NEW CHARTER

Premier must be elected MP, the CDA and scholars agree

POST REPORTERS

Academics and Constitution Drafting Assembly (CDA) members have agreed that a prime minister must be member of the House of Representatives under the new constitution. At a seminar on the new charter yesterday, CDA chairman Noranit Sethabutr said he was reminded of the Black May uprising in 1992, when people were killed fighting to oust then prime minister Suchinda Kraprayoon, who was not an elected MP. He hoped such an event could be avoided in future.

Mr Noranit added that the new charter must be designed to allow for future amendments.

Prinya Thewanaruemitkul, a law lecturer at Thammasat University, said the next prime minister must come from the House of Representatives. Major problems would most definitely ensue if the new charter omitted the issue.

Nanthawat Borommanant, a law lecturer at Chulalongkorn University, supported an elected prime minister. This political principle is enshrined in the traditions of democratic countries, he said.

Meanwhile, the Constitution Drafting Committee (CDC) laid out a framework for the new charter's political institutions during its meeting yesterday.

The framework drawn up yesterday states that a bicameral parliament would be retained, with changes made to the way MPs and senators are elected.

Most charter writers also agreed that a more effective monitoring system for elections should be set up, and members of the House of Representatives must be free from political interference and conflicts of interest. A prime minister must be a House member totally unblemished by any conflicts of interest.

The executive branch must be accountable to parliament, and scrutiny of a government must be made easier, according to the framework.

There would also be a law governing donations for political parties, and a code of ethics and morality for politicians.

Measures would be taken to draw a clear line in the relationship between politicians and civil servants.

Most CDC members agreed that the Senate should remain intact, with senators installed by direct election.

The broad guidelines had narrowed down opinions of the charter drafters who debated the issues at length at yesterday's meeting. The findings would be referred to a CDC sub-panel for a detailed study of the charter content on political institutions later.

During the meeting, CDC member Krirkkiat Pipatseritham suggested the number of MPs be reduced to 300 and the party-list system be scrapped.

CDC member Pakorn Preeyakorn said prospective MPs need not have a bachelor's degree to meet the minimum education requirement.

Prapan Naikowit proposed to the meeting that a prime minister should not remain in power for more than two consecutive terms or eight years in a row.

CDC chairman Prasong Soonsiri, meanwhile, said the new charter would not be a lengthy one. It would be clear, concise, and leave no room for different interpretations.

He was confident the draft would sail through a referendum.

Sqn-Ldr Prasong said the charter would not pave the way for anybody to hold on to power and then pass it over to their successors. The new constitution would be relevant to Thai society and would help reform Thai politics, he said.

He said the CDC will set up a sub-committee on public participation and public hearings, which will gather opinions and suggestions from the public.

Bangkok Post
Friday February 02, 2007