“We are updating textbooks so that they are ready for use in the next academic year,” the ministry’s permanent secretary Chaipreuk Sereerak said yesterday.

Content on the monarcy in textbooks needed updating as HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej passed away on October 13 this year, officials said.

“We will have to update the name and rankings of royals too,” he said.

Relevant authorities have already consulted experts about how best to update the content, he added.

Chaipreuk said he expected publishers to submit manuscripts of the updated textbooks before the end of next month.

“Schools can place purchase orders by February 15,” he said.

“During the period, people can also get free boat rides along the route from the Pratunam Phasi Charoen pier to the Phet Kaem 69 Pier,” Deputy Bangkok Governor Pol Lt-General Amnuay Nimmano said yesterday.

He added that the BMA, in collaboration with the private sector and vocational schools, would also provide free vehicle checks.

“These services will be made available on six main roads [leading] out of Bangkok, [including] for example Bang Na – Trat Road,” Amnuay said.

If any of the five current commissioners fails to meet the new qualifications, he would need to vacate his office within 15 days after the law comes into effect, according to the draft.

The provincial election committee will be replaced by seven ad-hoc election inspectors, two of whom are native to the constituency and the remainder from other provinces. Their tenure of office covers only an election period.

The new rules come amid strong opposition from the current commissioners of the EC and other independent agencies.

Law drafters yesterday argued that the new qualifications were stipulated in the new constitution, which was approved in the August referendum.

The initial draft consists of 72 articles in four chapters, excluding the provisional clauses. It empowers the EC to have a more active role in investigating and encourages public engagement in conducting a transparent election, the drafters said.

Drafter Pakorn Nillaprapan said that the new organic law on the EC sought to empower and encourage the commissioners to take active roles in investigating electoral fraud.

On suspicion of electoral fraud, the commissioners have the authority to hold or cancel the vote selectively or entirely, he said.

Commissioners can also suspend the electoral rights of candidates up to one year if they have sufficient evidence showing they are involved in electoral fraud, Pakorn said. Also, they can work individually in the investigation and are authorised to hand out orders immediately without the board’s consent, he explained.

However, he added, decisions to indict or suspend electoral rights would still have to be made by the seven-member board.

Pakorn said the new law also highlighted public engagement for clean elections. Public members are encouraged to observe the voting and campaigning and to tip off the EC if they find irregularities, he said. However, anyone reporting false information would face legal action, he warned.

The drafters stressed that the features released yesterday were still subject to change. An opinion gathering session will be held today and the drafters may revise the draft before submitting it to the National Legislative Assembly for deliberation, they said.

Meanwhile, CDC chairman Meechai Ruchupan said that it would take another three to four days before the recommendations for the draft organic law on political parties is forwarded to the CDC for consideration and possible revision.

“The CDC’s subcommittee on public relations and opinion surveys has to gather the recommendations first before forwarding it to the CDC,” Meechai said.

His remarks came after the CDC seminar on Wednesday to gather comments from political parties regarding the legislation. Politicians slammed the law for “undermining participatory politics” with its membership fees and stringent conditions imposed on political affiliations.

Meechai said the CDC probably would decrease the required amount for political party members to pay for seed funding.

“We will decrease the amount from Bt2,000 to Bt500,000 to Bt1,000 to Bt20,000 following the suggestions. However, the capital of Bt1 million has to be retained to ensure party survival during the election,” he said.

The CDC will also increase the penalty imposed on party monopolists who provide funds to parties on behalf of party members, but this is pending further discussion, he added.

Regarding each party requiring to have at least 20,000 members within four years, Meechai said the CDC would divide the period into two chunks – before and after elections – with different member number required for each period.

THE HEALTH Department has dismissed doctors’ concerns that a bill to govern the promotion of food for infants and young children will backfire.

The bill was prepared based on the International Code of Marketing of Breast-Milk Substitutes and will apply to food products for children under three, as authorities seek to prevent marketing gimmicks from discouraging breastfeeding.

The bill, however, drew direct criticism from a network of paediatricians on Wednesday, prompting the Health Department to speak up yesterday.

“The bill, if introduced into law, will just ban advertising. Doctors are still free to give advice to parents of children who need a medical foods diet,” the department’s director-general Wachira Pengjuntr said.

He added that the bill would not affect general UHT (ultra-high temperature processing) milk or yoghurt as claimed by the doctors.

On Wednesday, a network of paediatricians held a press conference to condemn the bill, in which they said they suspected that the bill might apply to all kinds of milk.

They added that they also feared that the bill would restrict them in recommending food options for young children, hindering their growth.

“In fact, from six months on, babies can start taking other types of food on top of breast milk,” Dr Kraisid Tontisirin, a former director at the Food and Agriculture Organisation’s headquarters, said on Wednesday.

Relevant authorities should instead control unhealthy products for children such as snacks with high sugar percentages, Kraisid said.

