Category Archives: politics

‘No more excuses’

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NEW CHARTER

Kasamakorn Chanwanpen
The Nation January 23, 2016 1:00 am

The Constitution Drafting Commission on Friday resolved to extend the vote-casting time for elections by two more hours in a bid to ensure every eligible voter casts a ballot and cannot use work as an excuse for not voting.

The polls would be open from 8am to 5pm.

CDC drafters also agreed to abolish advance voting for elections because it was seen as a loophole that made electoral fraud possible.

Voters, instead, will be encouraged to register for an absentee vote and vote at a polling station near their homes.

The development came as the CDC reviews the complete draft article by article.

For election days, CDC has empowered the Election Commission with scheduling and rescheduling by-election dates.

Election dates and election date resets would be determined by the EC to avoid unnecessary difficulties, CDC spokesman Udom Rathamarit said.

In the past, election dates were enforced through a royal decree, which made rescheduling difficult. The new stipulation would make it easier for EC to arrange elections, Udom said.

The CDC also resolved to bar people who have held positions at independent agencies or the Constitutional Court from contesting a Senate seat.

Previously, those people were eligible to run for the Senate if they had not been in a position at either of the two bodies for at least 10 years.

Udom said senators who served under previous constitutions would be given the benefit of the doubt and could still run for the Upper House.

But senators would not be eligible to run for the second term, he said.

The spokesman said the CDC also agreed that only the ordinary commission of the National Assembly could question people as part of fact-finding missions.

This was a proposed change to the previous constitution, which empowered committees or subcommittees to do this.

Udom said the drafters wanted to limit the incidents of malpractice in the fact-finding process.

The drafters had previously decided the state financial discipline law would be organic but it would now come in the form of a normal bill and would issued under executive power by the next government post election.

The drafters finished deliberating on at least 160 articles yesterday.

Udom said they would probably start writing the transitory-provision chapters next Wednesday.

He said the skeleton for this process had already been laid down by the CDC subcommittee responsible for writing the constitution.

PM denies military kept watch on reporter

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JEERAPONG PRASERTPOLKRUNG
THE NATION January 22, 2016 1:00 am

PRIME MINISTER Prayut Chan-o-cha yesterday rejected the accusation that some military officers had been monitoring a journalist’s residence after she joined some reporters to visit the house of Yingluck Shinawatra at the invitation of the former PM.

“They may have been on a routine patrol close to the place. There is no need to fear anything,”Prayut said. “I will order them not to do so. They will not do anything from now on, nor will police officers. If anything bad happens, you can take care of it yourselves.”

Reacting to the reporters’ visit to Yingluck’s house, Prayut later asked them at Government House whether they had had a good time and they got any sacred items, hinting that he knew what was going on there.

Deputy Government Spokesman Taksada Sangkhachan said later that the allegation of the reporter being monitored was examined and it was found that the officers were on patrol duty in a “military-style ’50’ series truck”.

An earlier report had suggested that a military truck on Wednesday was found going into Sukhaphiban 5 Road, where the reporter’s house is located. The reporter and her cousin said the road was hardly used by anybody as it was a blind alley.

Prayut had suggested during the opening of the One Map project yesterday that he knew the reporters’ activities during their visit to Yingluck’s house.

“I know who attended whose New Year parties, who went to the New Year, the birthdays, took gifts, took sacred items from them. But frankly speaking, no sacred items can be more important than sacred law. If you committed wrongdoings, legal procedures are what will lie in wait to deal with them,” Prayut said.

It was seen as an apparent criticism of the reporters’ behaviour and a reference to the ongoing legal case against Yingluck.

Democrat leadership heeds discontent in party, cuts ties with Sukhumbhand

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BANGKOK GOVERNOR

THE NATION January 22, 2016 1:00 am
Sukhumbhand

Sukhumbhand

THE DEMOCRAT Party announced yesterday that it will cut ties with Bangkok Governor Sukhumbhand Paribatra as his policies are different and the party has failed to meet him for more than three months.

“From now on, the administration of Bangkok Metropolitan Administration [BMA] will be solely operated by Sukhumbhand as the party cannot use any of its systems or mechanisms to monitor or support the BMA’s performance,” party secretary-general Juti Krairerk said.

Sukhumbhand, who is also deputy leader of the party, won the gubernatorial election under the Democrat Party’s banner in 2009 and is set to complete his second term next year. He is on a trip to the Portuguese capital of Lisbon from January 17 to 23 to sign a pact boosting ties between the two capitals.

