Many people reacted to this by saying that the very idea of sitting next to a doll on a flight was creepy, while some members of the media jumped on the opportunity to provide scoops. Avid reporters began staking out temples where people take these dolls to invoke the soul of an angel, and interviewed some owners, who insisted that their beloved dolls were in no way harmful.

Whether real or imagined, news of other services being provided for these “angel” dolls began doing the rounds in social media – ranging from plastic surgery and computer classes to funeral and termination services.

Some people even used actor Thep Pho-ngam as the butt of a joke, by posting his picture with a caption claiming he was in trouble for having so many children with different women.

Phitak Siriwong “Tic Neverdie”, dean of Silpakorn University’s Faculty of Management Science, posted that he had no trouble with students bringing their dolls into class, provided the doll can submit an assignment and defend its paper individually like other students. If the doll fails, he said, the student will be held responsible.

Academic Pinkaew Luangaramsri wrote: “I believe that the ‘child angel’ cult of the middle class is not a doctrine of worshipping sacred things, but is the consumption of artificial things by those who do not care for originals or are unable to distinguish truth from simulacra.”

Chawisa Sethabuthra, who sells beauty and doll products, posted on Facebook: “As I have been in the ‘pretty doll’ business for some time now, I would like to say that dolls are just dolls. People enjoy playing with them and nobody really takes their dolls to a black magic ceremony. There is only a small minority of people who do this. Social media does not distinguish the truth from stories. The truth is that some people hold and take their dolls around with them, but there are some people who make up stories saying all these are ‘child angel’ dolls’, branding the owners as crazy. Please be mindful before you make judgements.”

Media academic Time Chuastapanasiri wrote: “We should stop calling them ‘child angels’ – they are baby dolls, not the children of any angels. Businesses in Thailand should also stop following all trends. Don’t serve those who bring these dolls to restaurants and flights, because it disturbs others visually as well as mentally and intellectually. In the future you will have to issue many measures to handle this. As for the media, please clarify that this is nonsense and do not let it take up too much space or dominate over other news stories.”

Wanchai Roujanavong wrote: “This ‘child angel’ craze will go away in no time and then nobody will care about it. Some Thais are good at picking up trends before getting bored. There was a time when the Jatukam Ramathep amulet was popular and people were ready to pay hundreds of thousands of baht for one. Now nobody will even spend Bt5 on one of them.”

Jak Panchupetch wrote: “I’ve never seen any prophet teach humans to become slaves to a doll. I’ve never seen any millionaire get rich from holding a doll. Please take care of your mental health before spending your money and time taking care of a doll. Take care of your parents, give them food and drinks, take them on a vacation, take good care of them – they are the real angels.”

@AkaravutTv9 tweeted that a “child angel” image made it to British newspaper Telegraph’s top shots, to which @zapience tweeted: “From the caption we already know that Westerners are stupid enough to say it was a result of politics and economy.”

Yingluck said in an eight-page letter dated yesterday that the government order to have her cover the damages was unconstitutional and unlawful. She ended her letter with “please consider to ensure fairness”.

However, she said on Facebook yesterday that she did not think her protest would lead to any concrete action by the government.

“I know you won’t pay attention again. If you had, this would not have happened,” she said, adding that she had now sent six letters to both Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and Finance Minister Apisak Tantivorawong.

Yingluck noted that the criminal case against her over the rice-pledging scheme had yet to be completed.

She is being tried by the Supreme Court’s Criminal Division for Political Office Holders for alleged negligence involving the scheme, which was introduced by her government. The court is expected to deliver its verdict late this year.

She also argued that it was not right for the Finance Ministry to seek damages from her as the agency was not the damaged party in this case.

Yingluck said a fair and legally acceptable estimate of the damages was not yet available, and it was unfair to her that the damages were sought from her alone. The ex-PM said she had her lawyer submit the letter to Prayut and Apisak. A copy of the letter was posted on her Facebook page yesterday.

The controversial corruption-plagued rice-pledging scheme is estimated to have cost about Bt500 billion in state revenue.

In a related development, Yingluck met some 300 of her supporters in Nakhon Ratchasima yesterday. “Yingluck, fight, fight,” they chanted.

She appeared among the supporters before a statue of respected local heroine Thao Suranari, holding a sword in one hand and a red sheath in the other. Her fans were shouting “Fight, fight.”

The gathering was observed by some 30 police and military officers.

 

The NRSA’s information centre has received little more than 100 comments so far – some of them duplicates, according to NRSA vice chairwoman Walairat Sriaran. As such, it has rated public feedback unsatisfactory.

“It has shown us that while we have been working in Bangkok, our work has barely reached the people. They do not yet have a high degree of awareness or participation in the reform work,” said Walairat.

The NRSA has met with representatives of commerce councils, which have agreed to lend a hand in reforming the country. The Community Organisation Network, which encompasses over 4,000 communities, has also agreed to help disseminate the NRSA’s reform work via its local radio networks.

