The move will also allow the prime minister to reacquire the draft charter, approved in the August 7 referendum, from the King – and amend it to the same effect.

The amendment was tabled by the Cabinet and National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO). It will enable the prime minister to reacquire the draft charter from the King and alter some content in regard to the monarch’s power, as suggested by the Office of His Majesty’s Principal Private Secretary.

Representing the two ruling bodies, Deputy Premier Wissanu Krea-ngam said in yesterday’s session that writing of the new charter had followed due process of law until it was submitted to the King for royal endorsement. The Office of His Majesty’s Principal Private Secretary had observed there were some points the government should reconsider, he said.

The government, together with the NCPO, reconsidered the observation and agreed that the revision of the charter draft should be made now and not after it is promulgated.

“If we wait until the constitution is promulgated – although the amendment was still viable legally – there would be difficulties as by that time it would already be a law,” Wissanu said. “In order to amend some chapters and clauses as such, it would need to be endorsed by the people in another referendum,” he explained.

It would have been a long-term obligation that was time-consuming and would have affected many other issues. But if the amendment was done at this time and re-submitted for royal endorsement, it would be better and more appropriate and would not cause difficulty, Wissanu said.

The Deputy Prime Minister said the government and NCPO considered the proposal to amend the Interim Charter to allow the draft charter to be altered at this time was right and lawful. It was still being reviewed by the King, which enabled the process to occur, he said.

He stressed that the change would only be as suggested by the Office of HM’s Principal Private Secretary. No other points would be adjusted as the draft constitution had already passed a national referendum.

Besides the new stipulation in regard to the King’s discretion on the designation of a regent by preference, Wissanu also proposed clauses to disallow the adoption of Section 18, 19, and 20 of the 2007 Constitution.

The three sections stipulate that the King should name a regent when outside the Kingdom or unable to perform royal duties. If this does not occur, the Privy Council will propose a regent with the Parliament to endorse that, or the President of the Privy Council would become a Regent pro tempore during the King’s absence.

The amendment also addressed in the new Section 4, Wissanu’s proposed adjustment to stipulations upon the King’s observations on the referendum-approved charter, with an addition that this can also be done for related matters other than what he has observed and advised on.

After nearly three hours of deliberation, the amendment of the Interim Constitution of 2014 passed the NLA with 228 votes in favour and three abstentions. It will now be forwarded for the Cabinet to seek royal endorsement.

Meanwhile, chief charter drafter Meechai Ruchupan, who also sits on the Council of State’s special panel to amend the constitution draft, said that the panel would not start working officially until the government submits the amendment to it.

The change would strictly follow the Interim Constitution of 2014 that was amended yesterday, he said.

Meechai declined to comment on speculation that the charter change would delay the election to 2019, but said the regime’s road map remained unchanged and it would not begin until the constitution was enacted.

He said the Constitution Drafting Commission would only exist until its task of writing 10 organic law was completed under that timetable.

The companies face charges for document forgery and tax evasion among others, Office of the Attorney-General (OAG) spokesman Lieutenant Somnuk Siangkong said.

The Criminal Court will hear testimonies today, he added.

However, Wat Paknam Phasicharoen’s assistant abbot Phra Maha Satsanamunee, aka Luang Pee Pae, was not indicted as there is no evidence suggesting that he had a hand in the alleged tax evasion, while the charge of him possessing a vehicle for which tax has not been fully paid was invalid. Somneuk said the prosecutors’ decision to not indict the monk will be sent for Department of Special Investigation (DSI) chief’s consideration. If the DSI chief objects, the order will be returned to the OAG.

Six people facing indictment include garage owner Pichai Veerasitkul; CT Auto Part Ltd Partnership; CT Auto Ltd Partnership executive Vasu Chittipattanakulchai; Odd 89 Enterprise Ltd Partnership executive Kasem Pawangkanan as well as Methanan Nitithitiwong and Somnuek Boonparapai. While the last three defendants were booked yesterday, the former three postponed their booking for indictment to February 10 as they were still gathering funds for bail and their lawyers.

