The NLA, as tasked under the 2014 interim charter, came up with one question to go with the draft – whether the selected Senate should be involved in selecting a prime minister along with the Lower House during the five-year transitional period after the next election.

It is widely feared the unprecedented process would open the door for a non-elected prime minister.

The Constitution Drafting Commission earlier expressed its preference not to share its forums nationwide with the NLA, for fear the question could confuse voters.

They have agreed to share the forums, and the NLA panel yesterday held a meeting to discuss how the public relations for the question should proceed.

Surachai Liengboonlertchai, NLA vice president and the chair of the panel, said the panel had come up with the draft regarding its public relations procedures as well as the summaries to explain to the public.

He said the summaries would explain to the public at the shared forums why the NLA has proposed the question.

He said this was because the prime minister would lead the reform efforts.

It was also needed because to achieve reform with sustainable results in line with the national strategy, it could take up to five years.

Surachai said another factor for the question’s necessity was the fact that the selected Senate would be a body tasked with helping ensure the success of the reform process and the national strategy.

Also, he said the NLA was tasked with tabling a question under the interim charter, while the National Reform Steering Assembly had proposed the question and the NLA had finalised it as tasked.

Allowing the Senate to help select a prime minister would also ensure that certain mechanisms were put in place to bring about reform during the five-year transitional period.

Surachai said the CDC had divided areas nationwide for the charter draft public relations campaign into nine provincial clusters.

There are eight clusters around Lop Buri, nine clusters around Chon Buri, eight clusters around Prachuap Khiri Khan, 10 clusters around Udon Thani, 10 clusters around Buri Ram, seven clusters around Phuket, eight clusters around Chiang Mai and nine clusters around Phitsanulok.