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Senators’ role in choosing PM ‘cannot be revoked as NCPO order still in effect’: CDC.

PoliticsOct 30. 2020

By THE NATION

The Constitution Drafting Commission (CDC) said that it had finished studying the draft of Constitution amendment proposals and submitted the report to House Speaker Chuan Leekpai, just before the Parliament’s ordinary session meeting in November.

The commission, which is chaired by government chief whip and Palang Pracharat MP Wirat Rattanaset, has been working for one month to study six agendas submitted by MPs of both government coalition and the opposition.

One of the major topics that the CDC studied was the amendment of Section 256 and the establishment of a constituent assembly to draft a whole new Constitution, as proposed by Chiang Mai MP and Pheu Thai leader Sompong Amornwiwat. The CDC said the proposal could be either constitutional or unconstitutional, explaining that in the latter scenario the Constitution is a public law and cannot be re-drafted from the ground up, while the 2017 Constitution mentions nothing about drafting a new constitution, but only suggests amending the existing one on a section-by-section basis.

Another topic being studied is the organising of a referendum. The CDC said that the referendum should be organised after the third reading of the amended Constitution is complete or before Parliament approves the draft. “While there are still no laws on the holding of a referendum, it can be organised under Section 166 of the Constitution which allows the National Legislative Assembly to ask the people whether they want to draft a whole new Constitution or not,” it said.

Regarding the issue of the constituent assembly being denied a mandate to amend the Constitution in the sections relating to the King’s power, the CDC has varied opinions but most of them were against curbing the constituent assembly’s power.

The CDC also said that it disagreed with the proposal to revoke sections 270 and 271, which stipulate the power of senators in monitoring the country’s reform, and Section 272, which gives senators a say in choosing the candidate for prime minister. “The cancellation of these sections, especially 272, could be problematic in practice because the order of National Council for Peace and Order is still in effect,” said the CDC.

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Court dismisses arrest warrant request for protesters who led march to German embassy

PoliticsOct 29. 2020

By The Nation

The Bangkok South Criminal Court on Thursday rejected an application for warrants to arrest five pro-democracy protesters who led the march to the German embassy on Monday.

Pol Colonel Pitak Suthikul, in his capacity as acting superintendent of Bangkok’s Thungmahamek Police Station, requested arrest warrants for Passarawalee Thanakijwibulpol, 25, Korakot Sangyenpan, 28, Chanin Wongsri, 20, Cholathit Chotsawas, 21, and Benja Apan, 21, for sedition under Article 116 of the Criminal Code and other charges.

Upon studying the case, the court advised police to first issue a summonses because the suspects are students who assembled for a short time and have no intention to flee.

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Thanathorn, former FWP leaders to be tried over protest

PoliticsOct 29. 2020

By THE NATION

The Pathumwan Municipal Court has agreed to try former members of the Future Forward Party (FWP) on charges related to a flash-mob protest in Pathumwan last December.

Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, former FWP leader and now head of the Progressive Movement, was at the Pathumwan Municipal Court to hear the decision on Thursday, along with other former FWP MPs Piyabutr Saengkanokkul, Pannika Wanich and Pita Limjaroenrat.

The former FWP members were charged with holding a public assembly without permission, obstruction of a BTS Skytrain station, holding an assembly within 150 metres of Sa Pathum Palace, and using amplifiers without permission.

Thanathorn said prior to the hearing that the government was making a mistake by arresting pro-democracy leaders.

“The political rallies to push for changes to the Constitution will continue. I ask all of you to be encouraged,” he said.

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Reconciliation committee just govt’s excuse to buy time, says Pheu Thai

PoliticsOct 29. 2020Prasert Chantarawongthong 

By THE NATION

Key opposition party, Pheu Thai, announced on Thursday that it will have nothing to do with the reconciliation committee that the Cabinet decided was necessary to resolve the ongoing political crisis.

After the Cabinet meeting on Wednesday, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said the panel will be appointed by the lower House and will include representatives from different parties, the Senate, members of Parliament and pro-democracy activists. Also on Wednesday, Prayut agreed to “switch off” the unelected Senate’s power to vote for a prime minister, but insisted he will not resign.

Meanwhile, Pheu Thai secretary-general Prasert Chantarawongthong said the reconciliation committee was unnecessary and was merely a bid for the government to buy time.

“Pheu Thai Party and the opposition will not join this committee. The government should listen and respond to MPs’ proposals directly instead of handing the responsibility over to someone else,” he said.

“The proposals that the opposition presented at the Parliament’s extraordinary session are clear: The PM must resign and arrested protest leaders released. The PM has just these two jobs.”

He added that the next step will be for the opposition to file a no-confidence motion against the premier and ensure the Constitution amendment is complete.

Suthin Klungsaeng, the chief Pheu Thai whip, also said this reconciliation committee will only serve as a shield and allow the government to remain in power.