Dr Sungkom Jongpiputvanich, who heads the Society of Paediatric Nutrition of Thailand, said at the press conference that while breast milk was important, children older than one needed to take other types of food too.

“If you ban powdered milk for young children, which is useful, parents will see just the advertising of junk food,” he said.

Thai Neonatal Society president Dr Sarayut Supapannachart said he was worried that the bill might ban the distribution of academic information at public forums.

“Will our lectures on such stages be seen as marketing?” he asked.

The network of doctors suggested that the bill should control food products only for children less than a year old.

However, Dr Siriwat Tiptaradol, a former deputy permanent secretary for Public Health and the first president of the Thai Breastfeeding Centre Foundation, said limiting the coverage of the bill would create a big loophole for powdered-milk firms to exploit.

“They will be quick to create milk formulas for children aged six months to three years, and advertise them,” Siriwat said.

He said the World Health Organisation had asked countries around the world to embrace the International Code of Marketing of Breast-Milk Substitutes but firms continued to engage in unethical marketing.

As Wednesday’s press conference drew a strong reaction from the authorities, the Royal College of Pediatricians of Thailand released a statement yesterday saying that comprehensive information had to be considered in the legislation.

“Our college and the medical council have no intention to promote powdered milk over breast milk,” the statement said.

The statement said doctors had simply clarified that children aged more than one needed more than just breast milk for growth and development.

According to the statement, none of the senior doctors attending Wednesday’s press conference had conflicts of interest.

Suranand told the Supreme Court’s division on criminal offences committed by holders of political office that there had been general guidelines on the implementation of the rice-pledging scheme, but the Cabinet never issued orders to restrict disclosure of public information.

Yingluck, who also attended yesterday’s eighth hearing on the case, is facing charges of negligence of official duty while implementing the scheme, which public prosecutors have said led to Bt500 billion in financial damages.

Suranand said the previous government’s spokespersons were responsible for disclosing to the general public information on the scheme. However, the former prime minister’s secretary-general declined to talk about alleged fake government-to-government rice deals in connection with the rice-pledging scheme, saying the Commerce Ministry had been responsible.

Meanwhile, Weeranun Thaddokmai, a surveyor contracted to work on the rice-pledging scheme, told the court that he had been responsible for inspecting the weight, type, quality and volume of rice pledged by farmers. He added that the previous government implemented the scheme to ensure that all specifications set by the government were met before the rice was stored at government warehouses.

Weeranun said one tonne of Thai paddy rice yielded about 660 kilograms of milled rice, while Cambodian paddy rice yielded only 400kg. In addition, Weeranun said he had been involved in inspecting rice allegedly sold under one of the government-to-government deals in which the buyer was a Thai entity, not Chinese as announced.

THE PROPOSED annual membership fee for political party membership and the limited time to adjust to the new rules were the two main points of concern put before constitution drafters yesterday.

About 150 politicians who attended an opinion gathering forum at the Cooperative League of Thailand’s head office, mostly agreed that the new membership fee rule would be an unnecessary burden for party members and make it more difficult for parties to recruit people. Politics should be about ideology and money should not be the main focus, they said.

The Constitution Drafting Commission (CDC) was urged to reconsider the stipulations on the annual Bt100 membership fee as well as the financial contribution as seed money when founding a new party.

The lack of time allowed by the draft law for existing parties to adjust to the new changes was also a concern. The new law calls for parties to finish collecting membership fees within 150 days, and politicians were worried that this could not be done within the given time.

Some participants said the proposed severe punishment imposed for trading political positions, calling for life imprisonment and capital sentences, was too severe.

Participants also called for the National Council for Peace and Order to lift the political assembly ban as the election approached.

Election delay mentioned

The drafters pledged to heed all opinions. But spokesman Udom Rathamarit said allowing extra time for adjustment to the new law was difficult because the CDC had to consider the election date, which was set for early 2018. If parties need extra time to adapt to the new rules the election might be delayed, he said.

Chief constitution drafter Meechai Ruchupan asked politicians to understand the drafters position in writing the organic laws, as they are subject to following the constitution endorsed by a national vote.

The constitution, passed in a referendum in August, has at least two stipulations that the organic law on political parties must include, for example, principles of transparency and participation as well as severe punishment to bar corrupt politicians from politics.

Meechai said yesterday the opinion-gathering session was not just a ritual and the CDC tried to include the politicians’ suggestions into the law if possible.

The CDC stressed the law was not a final version. It would also be deliberated by the National Legislative Assembly (NLA) before promulgation.

About 150 politicians took part in yesterday’s forum. According to a source in CDC, Pheu Thai Party did not accept the invitation by the CDC.

No major political figures from major parties voiced opinions in yesterday’s session.