As per the junta’s orders, no political activities or meetings or even party board meetings are allowed. Hence, Juti described the party board’s decision on distancing itself from the governor was just a “standpoint”.

According to the party’s regulations, a local leader has to adhere to the party’s policies and stance as well as lend full cooperation in order to maintain public confidence. This would allow the public and the party to examine BMA’s performance. However, Juti said Sukhumbhand has, so far, failed to cooperate and discuss his policies with the party.

Juti said the party made this decision because it has to be responsible for all the votes it has obtained. “We have to apologise to Bangkokians for this,” he said.

Some former Democrat MPs have come out to criticise Sukhumbhand and his projects, though the governor has failed to discuss the accusations with the party or the Democrat leader. Describing this decision as not an easy one, Juti said the party had tried really hard to hold discussions with the governor for a while now.

“As of now, Sukhumbhand is still deputy party leader as we cannot convene to discuss the matter due to the junta’s orders. So it is his decision on whether to quit the position,” he said.

The Democrats who are working with Sukhumbhand at the BMA will have to make a decision on their own future themselves, he added.

Former Democrat MPs working with Sukhumbhand are deputy governor Pussadee Tamthai and Attawit Suwanpakdi as adviser to the governor. Pussadee said she had not heard about the party’s decision.

Juti said that from now on, the governor would be responsible for his decisions and performance, adding “I wish his achievements go according to his attitude and policies”.

Meanwhile the governor’s spokesman, Wasant Meewongse, wondered if the decision came from the party’s board or from Juti himself.

“We all know that the Democrat Party’s board cannot hold a meeting due to the junta’s order. If the party holds a meeting, it will be violating the junta’s order. So how will the party explain its violating of the order to the public?” he asked.

He added that the party was not able to contact the governor because he has been busy with many important events such as Bike for Dad and Bike for Mom.

A core party member said the decision had already got the nod from senior party members, including Chuan Leekpai, Banyat Bantadthan and Suthep Thaugsuban.

The move followed repeated calls from party members to take action against Sukhumbhand, the source said. The board members held an unofficial meeting on Tuesday and decided to snap ties with the party’s deputy leader.

From now on, the party will give the green light for continuous scrutiny of BMA projects, without fear of being accused of settling internal party conflicts in public. The leaders felt that if the problem were not tackled immediately, it would affect the party’s popularity in the capital.

 

Thaksin escape ‘a costly lesson’

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EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

The Nation January 22, 2016 1:00 am
Jatuporn

Jatuporn

 

United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship leader Jatuporn Prompan speaks on Nation TV’s talk show “Kom Chad Luek” about post-coup politics, the new constitution, reconciliation efforts, and his Pheu Thai Party’s future.

HOW DO YOU THINK THE COUNTRY CAN ACHIEVE RECONCILIATION?

It starts from Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha. It does not matter how many reconciliation panels are appointed. It depends only on the PM. Prayut has given himself amnesty. As a red shirt leader, I do not ask for amnesty but I would ask him to give amnesty to all sides. Leave leaders to fight court cases.

I do not agree with a blanket amnesty. My group sees things differently over this issue.

I and Suthep (Thaugsuban) look at a blanket amnesty differently. Suthep sees it in terms of corruption cases. I look at it as murder cases. I believe both corruption and murder cases should not be given amnesty.

IS IT POSSIBLE THAT THE RED SHIRTS WILL CONTINUE IT STRUGGLE WITHOUT TAKING THAKSIN’S (SHINAWATRA) ISSUES INTO ACCOUNT?

The red shirts fight for democratic principles. We did not fight just for one person. Whatever the people get from our fight, Thaksin will receive as just that.

HOW ARE YOU GOING TO TELL THE RED SHIRTS NOT TO GET THAKSIN INVOLVED IN THEIR STRUGGLE FOR DEMOCRACY?

In fact, Thaksin opponents cannot let go of the issue. If you follow us closely, you know we do not agree with Thaksin in many issues. We do not agree with a blanket amnesty.

THE PHEU THAI PARTY IS STILL SEEN AS THE OTHER LEG OF THE RED SHIRTS. BUT NO MATTER HOW MANY TIMES POLITICAL PARTIES UNDER THE THAKSIN CAMP WERE DISSOLVED, THEY RESURRECTED BECAUSE OF THAKSIN. IS THERE A NEED TO REFORM PHEU THAI TO LIBERATE IT FROM THAKSIN?