The NRSA will today meet representatives from educational institutes to discuss a plan to expand its outreach there, said NRSA first vice chair Alongkorn Ponlaboot.

Alongkorn said the NRSA had adjusted its work with the National Legislative Assembly (NLA) to expedite amendments and implementation of at least 126 Acts identified as being in need of reform.

However, Alongkorn refused to elaborate on which areas needed changes in the law, saying the NRSA was in the process of reviewing all the Acts in question and working alongside the NLA to make the necessary alterations.

So far it has finished drafting action plans for the 12 principal reform agendas. It has also been assigned by the government to come up with a 20-year national strategy plan, covering long-term reform, which will operate in tandem with the national plan for long-term social and economic development, expected to cover a 20-year development period.

THE NEXT general election will probably be postponed until late next year as the constitution drafters need more time to complete the organic laws regarding elections and political parties, the chief charter drafter said yesterday.

Meechai Ruchupan, chairman |of the Constitution Drafting Commission (CDC), said the new draft constitution’s transitional clauses state that elections of MPs and senators must be held within five months after the organic electoral laws take effect.

That meant the original plan that scheduled the next elections for July of next year, as was stated by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, could be delayed.

Meanwhile, Pheu Thai Party politicians reacted angrily to the likelihood of a delay. They also accused CDC members of colluding to extend the time in power of the military’s ruling National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO).

Meechai said yesterday that the need to complete 10 organic laws in line with the draft charter’s transitional clauses would inevitably result in a further delay of the election, from July 2017 to later in the year.

He said he did not think drafters would be able to complete the task of writing the organic laws within eight months after the potential passage of the constitutional draft, as was stated in the junta’s “road map to democracy”.

“It’s a very tough job and the time given is so little. On average we need [time] to finish drafting important laws of at least one month,” Meechai said. The chief drafter said he thought the Election Commission (EC) would take the maximum five months, or 150 days, allowed to prepare for the election. He said the drafters had specified the five-month period to allow the EC ample time to hold a free and fair election.

The NCPO will remain in place until the new administration takes over from them, Meechai said, adding that the powers of NCPO chief Prayut would remain intact.

The CDC chief rejected opposition against the NCPO retaining its powers, saying that this was the “normal mechanism”.

Pheu Thai deputy spokesman Anusorn Iamsa-ard yesterday called the delay in elections a “bad joke” for the Thai people. He said Prayut, as head of the NCPO, had already announced that the next election would be held in July next year.

Anusorn warned that the likelihood of a delay might cause more voters to reject the draft constitution in the national referendum. “They will see that this is a clear attempt to extend [the NCPO’s] time in power,” he said.

Pheu Thai politician Worachai Hema said it appeared Meechai and his team wrote the draft constitution with provisions that would lead to it being rejected in a referendum so as to give the NCPO more time in power.

He warned that this could lead to further conflict in society.

Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam suggested yesterday that the CDC focus on writing the five organic laws that are directly related to the election so that the original schedule under the road map could be met.

However, he added that if the constitutional draft passed a national referendum, its provisions – including the new schedule for an election – must be abided by.

In a related development, the CDC will hold a press conference at Parliament this afternoon to reveal the details of the 270-article constitution draft.

THE CONSTITUTION Drafting Commission (CDC) has written in a provisional chapter allowing the National Legislative Assembly (NLA), the Cabinet and the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) to continue carrying out their duties with full authority until new bodies are ready to replace them.

The NLA will serve its term till the day before the first Parliament meeting is held. The Cabinet and the NCPO will be in office till the new Cabinet is appointed.

The National Reform Steering Assembly (NRSA) will continue working for one year after the new charter is promulgated.

Members of the NLA, the NRSA, the Cabinet and the NCPO who want to run in the general election must quit their post within 90 days after the new charter takes effect.

The CDC will draft and complete 10 organic laws covering political parties, MPs and senators within eight months after the charter takes effect and will continue to be in office till the NLA passes the 10 charter organic laws. The CDC members are banned from holding political office for two years after stepping down.

The NLA must deliberate charter organic laws and other important laws within two months. Failure to meet the time frame means all the laws are approved and can take effect.

The MP and senator elections must be held within 150 days or five months after the charter-related organic laws take effect.

This time frame must not affect the NCPO’s democracy road map that the general election must be held within July next year.

Meanwhile, a politician from the Pheu Thai camp has suggested that every political party co-write a charter draft as an alternative for the public to decide on in a public referendum to prevent political conflict.

Former deputy prime minister Surapong Tovichukchaikul yesterday suggested that Prime MinisterPrayut Chan-o-cha allow politicians to present their own charter draft.

He said the move would avoid the problem of politicians campaigning for the public to reject the charter draft now being prepared by the Constitution Drafting Commission led by Meechai Ruchupan.

Surapong said a charter draft proposed by all political parties should be presented as another choice for the public to cast their ballots in a referendum.