Key points of concern

• Annual Bt100 membership fee and founding contribution would discourage individuals from entering politics.
• The time provided for adjustment to the new rules is too limited. The time frame includes establishing regional branches within 180 days and having members pay a membership fee within 150 days
• Life sentences or death penalty imposed for political-post buying is too severe.

According to the Royal Gazette published on Tuesday, the King appointed Wirat Chinvinijkul, a former vice president of the Supreme Court, and Jaranthada Karnasuta, adviser at the Office of His Majesty’s Principal Private Secretary, as new Privy Councillors.

The new appointments raised the total number of Privy Council members to 13 with General Prem Tinsulanonda as president. Nineteen councillors can be appointed under the provision of the 2014 interim charter.

The King had earlier appointed 10 advisers: General Surayud Chulanont, Kasem Watanachai, Palakorn Suwanrath, Atthaniti Disatha-amnarj, Supachai Poo-ngam, Chanchai Likhitjitta, Air Chief Marshal Chalit Pukbhasuk, General Dapong Ratanasuwan, General Teerachai Nakwanich and General Paiboon Koomchaya.

Wirat, Jaranthada, former education minister General Dapong, former Army chief General Teerachai and former justice minister General Paiboon are first-time appointed members of the Privy Council while the other eight, including Prem, were Privy Councillors under the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej and were reappointed.

The responses came after Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha on Tuesday issued an order suspending laws on the Political Development Council (PDC), the National Economic and Social Advisory Council (NESAC) and the Law Reform Commission (LRCT).

PDC president Theerapat Serirangsan said on Tuesday’s move froze the country’s democratic development as there is no guarantee future agendas would create a mechanism to continue political plan development. He believed that the PDC would be totally abolished once all of its officials are transferred.

LRCT member Sunee Chairos said that she was worried about the body’s suspension as it left no mechanism for people to engage in legal reforms.

“From now on, the National Legislative Assembly will carry on legal reforms without listening to people. That is the scariest thing,” she said. “We have worked independently so we will certainly not overstep the government’s workload. I just don’t buy the NCPO’s claim.”

The order said that all legislation related to the three bodies was revoked except for those involving the establishment and general functions of the bodies. The prime minister or his assigned deputy will |oversee the three bodies instead of their respective boards. Any legislation, regulation, announcement, order or Cabinet resolution referring to heads of the three bodies would refer to the PM instead, according to the order.

The order also abolished boards overseeing the PDC and its underlying Political Development Fund for Civil Sector Commission Bureau.

The order was invoked under the interim charter’s Article 44 that grants absolute power to Prayut as head of the ruling National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO).

Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam said yesterday that the order was made to reduce overlapping work ahead of the national reform and strategy agendas. He said that while the three offices would still remain, about 400 staff would gradually be allocated to other agencies.

The three bodies have faced a series of challenges from the junta. In 2014, the junta issued an order ending the terms of NESAC members. Its appointed, now-defunct National Reform Council (NRC) suggested that the PDC should be abolished in the new charter, following concerns that it could be a financier to civil society sectors.

The PDC responded that it enforced public engagement in the political arena and helped develop democracy under the constitutional monarchy regime. In 2015, the LRCT was ordered by the junta to have its member selection procedure suspended.

These two previous orders of the NCPO were also revoked by Tuesday’s order.

Bukkhalo police superintendent Pol Colonel Jinnawat Konthongdee said medical equipment importer Thanaphak Jiradechdamrong, 30, told police that the maid started working at his house on December 8 and asked for permission to leave on December 12 to visit her boyfriend whom she said had been in an accident.

The maid, identified by police as Khin Myat Upu, left the house with two plastic bags and Bt500 advance pay.

Thanaphak called police after he discovered later the same night that cash and three sets of jewellery were missing.

Police secured the warrant and launched a hunt for the woman, alerting immigration police in Chiang Rai, Tak, Kanchanaburi, Prchuap Khiri Khan and Ranong.

Jinnawat urged people to check on their migrant employees or request local police to help collect information on workers.

The area has been hit by severe flooding over the past week, receiving run-off from neighbouring Nakhon Si Thammarat and Phatthalung provinces.

Meanwhile, the Southern Meteorological Centre (East Coast) has advised relevant agencies to prepare mitigation measures, and warned residents to brace for more rainfall, strong winds and up to two-metre-high waves in the Gulf from today until Sunday.

In Surat Thani, about 2,000 families in six tambons of Ban Na Doem and Phunphin districts continue to be affected by floods from one metre to three metres deep. Residents have started to suffer hygiene problems because toilets have been flooded.

Flooding is expected to abate within a week unless there is additional rainfall.

The Surat Thani disaster prevention and mitigation office has already sent flood-relief kits to victims.

Chaiya district hospital has also sent medical teams to provide healthcare to flood-affected residents in Tambon Pak Mak, while students of Wiang Sa School gathered donations to aid flood victims.