I talked about reforming the party and the UDD [United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship] after the coup was staged. I told the party that an election victory is not important because after that we lost we could not keep the power. The point now is no longer an election victory for us. We must reform so that we can achieve a sustainable democracy. We are not always right. We made mistakes. If we do not adjust and improve ourselves we will lose in the long term.

WILL THE PHEU THAI PARTY SURVIVE WITHOUT THAKSIN?

Actually Thaksin has not been on the scene for a long time. He is the history of Pheu Thai. Thailand cannot avoid vicious circles of an election, people getting killed, another election – politicians and the military taking turns in power. But it is the people who are killed. I am not going to tell the military to empathise with the people but I am telling politicians that you must be democracy fighters and not electioneers. Otherwise we will not survive.

WHEN DID YOU LAST TALK TO THAKSIN?

After I was released by the coup-makers. He called and asked about my well-being.

THE RED SHIRTS ARE SEEN AS TRYING TO HELP YINGLUCK SHINAWATRA WITH HER COURT CASES.

I met Yingluck and told her that the coup-makers want to pressure her to escape. They don’t really want her to pay the compensation. I told her to keep a peace of mind by going to temples. If she escapes she will not be able to return.

YINGLUCK WILL NOT ESCAPE LIKE HER BROTHER?

Thaksin fleeing the country became a costly lesson. I am not sure, if Thaksin had stayed in the country, what the situation would have been. The amount of compensation they have demanded from her clearly shows that they do not want her in the country. I told her be strong, do not panic. Whatever they want, do the opposite.

DO YOU THINK YINGLUCK WILL BE STRONG ENOUGH, SINCE SHE FACES BOTH CIVIL AND CRIMINAL SUITS?

Whatever will be will be. I did not instigate anyone to commit a wrong and be sent to jail. I believe they want to push her out of the country and do not want to return money.

BUT IT LOOKS LIKE THEY ARE PREVENTING HER FROM ESCAPING.

In reality, they want her to flee, but it is not easy. Had Thaksin stayed in the country, the country would not have turned out like this.

YOU MEAN HE CANNOT RETURN TO THE COUNTRY?

I believe the chance is dim. Everyone loves Thaksin and wants him to return home.

THE RED SHIRTS WANT TO CAMPAIGN FOR PEOPLE TO REJECT THE CHARTER DRAFT IN A PUBLIC REFERENDUM. BUT IF THE DRAFT IS REJECTED, A GENERAL ELECTION WOULD BE DELAYED.

It is the same way as trying to pressure Yingluck to flee. We are being pressured to have an election without taking into account the rules.

The charter is not democratic. The charter draft says the charter cannot be amended unless more than 40 per cent of political parties agree to an amendment.

If the junta wants to remain in power for life, let them. If they want to return power, they must return full power. If there is going to be a general election, there must be democracy. If the charter is undemocratic, we must vote it down. I am not sure if I will get to do it. I fear others will do it before me, like with the first charter draft by Borwornsak (Uwanno).

THAT HAPPENED BECAUSE THEY BELIEVED IT WOULD BE REJECTED IN A REFERENDUM.

I believe this latest one will also be rejected because of the content. The intention is to allow a non-elected PM.

DO YOU THINK THE JUNTA WANTS THE CHARTER DRAFT TO PASS IN A REFERENDUM?

Everyone wants to stay in power. Power is addictive.

IF YOU CAMPAIGN TO REJECT THE CHARTER, WILL THEY STAY ON IN POWER?

Final-stage patients cannot live long. I am not afraid, because I see that they are in the final stage and a doctor cannot prolong their life. Power is addictive. If they think that by having the charter rejected they can cling on to power, then they do not understand Thai politics.

IS PHEU THAI GOING TO BOYCOTT |ELECTIONS?

I have no idea but I believe the charter draft will be rejected, so there is no use talking about boycotting the election.

WHAT WOULD BE THE POLITICAL DIRECTION IF THAT WERE THE CASE?

I have no idea but I feel they’re writing the charter draft so that it cannot get to be used.

YOU BELIEVE THEY ONLY WANT THE CHARTER NOT TO BE ACCEPTED IN A PLEBISCITE AND DON’T WANT TO PUT PHEU THAI UNDER CONTROL?