“We plan to decide on this case by January 18,” Jessada Arunchaipirom, the public prosecutor in charge of the case, said yesterday.

Kittikorn Wikaha, 26, and Supatchai Jansri, 25, face three charges over the alleged offences including the robbery and murder of Wasin Luangjame, 26.

If convicted, they could face the death penalty.

The police investigation showed Wasin was killed on a Bangkok street because the two suspected robbers wanted his iPhone.

The court has allowed police to detain the two suspects until January 18 pending further legal proceedings.

Police have already concluded their investigation into the murder and forwarded the case to public prosecutors yesterday.

The investigation report does not include two other robberies that took place on the same night Wasin was killed.

The two suspects are alleged to have stolen the mobile phones of two women, which will be investigated separately.

“Apparently the two suspects showed no signs of repentance. Following the fatal robbery, they went ahead to rob two other victims,” Kok Khram Police Station’s acting superintendent Pol Colonel Sarawut Jindakham told reporters yesterday.

According to police, Kittikorn and Supatchai are both former convicts with criminal records.

Ratchaburi’s Ban Pong Police Station superintendent Pol Colonel Amnuay Pongsawat, 58, allegedly ordered others to abduct the 28-year-old Supaksorn and “teach her a lesson” due to a Bt4-million debt he claimed the victim borrowed from his 38-year-old mistress, Kannikar Krumram.

Amnuay said that he had financially supported Kannikar for three years so she could save money, Sanit said.

However, Kannikar then had a secret romantic relationship with the victim, Sanit said, and prior to the abduction, Kannikar found out that the victim had become close to another woman, resulting in regular arguments.

Sanit said he believed that Kannikar was involved in the murder and possibly provided information to the abductors.

Amnuay, Kannikar and two other suspects, Niwat Suaythong, 32, and Phumithat Phiboonsawat, 24, are now in custody.

Sanit said police would object to bail when they brought Amnuay and Niwat to apply for a court detention order later yesterday.

He said all four suspects had given partial confessions but police would interrogate them and investigate further, adding that they would determine if the motive for the murder was money, as Amnuay reportedly claimed, or some other cause. Police would gather evidence to prove the suspects’ guilt beyond reasonable doubt, he said.

He added that Amnuay, who has been suspended from his police job, would not enjoy any special privileges.

Yesterday afternoon, police took Niwat and Phumithat to re-enact the abduction of Supaksorn on December 13 from her apartment in Soi Phetchkasem 114 in Bangkok’s Nong Khaem district.

According to the re-enactment, Niwat cut in front of the victim’s motorcycle with his pick-up truck while she was leaving her apartment and Phumithat and two others detained her claiming they were police. Police said the captors claimed they then left her at a Kanchanaburi house with three men: two former soldiers, Chaiyuth Benchat, 41, and Panumet Meela, 34; and former policeman Samart Saengsin, 50. All three men are now wanted by police.

Thai-Myanmar border manhunt

Niwat and Phumithat also claimed that they knew the three men had killed Supaksorn and buried her at a prepared spot.

Supaksorn’s body was found on Wednesday evening buried at an abandoned resort in Kanchanaburi’s Muang district.

As of press time, police were still hunting for the three fugitives, who reportedly have knowledge about potential escape routes in the Thai-Myanmar border area.

Meanwhile, the initial autopsy result showed that Supaksorn had died from asphyxiation possibly before she was buried, said Pol-Maj General Pornchai Sutheerakhun, director of the Institute of Forensic Medicine at Police General Hospital, estimating that she died a little more than a week before police discovered her corpse.

Supaksorn’s mother, Sompit Traijandaeng, 46, and relatives yesterday morning performed a religious ritual at the resort “to lead the victim’s spirit home”, Supaksorn’s aunt Somkid Polkha told The Nation. During the ritual, the grief-stricken Sompit became “possessed by her daughter’s spirit”, scolding the attackers and Kannikar and lamenting the victim’s suffering prior to her death, Somkid said.