“To solve this crisis in the short term, we will need to amend Section 272 of the Constitution to take away senators’ powers to vote for a PM, while in the long run, we need to set up a charter drafting panel to draft an entirely new Constitution,” he said. “As for political protests, I believe the situation will improve once solutions become clearer.”

Meanwhile, House Speaker Chuan Leekpai said he agrees with the idea of setting up a reconciliation committee and has contacted King Prajadhipok’s Institute to help design the panel’s structure and responsibilities.

“The institute has members who are qualified and experienced in politics and should be able to find a suitable solution, as well as invite representatives of protestors to join the committee,” he said. “However, the setting up of committee is still being studied and it will have to be presented to Parliament for approval.”

Palang Pracharat MP Wirat Rattanset, who is also chief coalition whip, said after the Wednesday meeting that he is confident Parliament will start considering the draft of charter amendments by mid-November.

“This draft will cover proposals by the opposition and general public, as well as details on setting up a charter drafting assembly,” he added.

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MP Pareena refuses to budge from her pro-govt stance in televised debate with pro-democracy activist

PoliticsOct 29. 2020Pareena Kraikupt 

By THE NATION

Pro-democracy activist Pasarawalee Thanakitwibulpol said the government should listen closely to the voice of the people, while Palang Pracharat MP Pareena Kraikupt responded by saying the government has listened, but can’t meet any demands apart from the one on charter amendment.

The two were arguing with each other on Wednesday in a TV show called “Thaam Trong Trong” (“I Ask You Directly”) broadcast by ThairathTV.

The 25-year-old protester said everybody have the democratic right to express their political views, just like the yellow-shirt royalists, and the government should listen to the pro-democracy protesters’ demands.

She also said she agrees with the idea of holding a public referendum, which was suggested by moderator Jomquan Laopetch during the show. Pasarawalee said government representatives should talk to people publicly, especially since the pro-democracy group does not represent the entire population. She said the only way out is for both sides to talk to each other.

However, the Ratchaburi MP continued insisting that the demands put forward by the pro-democracy groups were impossible to meet. She also said Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha will not step down just because a small group of people want him to. She said the premier’s presence is necessary, especially during this time of economic crisis and the Covid-19 outbreak.

Pareena also insisted that Prayut had been elected democratically and that Pasarawalee should respect that if she supports democracy.

The MP also said the pro-democracy groups should leave the traditions of Thailand untouched, alluding to the 10-point manifesto the activists have produced for reforming the monarchy.

She also slammed the protesters for using coarse language in their speeches and accused them of planning a revolution as well as violating other people’s rights.

An interesting topic raised during the conversation was equality. Pasarawalee accused Prayut of being inefficient as a prime minister, saying he has not been able to close the gap between the rich and poor since he began running the country six years ago.

Pareena responded by saying inequality existed even before the protesters were born, even when Thaksin and Yingluck Shinawatra were prime ministers.

“Why didn’t you stand up for inequality then?” she asked.

The debate, which was broadcast both on cable TV and online, won a widespread response from the public. Many praised Pasarawalee for her smart responses, while Pareena was panned for constantly interrupting the protester and the moderator. At the same time, government supporters claimed the MP put forward a strong argument and was the real winner.

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Palang Pracharat not to field candidates for local election

PoliticsOct 29. 2020

By THE NATION

The ruling Palang Pracharat Party will not field candidates for the election of chief executives and members of the Provincial Administrative Organisation (PAO) to be held nationwide on December 20 to avoid the risk of breaking any laws.

The Cabinet’s approval of PAO elections for 380 posts is the first step in restoring voter control over almost 100,000 posts that were suspended six years ago after the coup in 2014. In the absence of local elections, tenures of PAO officials expired in 2018 and left 98,940 local politicians and administrators frozen in place.

“The party executives’ meeting on Wednesday [October 28] chaired by party leader and Deputy Prime Minister General Prawit Wongsuwan decided not to field candidates to compete in the local election,” said Bangkok MP and party spokeswoman Phatcharin Sumsiriphong. “The decision comes in response to concerns that the party might risk violating laws, especially Section 34 of the Local Administration Organisation Election Act, which prohibits political officials, MPs, members of the Senate or other government officials from abusing their power to promote or obstruct any local election candidate,” she said.

Phatcharin Sumsiriphong

“The meeting therefore resolved to not send candidates for the local elections, unless there is a necessity,” Phatcharin said. “However, this decision will be considered again at the next party meeting.”

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Move Forward disappointed with court verdict in media stakes case

PoliticsOct 29. 2020

By THE NATION

Move Forward Party leader Pita Limjaroenrat said in a Facebook Live broadcasted at 8pm on Wednesday that although he is disappointed in the Constitutional Court’s verdict to suspend party MP Thanwarin Sukkhapisit, it was not unexpected considering a similar verdict against Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, leader of the now defunct Future Forward Party, back in November 2019.