If they write such a charter draft, Pheu Thai will just go to the polls to meet death. Even if we win we cannot rule. What is the use?

IF THERE IS AN ELECTION, WHO WOULD BE THE PARTY’S NO 1 (PRIME MINISTER CANDIDATE)?

The party has not planned that.

WHO DO YOU WANT TO BE THE NEXT PM?

Whoever comes through the correct path and has a democratic spirit and does not see people as the enemy. A narrow-minded person cannot solve the country’s problem.

 

Plea for detention of students rejected

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MILITARY COURT

THE NATION January 22, 2016 1:00 am

Wearing a white T-shirt, leading student activist Sirawit Serithiwat, better known as “Ja New”, stands in the middle of a group of fellow activists outside the Bangkok Military Court yesterday after the court rejected a police request to detain him and th

Wearing a white T-shirt, leading student activist Sirawit Serithiwat, better known as “Ja New”, stands in the middle of a group of fellow activists outside the Bangkok Military Court yesterday after the court rejected a police request to detain him and th

 

Four activists were accused of illegal political gathering but judges cite insufficient grounds; student leader vows to sue officers for ,violent behaviour,

THE MILITARY court yesterday rejected a police request for the detention of four student activists accused of illegal political gathering.

This followed the controversial arrest of student activist Sirawit Serithiwat, better known as Ja (Sergeant) New, by eight military officers late on Wednesday at Thammasat University’s Rangsit campus.

In rejecting the police request to detain the four students for seven days pending investigation into the case, the court ruled that there were insufficient grounds, as the investigators had interrogated all the accused and their alleged offence carries only a light penalty.

Sirawit, one of the four accused, said yesterday that he would seek legal action against the military officers involved in this “violent behaviour”. He added that he already knew from which unit they came.

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha yesterday said he was not concerned about pressure from some foreign countries over the latest arrests. The PM said he could explain the matter to those countries, adding the government had provided written explanations that those facing legal actions had violated Thai law.

“It’s not my power; it’s the power of the law,” he added.

Prayut yesterday reacted angrily at Government House to reporters’ questions about Ja New’s arrest. He said the student activist and others had broken the law and there were arrest warrants for them.

He also took a swipe at Sirawit’s academic status. “I want to ask how long he has been a student and when he will graduate,” he told reporters.

Security-camera footage showed three uniformed soldiers grab Sirawit on a street outside his university. He was then seen frog-marched into a car and driven away in front of stunned bystanders.

Sirawit, 23, spent the night at Bangkok’s Nimit Mai Police Station and was handed over to the Thon Buri Railway Police early yesterday.

Three other student activists wanted for the same charge — Chonthicha Jangrew, Chanoknan Ruamsap and Korakot Sangyenphan – were arrested yesterday morning when they came to visit Sirawit at the Railway Police Station.

Along with Sirawit, they were all brought to the military court for permission to place them in detention.

Another student activist, Apisit Sapnapapan, who was also wanted for the same charge, turned himself in yesterday afternoon.

All the accused yesterday denied the charge of illegal gathering, according to their lawyer Anon Nampa, from the Thai Lawyers for Human Rights Centre.

The lawyer said Sirawit would also file a police complaint against the military officers involved in his arrest at night.

Sirawit, who has been a thorn in the side for the junta, has led several anti-coup protests. Recently, he led students from the New Democracy Movement group on a train journey to the Army’s Rajabhakti Park in Hua Hin to highlight alleged irregularities in its construction. Police accused the student activists of illegal political gathering.

Meanwhile, US State Department deputy spokesman Mark Toner yesterday expressed concern over restrictions on human rights and fundamental freedoms in Thailand after the arrest of Ja New. However, Toner declined to comment directly on the arrest.

“I’ve seen reports. I just can’t – I don’t have enough details to comment on the specific case,” he said, when asked to comment on the arrest.

When pressed for more reaction, he replied: “I’ll just say we remain concerned by continued limitations on human rights and fundamental freedoms in Thailand, including undue restrictions on freedom of expression and peaceful assembly. We would urge the Thai government to ensure full respect for freedom of expression and other human rights and fundamental freedoms.”

Colonel Winthai Suvaree, spokesman for the ruling National Council for Peace and Order, yesterday denied allegations of assault. He noted that Sirawit had become more provocative recently.

“I believe that people who have followed this matter are well aware about his real intention,” the spokesman said.