She added that Supaksorn was the sole breadwinner supporting her mother, who suffered from a chronic illness and had separated from her husband years before. Somkid also said the family did not believe Supaksorn borrowed the Bt4 million as Amnuay claimed.

The victim’s father, Boonchu Polthaisong, 49, who went to collect Supaksorn’s body at the Police General Hospital morgue yesterday for a funeral to be held at Wat Ban Klong E-taek in Sa Kaew’s Muang district, submitted a DNA sample for police to confirm the victim’s identification.

However, officials refused to release the body pending comparison of the DNA , saying the family could collect the body today.

This year floods have ravaged several southern provinces, upsetting the lives of more than 1 million people.

The government has decided to organise a special event to raise funds for the flood-affected people.

The event, to be held from 6pm to 8pm on Sunday, will be broadcast live via Television Pool of Thailand.

“In addition to the prime minister, even Cabinet members and entertainment figures will accept phone calls at this fund-raising event,” Deputy Government Spokesman Lt General Werachon Sukondhapatipak disclosed yesterday.

He said interested donors could also come in person to the event, which would take place at Government House.

“We will accept donations at Government House until 11pm on Sunday,” he said.

Werachon said the government hoped for financial donations because they would be the easiest to transfer to agencies responsible for direct delivery of help to flood victims.

Thai Red Cross sends trucks

Due to the serious extent of flooding, various organisations have been busy sending help to people in affected areas.

The Thai Red Cross Society of Thailand yesterday dispatched its trucks to flood-hit provinces. Joining the convoy were artists from RS music label and Channel 8 TV station.

In the northeastern province of Udon Thani, a network of organic farmers has arranged 1,334 kilograms of rice for flood victims.

“We will send them to people in flood-hit areas,” Udon Thani Governor Prapas Malakarn said yesterday.

In the Central province of Nakhon Pathom, several trucks headed to the South to deliver basic necessities to the victims of floods as well.

Nation Group, which publishes The Nation, also organised a campaign to help the flood victims.

To date, it has already raised  more than Bt6million  for floodrelief operations.

In a related development, the Labour Ministry announced yesterday that the Social Security Board had agreed to reduce the amount of monthly contributions to the Social Security Fund by employers and employees in 12 flood-hit provinces from this month until March.

Normally, their monthly contributions must be equivalent to five per cent of their salary – with salary not exceeding Bt15,000.

The percentage will be reduced to 3 per cent as a special measure.

THE government has unveiled a super-committee to map out a policy framework for national reform, reconciliation and long-term strategies over the next 15 years as Thailand aspires to leap from a middle-income to a high-income country.

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, who chaired yesterday’s meeting with concerned agencies at Government House, said the new body would be responsible for the reform agenda as well as formulation of economic development and reconciliation strategies.

According to Prayut, the super-committee will be the most important mechanism to advance the country over the next 15 years with economic, political and other reforms implemented simultaneously.

“Today, it’s not only about [political] reconciliation or amnesty, but we want to see how our country can move forward in the next 15 years. So, the question is what can this government do under the road map to help begin ‘fixing, strengthening, and contributing’ to the country’s [long-term development],” said Prayut.

Under the programme, the supreme body would act as the strategic policy supervisor and command body on three fronts. Three committees – the reform preparation committee, the national strategy preparation committee, and the reconciliation preparation committee – would be set up to help direct policies and work on each front.

The chairs and vice chairs of the National Reform Steering Assembly and National Legislative Assembly would be invited to sit on all three committees along with concerned deputy prime ministers and ministers.

Another committee would be established as a “mini Cabinet” to help drive the committees’ strategic policies and administration, said Suvit Maesincee, Prime Minister’s Office Minister, who was appointed secretary to the supreme committee. A Prime Minister Delivery Unit would be formed to assist.

“What we would see from now on is the effort to steer the country forward while reforming it,” said Suvit, during a press conference after the meeting.