The Constitutional Court ruled on Wednesday that 29 coalition lawmakers were innocent of accusations they had stakes in media companies. Thanwarin was however suspended for what the court ruled was a lack of clarity. Six other MPs who were facing the same charge – three from the coalition and three from the opposition – resigned before the ruling.

Last November, Thanathorn was disqualified as an opposition MP after the court ruled that his 675,000 shares in V-Luck Media violated the Constitution.

“I am honoured to have had a chance to work with Thanwarin, who has been fighting for human rights and sexual diversity. I believe he has proven himself to be a true member of parliament,” said Pita.

“Although he is no longer an MP, he has become a symbol proving that we can achieve our dreams no matter how oppressed we are. We will continue to work on what he has started, and Thanwarin will always have a special place at the Move Forward Party,” Pita added.

Meanwhile, Thanwarin said he believes he did the right thing in fighting for equal rights for the LGBT group, and that he is not hung up on the MP position.

“I want to tell everyone who shares the same ideology that I am not going anywhere and will forever remain a representative of the people,” he added.

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Prayut okays charter change, ending Senate’s power to vote for PM

PoliticsOct 28. 2020

By The Nation

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha gave the green light to amending the Constitution on Wednesday, as Parliament’s two-day special debate on the political crisis wrapped up.

Prayut said he agreed with many of the points made by MPs about the crisis, but said the main thing was to support charter amendment.

However, Parliament must follow the current Constitution, since it would remain in effect until a new Constitution is established, he added.

Charter amendment is one of three core demands being made by anti-establishment protesters. They have also demanded the resignation of Prayut and his government, and reforms to curb the power of the monarchy.

Prayut has insisted he will not resign but said he had no objection to “switching off” the unelected Senate’s power to vote for a prime minister.

“I agree to amend the constitution,” said the premier.

“As for the issue of senators choosing a prime minister, I don’t want to emphasise it. I have no objection to them choosing or not choosing. It’s a matter for debate in Parliament,” he said.

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Court ‘forgives’ Penguin for violating orders

PoliticsOct 28. 2020

By THE NATION

The Criminal Court on Wednesday decided to drop the case against pro-democracy activist Parit “Penguin” Chiwarak for violating court orders on August 8.

A representative of Thai Lawyers for Human Rights, who was at the court, told the press that Parit apologised and was “forgiven” and told not to violate court orders again. 

Parit had allegedly violated the law by delivering a speech outside the court on August 8, demanding the release of fellow activists Arnon Nampa and Panupong “Mike” Jadnok. 

His speech attracted a large crowd, including his supporters, which caused disturbance in the area and violated the court’s order to ensure peace. 

The first hearing on this case was held on September 11, when Parit denied any knowledge of a recording of a speech presented as evidence against him. The hearing was then postponed to October 28.

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Progressive Movement ready to fight EC right to the end, says Piyabutr

PoliticsOct 28. 2020

By THE NATION

The Progressive Movement announced on Wednesday that it is ready to fight the charges the Election Commission (EC) has filed against Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, former leader of the now-defunct Future Forward Party (FWP), and 15 party executives.

The EC filed criminal charges against Thanathorn on Monday for loaning his party Bt191 million between January and April last year, and against 15 party executives for taking this loan. 

The EC also accused Thanathorn and the executives of violating Article 66 of the Political Party Act, which prohibits an individual from donating more than Bt10 million per year to a political party. 

Piyabutr Saengkanokkul, secretary-general of the Progressive Movement and former FWP secretary-general, said his organisation is ready for the legal battle and has confidence in Thailand’s justice system. 

“This legal war will be fought right to the end. You, the creator of this situation, may think that the story you have written will end early like before, but you are wrong, your action will have a wide-ranging consequence,” he said. 

He also said that the EC was not operating normally and the agency’s actions were not within the law. For instance, he said, he and other executives learned of the criminal charges from the newspaper, not from the EC. 

In December 2019, the EC called on the Constitutional Court to dissolve Future Forward Party, and the court subsequently ordered its dissolution on February 21 and also banned its leader and 15 party executives from politics for 10 years.

The party was dissolved over charges of violating Article 72 of the Political Party Act, which prohibits political parties from receiving donations of money or assets from any sources known to be unlawful or if there is reasonable doubt they are unlawful. It also prohibits the receipt of donations more than Bt10 million per year from a single individual. 

Article 92(3) of the same act allows the Constitutional Court to consider dissolving any political party found to have violated Article 72. 

After his party was dissolved, Thanathorn started the new “Progressive Movement”, while other former Future Forward MPs led by Pita Limjaroenrat established the Move Forward Party on March 8, vowing to continue the work of Future Forward.