He said there was no use of force during the arrest. “He was treated leniently and in accordance with the law; there was no violence,” Winthai told reporters, adding the activists had refused to cooperate with authorities.

However, Sirawit said on the website of his group New Democracy Movement that he was blindfolded while being taken to the suburban police station. He claimed to have been booted, slapped and pounded with a fist a few times, and said he felt like being prodded with the muzzle of a gun.

 

No panel with ‘absolute power’

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KASAMAKORN CHANWANPEN
THE NATION January 22, 2016 1:00 am

THE CONSTITUTION draft will not include a panel endowed with “extraordinary power” to steer the country through crises, as existing mechanisms and bodies are sufficient, said Chartchai Na Chiangmai, a Constitution Drafting Commission spokesman.

The idea of a crisis panel with absolute power was borrowed from Article 16 of the French constitution, which gives the country’s president supreme power during critical times.

A similar clause had been included in the previous unsuccessful charter draft written by Borwornsak Uwanno’s panel.

Speaking after his daily press briefing yesterday, Chartchai said the situation facing Thailand was not as critical as the one that once confronted France, which was in a post-war period when the stipulation appeared in its constitution.

“We’ve figured that problems facing this country are rooted in agencies not doing their jobs right,” he said. “So we’ve been thinking that we’ll just get them to [do their tasks] properly.”

He also said no panel would be set up to facilitate independent agencies transiting from the old system to the new system, despite the fact they would face significant changes under the new charter, including those relating to service terms and qualifications.

Instead, drafters would try to put all the necessary arrangements in the “Transitory Provision” chapter that would be deliberated on and written next week, Chartchai explained.

The drafters are reviewing the completed draft. Yesterday, they looked at the “National Assembly” chapter, with most parts remaining the same, including the disqualification of political office holders and civil servants found guilty of malpractice.

Chartchai did not confirm whether former prime ministers Abhisit Vejjajiva and Yingluck Shinawatra would be disqualified.

He said the CDC was tasked with only setting the ground rules and never discussed individuals in relation to disqualification. The matter had to be interpreted and decided on by the Election Commission.

In response to a plan by politicians to campaign against the draft, Chartchai said the CDC would work harder to boost the public’s understanding of the charter.

He affirmed that the panel had discussed the politicians’ attempt to shoot down the draft, adding: “This is like they’re telling us to work harder both in terms of heeding opinions and explaining [controversial] points, because now people might not understand the draft well enough.

“So we’re going to make clear to them [people] the benefits. For example, for the single-ballot system, we’re going to explain how it’s not limiting their rights, what the weaknesses of the old system were, and how this is better,” the spokesman said.

He said the drafters would also make it clear in a new chapter that the Constitutional Court had not been given more power, as it already had all the power it needed as the guardian of the constitution. Any constitutional disputes should be handled by the Constitutional Court, he said.

The first completed draft is scheduled to be finished and published next week. Relevant bodies will then have two weeks to submit official comments to the drafting panel before it provides the final touches to the document.

A national referendum on the constitution is slated to be held at the end of July.

Should public have a say in regulating media behaviour?

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BURNING ISSUE

PIYAPORN WONGRUANG
Piyaporn_won@nationgroup.com January 22, 2016 1:00 am

OVER the last few days, we have seen social media being bombarded with lots of disapproving comments about its coverage of actor Tridsadee “Por” Sahawong’s death. The young heartthrob succumbed to dengue fever after a two-month-long battle in Ramathibodi Hospital.

The criticism reached its peak when reporters swarmed around his body to take photographs and record video clips as it was being removed from the hospital to be taken to his hometown in Buri Ram province.

There were several posts that struck me hard, including one that was posted against a black background, which read: “When he is being cremated, you the media could go inside the incinerator to take photographs real up close and personal.”

These messages are bound to have hurt those who still have a conscience and a heart, which is probably why some colleagues, taking these public outcries seriously, also joined the public in criticising the media’s inappropriate behaviour.

In fact, some have even gone as far as to launch a campaign calling for the ban of “badly behaving” media as well as the selective consumption of news reports.

Several media organisations are also taking the matter seriously.

For instance, the News Broadcasting Council of Thailand issued a statement apologising to Trisadee’s family and the public for such bad behaviour, while the Thai Journalists Association is rushing to hold a public seminar on best practices today.

One hopes that media standards for reporting on sensitive issues, including the death of public figures, will be raised with all these efforts. It is a challenge for us all to see if we can lift our ethics up to par and perhaps earn praise from the public instead of scorn.