He called on Prayut to have an open mind and give politicians the chance to solve the country’s problems.

Surapong thanked Prayut for confirming that the election would be held next year.

He said if the public rejected the charter draft, it meant they wanted other charters to be adopted.

“This charter draft [by the Meechai group] is not right. It [will leave a decision about] which charter is to be adopted if the draft is rejected. It is good that people do not have to worry that the election will be postponed,” he said.

Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam said yesterday that he had no knowledge of the follow-up plan if the charter draft were rejected in a public referendum.

Wissanu said he also had no idea what Prayut wanted to do next if the charter draft were defeated. He added that right now there was not yet a back-up plan if the draft was rejected. He said there was no need to amend the 2014 interim charter to make it clear over whether the majority of votes were calculated by taking into account the number of eligible voters or the number of voters who cast the ballots.

CDC chairman Meechai yesterday hit back at critics who branded him as “insane” for saying that if the charter draft was rejected in a referendum, the 2014 interim charter should be used until it was replaced by a new charter.

“I am not insane. As long as there is no charter, we must use the interim charter till it is revoked,” he said.

United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship Nuttawut Saikuar suggested that Prayut adopt the 1997 Constitution and hold a general election this year to return power to the people.

He said public sentiment to reject the charter draft might escalate into opposition to the junta. “If the public rejects the charter draft, the PM would still decide the path the country would take – which is expected to be no different from the direction provided by the charter draft. So what then is the use of having a plebiscite?” he said.

Sukhumbhand said yesterday that he had also appointed former city clerk Banjong Sukdee as another adviser.

Wichai said he tendered his resignation effective February 1 due to his growing uneasiness and difficulty working for the city administration amid the ongoing conflict between Sukhumbhand and the Democrat Party.

“People who are devoted to their job feel uncomfortable when they see some officials not putting their heart into the job or when they see some officials get involved in graft. As a civil servant, I don’t think this is right,” he said, adding he might embark on a political career as he is still healthy and is experienced.

Wichai is the first person to step down after the Democrat Party announced last week that it was disowning Sukhumbhand for failing to defend himself on allegations of irregularities and corruption levelled against him.

Deputy governors Pussadee Tamthai and Assawin Kwanmuang are reportedly in the process of deciding whether or not they should follow Wichai’s footsteps. While announcing its decision to part ways with Sukhumbhand, the party had also said that Democrats working for the governor would have to decide on their own future.

Former Pheu Thai Party MP Anudit Nakhonthap, meanwhile, slammed the Democrat Party for failing to take responsibility for alleged corruption in projects operated by the city administration, which is managed by Sukhumbhand, who is deputy leader of the Democrat Party.

“This is just a political drama the Democrats have created to seek sympathy and support from Bangkokians after Sukhumbhand began suffering from a drop in popularity and approval ratings,” he said.

“It is not reasonable for the party to claim it cannot monitor or control the governor, as it has fielded Sukhumbhand in gubernatorial elections for two terms and he has served close to eight years.”

 

The mechanism could be in the form of a commission approved by the “five rivers” of power, Alongkorn said, namely the National Council for Peace and Order, the NRSA, the National Legislative Assembly (NLA), the Cabinet, and the Constitution Drafting Commission (CDC).

“Solutions to the conflict are essential to achieve sustainable democracy,” he said, adding that the NRSA will take another five to six months to gauge comments from political parties and groups on the initiative.

The NRSA, the NLA and the CDC will also discuss legislation on the new charter draft next Wednesday, he said, also asking political blocs to consider the draft with discretion.

Alongkorn spoke prior to a meeting of a coordinating whip among the Cabinet, the NRSA and the NLA. The whip is chaired by Prime Minister’s Office Minister Suwaphan Tanyuwattana.

The meeting focused on an efficient reform steering process, Suwaphan said after the meeting, with the NRSA passing agendas to ministers, the whip, and deputy prime minister’s for the Cabinet’s approval on steering processes.

There was also a discussion with the NRSA on priorities of the reform action plans, designed to go in line with the most urgent reform agendas on anti-corruption, inequality reduction, politics, judicial system and law enforcement, the minister said.

The plans are expected to be completed within the military-led government’s term, or a year and a half, to be in line with the first phase of the reform steering timeline, he said.

The anti-corruption agenda is listed as a top priority, he said, while reform agendas on police affairs and laws will be designed and discussed later from the NRSA side.

The whip also acknowledged that the NRSA appointed coordinators for the ministers to exchange information with, he said.

The whip also talked about the drafting of laws and amendments to go in line with about 126 papers on reforms, he said. The whip members would study comments on laws from the bureaucrat-based NRSA membership and discuss them with whips of the NRSA and the NLA, he said.

The two whips would have discussions once every two weeks to prepare for reform and new legal drafting, he said.

Some reform agendas can be carried out in a year and a half, he said, such as an anti-corruption act now being considered by the NLA. However, some other agendas need to be passed on to the next government for continuity, he said.