The government would first have to see details about the national strategy proposals or the bill could possibly contradict the supreme law and become ineffective, he said yesterday on a television program. “Plus, [we] also have to heed opinions of all parties, debate, and resolve what we are going to do. We cannot tell now how many years we will employ this strategy,” Meechai said. “I believe that the government will wait until the charter draft is done before they proceed with the national strategy.”

The national strategy bill has been proposed by a national administration reform panel under the National Reform Steering Assembly (NRSA). The panel argues that the country lacks a cohesive strategy and needs one to move in the right direction over the next 20 years.

However, the bill’s stipulation that a strategy committee be formed and made up of key powerbrokers such the premier and heads of the National Legislative Assembly (NLA) and NRSA has stirred controversy, as it is seen as a means for the current regime to retain power. People are also concerned about the legitimacy of the regime to set out a strategy that would be binding on future elected governments for up to 20 years.

The chief drafter also revealed that his panel had accepted a proposal by the NLA and NRSA to include a reform chapter in the constitution draft.

“Currently, we are gathering all the comments from the NRSA and the government about reform points. But the most urgent ones that will definitely appear in the draft now are education and justice,” Meechai said.

“We will ask the government whether there are any other points they would like to be reformed instantly within this government. If yes, we will write it down. But if it is a long-term scheme we will set out that it should be done within five years so that the new government can carry it on.”