The ongoing media reform has actually shed light on the importance of self-regulation, though its proper format and guidelines have yet to be settled.

But the fact is media is a part of society. So, working just within its bounds may not be enough and may even impede its efforts to improve the code of conduct.

Along with the media’s latest efforts, we have also heard them calling on social-media users to stop posting harsh comments and let the media prove themselves. However, through these harsh voices of contempt, I see an active social sanction, which if properly managed, can potentially help keep the media in check.

For some time, the ongoing media reform has been centring too much on self-regulation, leaving no room for participation.

The death of this young actor has given us a bitter lesson to reconsider our role, how we behave and how we interact with society. This may be a good time as well to look at the other side of the coin and consider promoting public participation to jointly regulate us – the media.

Project won’t help the landless, activist says

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ONE MAP PROJECT

PRATCH RUJIVANAROM,
JEERAPONG PRASERTPOLKRUNG
THE NATION January 22, 2016 1:00 am
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha yesterday presides over an opening ceremony of a project to improve a map to demarcate state land with ratio 1:4000 at the Government House.

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha yesterday presides over an opening ceremony of a project to improve a map to demarcate state land with ratio 1:4000 at the Government House.

 

THE “ONE MAP” project of the government is geared more to addressing technical issues than helping the landless, an activist said yesterday, while Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha affirmed it was meant to reduce redundancies among state agencies.

“The land problem originated from unjust land distribution, which caused a few rich people to own most of the land while the poor do not have any land to live on,” said Prayong Doklamyai from the People’s Movement for a Just Society.

“I don’t think this scheme will tackle this issue and it is just trying to solve the technical problem.

“Even if we successfully create the one map, I don’t see how the landless, whom the national parks were set up over, will benefit from it,” he said.

What the government should really do is revise land taxes, set up a land bank to give the poor access to land and then solve the mapping disparity by using the one map.

“I agree with the idea of using a single official map,” he said. “But I think this is a long and difficult way of achieving it, because there will definitely be losers in the shifting of land boundaries and land fights will erupt.

“The government has to answer how to compensate the losers and reconcile the disputes.”

After discussing the One Map policy’s guidelines with agencies, Prayut said the new 1:4,000-scale map, besides getting rid of agencies’ land-territory overlaps, would cover agricultural zones and help boost water management.

The map, a digital integrated work by agencies, would provide a universal delineation of territory for use nationwide.

It should solve the problem of agencies maintaining different maps for reference when working on master planning, land purchases and farming permits, resulting in overlapping claims and disputes.

“We are solving the nationwide issue, not just for Phuket or only a particular place,” he said.

Yesterday’s step would be the beginning of the process to ensure that no more territorial disputes or accusations that a measure favoured a particular group would occur again, he said.

The One Map panel and agencies were assigned to see how to ensure that people encroaching on forestland or state land would be able to make a living – possibly by applying other laws to help them such as allowing leases for farming, he said.

The map-correcting effort is slated for completion by December.

 

Outcome of charter referendum won’t affect junta

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BURNING ISSUE

ATTAYUTH BOOTSRIPOOM
attayuth@nationgroup.com January 21, 2016 1:00 am

THE CONSTITUTION Drafting Commission (CDC) on Sunday completed its retreat meeting to write the first charter draft for public feedback. The first draft is scheduled to be completed for publication on January 29.

Judging from general sentiment, the constitutional draft being written by CDC chairman Meechai Ruchupan and his team is in a rather sorry state. Only a few groups of people seem to be satisfied with the content of the draft, although the government has not made its standpoint known.

Certainly, the groups mainly disagreeing with the draft are political parties and politicians, particularly those from the Pheu Thai Party. They are against the charter draft, both in terms of its content and process. Politicians from the Democrat Party have not made it clear about their stance, but some have come out publicly to criticise certain proposed provisions.

The main point with which politicians disagree involves concern that a new electoral system proposed for the new constitution would make it unlikely to achieve a one-party government. Unless there was a landslide election victory, no political party would be able to form a government on its own. As a result, coalition government would be inevitable.

Moreover, the fact that there is no requirement for a prime minister to be an elected member of Parliament has led to concern that a non-MP could become government head. The constitution drafters explained that political parties would each be required to publicly submit three prime ministerial candidates when contesting a general election. But critics questioned the merit of a requirement for each political party to nominate as many as three PM candidates. They argued that it was natural for political parties to announce their PM candidate, but they suspected there could be hidden motives behind the requirement to nominate three PM candidates.

