabinet and the NCPO who want to run in the general election must quit their post within 90 days after the new charter takes effect.

The CDC will draft and complete 10 organic laws covering political parties, MPs and senators within eight months after the charter takes effect and will continue to be in office till the NLA passes the 10 charter organic laws. The CDC members are banned from holding political office for two years after stepping down.

The NLA must deliberate charter organic laws and other important laws within two months. Failure to meet the time frame means all the laws are approved and can take effect.

The MP and senator elections must be held within 150 days or five months after the charter-related organic laws take effect.

This time frame must not affect the NCPO’s democracy road map that the general election must be held within July next year.

Meanwhile, a politician from the Pheu Thai camp has suggested that every political party co-write a charter draft as an alternative for the public to decide on in a public referendum to prevent political conflict.

Former deputy prime minister Surapong Tovichukchaikul yesterday suggested that Prime MinisterPrayut Chan-o-cha allow politicians to present their own charter draft.

He said the move would avoid the problem of politicians campaigning for the public to reject the charter draft now being prepared by the Constitution Drafting Commission led by Meechai Ruchupan.

Surapong said a charter draft proposed by all political parties should be presented as another choice for the public to cast their ballots in a referendum.

He called on Prayut to have an open mind and give politicians the chance to solve the country’s problems.

Surapong thanked Prayut for confirming that the election would be held next year.

He said if the public rejected the charter draft, it meant they wanted other charters to be adopted.

“This charter draft [by the Meechai group] is not right. It [will leave a decision about] which charter is to be adopted if the draft is rejected. It is good that people do not have to worry that the election will be postponed,” he said.

Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam said yesterday that he had no knowledge of the follow-up plan if the charter draft were rejected in a public referendum.

Wissanu said he also had no idea what Prayut wanted to do next if the charter draft were defeated. He added that right now there was not yet a back-up plan if the draft was rejected. He said there was no need to amend the 2014 interim charter to make it clear over whether the majority of votes were calculated by taking into account the number of eligible voters or the number of voters who cast the ballots.

CDC chairman Meechai yesterday hit back at critics who branded him as “insane” for saying that if the charter draft was rejected in a referendum, the 2014 interim charter should be used until it was replaced by a new charter.

“I am not insane. As long as there is no charter, we must use the interim charter till it is revoked,” he said.

United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship Nuttawut Saikuar suggested that Prayut adopt the 1997 Constitution and hold a general election this year to return power to the people.

He said public sentiment to reject the charter draft might escalate into opposition to the junta. “If the public rejects the charter draft, the PM would still decide the path the country would take – which is expected to be no different from the direction provided by the charter draft. So what then is the use of having a plebiscite?” he said.