Deputy Prime Minister General Prawit Wongsuwan, who supervises the committee, said yesterday that “divisive parties”, especially from the political sector, would be invited alphabetically by the first letters of their Thai titles to give their views on the 10 topics.

There would be no arguments on reconciliation matters, he said, but concerned parties would work together to find a solution to benefit the public. The 10 issues will possibly include deep-rooted inequality, which is seen as the root problem of the years-long conflict and division.

The committee is part of the government’s latest effort to expedite critical work including reconciliation during its last year in the office.

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha recently initiated a new structure, under which an umbrella committee for reform, reconciliation and national strategy was set up. The reconciliation preparation committee is one of four committees set up under the umbrella group.

On Tuesday, Prayut signed an order appointing members to the committees.

Prawit’s committee is made up mostly of military officers and state officials with few “outsiders”.

Prawit attempted to enlist high-profile reconciliation figures including noted social critic Prawase Wasi and Kanit Na Nakorn, the veteran former chairman of the Truth for Reconciliation Commission, which independently investigated deadly political violence in 2010. However, they turned down the invitation.

Anek Laothamatas, chairman of the now-defunct National Reform Council’s reconciliation study committee, has agreed to be an adviser.

Prawit said his committee would also appoint another four sub-panels, including a public hearing panel chaired by the permanent secretary for defence.

He said public hearings would be conducted at a provincial level by the army.

Input from public hearings and the Bangkok group would be combined before being tabled before the prime minister’s umbrella committee.

Tinnapan Nakata, National Reform Steering Assembly chairman and adviser and member of the reconciliation committee, said he had appointed his vice chair, Alongkorn Poonlaboot, to sit on the same committee. He will also sit on another committee working on the preparation of reform.

Another vice chairwoman, Walairat Sriarun, was assigned to sit on the national strategy preparation committee.

Democrat Party Leader Abhisit Vejjajiva said he would cooperate with the committee if asked, but would not alter his position in supporting amnesty for the general public but that leaders should prove their innocence through the legal process.