Also, critics asked why the constitution drafters wanted only one ballot to be used for both constituency and party-list elections? They argued that using two ballots to vote for constituency and party-list MPs better reflected the intention of voters. They said voters had become familiar with using one ballot for constituency election and another for party-list vote. For critics, using only one vote for both elections was a retrogressive move. Also, they suspected a hidden agenda behind this idea of a single ballot.

Provisions in the new constitution would make it more difficult for the post-election government to do its work. There would be strict scrutinising measures and tough regulations for the next administration to follow. Also, the Constitutional Court would be empowered to rule on issues that were not covered by the constitution. In the future, this court would hand down verdicts on political issues, although members of independent organisations had been accused of bias and being close to certain groups of power.

Thanks to certain clauses, it would be difficult to amend the new constitution. Also, people are waiting to see whether the issue of political amnesty will be included in the new constitutional draft.

Those are reasons why political parties and groups will vote against the new charter draft at the national referendum. If political parties join hands in going against the draft, it will be really difficult for the draft to pass the plebiscite.

However, many political observers suspect the new charter may be drafted in a way to make sure it will not pass the national vote.

They pointed to the fact that even if the charter draft failed to pass the referendum, there would be no impact on the ruling National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO). The junta would not be at a disadvantage or in a tough situation, but on the contrary, would gain an advantage.

If the charter draft passes the referendum, the NCPO will be able to benefit from certain clauses in the new constitution, which may allow it to “inherit” their power.

But even if the draft fails to pass, the NCPO still has two options. First, it may order a new round of constitution drafting and continue doing so until the draft passes a referendum. That means the NCPO will remain in power for the time being. Second, the junta may write a new constitution by itself and promulgate it without having to pass a national vote. That way, it could write the new charter the way it liked it, without having to seek anyone’s consent.

Thanks to its status as the ultimate sovereign power, the junta is still in complete control of the country — whether the constitutional draft passes the referendum or not.

NRSA, police draft ideas for more efficient law enforcement

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ศาสตร์เกษตรดินปุ๋ย : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/politics/NRSA-police-draft-ideas-for-more-efficient-law-enf-30277349.html

JAKRAWAN SALAYTOO
THE NATION January 21, 2016 1:00 am

AS PART of reforms to increase the efficiency of police and the justice process, the National Reform Steering Assembly (NRSA) yesterday voted to bring about changes in police practices.

Worapong Chiewpreecha, the NRSA’s deputy chairman of the committee on law and justice reform, presented the reform plans for the police.

He said the issues hindering the efficiency of police work included the fact that investigations and inquiries were kept separate.

Police in charge of inquiries have no link with the public because they do not carry out fieldwork, while those in charge of investigations only take orders from their superiors and do not work as a team with inquiry officers.

This has led to a lack of efficiency, Worapong said, a former Bangkok police chief.

He added that police work was not distributed fairly among police officers. In some areas police had hundreds of cases per year while in others they have only a few cases a year.

The career path for inquiry police officers was deemed even less promising, he said.

The committee proposed that some regulations regarding inquiry police officers be amended, including regarding their career paths and their work situation.

A system to manage police work shifts should also be changed by adopting an integrated system of having investigation, inquiry, crime suppression, administration and traffic police officers all on the same shift – instead of having just inquiry officers working a single shift.

Assembly members debated the issues extensively before voting 154 in favour to eight against with six abstentions to approve the plan and forward the proposal for Cabinet approval.

In a separate development, Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan said the Royal Thai Police was planning to set up a reform panel to increase the efficiency of police work and ensure effective law enforcement.

The reform panel will offer proposals to link inquiry work with prosecutors and judges and encourage inquiry police officers to do more fieldwork.

The police also wanted to bring about reforms in border patrol, immigration and traffic police.

“It is not a structural reform but bringing changes to the police so they can better ensure safety and protect lives and property of the people. Reform would give people faith and confidence in the police that they can carry out their duty in a transparent manner and cooperate with other justice agencies,” Prawit said.

He added that National Police Chief Pol General Chakthip Chaijinda will recruit officials internally to sit on the panel but will also allow the public to take part as members.

Once the panel completes the reform plan, it will forward it to the NRSA for consideration.