Outdated laws and regulations were highlighted as major obstacles for change and the new ambition of the country was to become a high-income country with the new economic model, Thailand 4.0, being the key driver.

Suvit said besides this year’s Bt1.9-billion budget to empower provincial clusters to receive development based on the new economic model, the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) mega-project was also approved in principle to help drive the country towards the new economic goal.

Prawit tasked with reconciliation

Under the EEC scheme, at least five development projects, including the U-tapao Airport development, expansion of phase III of Laem Chabang seaport, and the high-speed train connecting Thailand’s eastern region, would be pushed forward this year.

Suvit said the meeting addressed laying out a framework and concept for reconciliation work and members wanted to see how unity and reconciliation could take place.

Suvit said Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan would take care of the work and added that to boost reconciliation, it cannot avoid reform work in areas such as the justice system.

Prawit said he would propose a structure and procedure for reconciliation after talks with the political sector and involved senior figures.

Surachai Liengboonlertchai, deputy president of the National Legislative Assembly, said Prayut wants the national strategies and plans for national reform and reconciliation to start being implemented within this year.

The NLA president said he has learned that the government would start submitting relevant draft laws for the assembly’s deliberations in March.

“I will consult with NLA whips if the reform laws can be expedited so that the deliberation is shorter than for other laws,” he said at the Parliament building.

The Pheu Thai Party yesterday welcomed the government’s talk on reconciliation as a “positive sign” ahead of the next election.

Chavalit Wichayasit, a key Pheu Thai figure who previously served as its deputy secretary-general, said the government has signalled there would be talks on reconciliation before the next election.

“It’s better late than never. If they are sincere, there will be success,” he said.

A clip of rapid runoff from the Pong Samsip and Khlong Loi reservoirs, north of Bang Saphan district, went viral on the social media early this week along with rumours that dams had been opened.

A few days later, the Royal Irrigation Department issued a statement to say that the runoff pictured was actually from the reservoirs’ spillway, not from the lakes. But by that time another clip had gone viral. This one featured an interview with the chief of the Royal Irrigation Department’s Water Management and Hydrology Office, who announced that the authority had no power to issue any warnings, manage evacuations or set up help centres. Its task instead was to report the water situation to relevant agencies. Whether those reports were then used to issue a warning was down to the administrative leader in Bang Saphan.

Although 12 southern provinces have been suffering floods for weeks, residents in the more northerly Bang Saphan had never experienced severe inundation prior to this week.

Their desperate situation was exacerbated by the fact they were not alerted to the potential crisis by any state agency and so had no time to either move their possessions or evacuate to higher ground.

Royal Irrigation Office 14, which is responsible for Bang Saphan district, clarified that it had been closely monitoring the water situation and issuing regular announcements for Prachuap Khiri Khan provincial authorities. This practice accords with protocols under the National Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Plan.

Yet if local authorities were being advised of the situation, why did they not keep the public informed?

The crisis has strong echoes of the 2011 floods, where a similar lack of coordination – and perhaps conflict – between state agencies resulted in a bill for damages that soared to hundreds of billion of baht.

The flooding in the South has so far cost 36 lives and affected almost 1 million people, with more than 300,000 homes, over 100 hospitals and over 1,000 schools inundated. More than 200 roads and 59 bridges have also seen flood damage.

The Thai Chamber of Commerce forecasts the cost of the damage will be Bt22.36 billion – not as severe as 2011’s floods, but still enough to knock 0.1 per cent off gross domestic product growth this year.

The lesson is that lack of coordination among authorities delays management of a crisis and also solutions in the aftermath, costing us all more in the long run. Meanwhile ordinary people suffer needlessly in the vacuum where state agencies’ coordination should be.

State agencies need to first make disaster-prevention a cross-agency priority and cooperate better to provide well-organised crisis management. By maintaining a silo mentality, agencies fail to communicate with each other and leave gaps in crisis response where we can least afford them.