Thai Coup 2014 : Junta plans for interim and permanent constitution

[Mid]

Roundup: Junta plans for interim and permanent constitution
suluck
Sat, 05/07/2014

An Interim constitution is stipulated to be ready by August, according to the Thai junta. The highlights of the interim charter are as follows:

The charter will consist of 3 bodies: National Legislative Assembly (NLA), National Reform Council (NRC) and the Charter Drafting Committee (CRC). The NLA will consist of 200 members to draft laws and select a Prime Minister; the NRC consists of 250 members (one from each province and the rest recruited from various sectors). Lastly, the CRC consists of 35 members, 20 from NRC, 5 from the cabinet, 5 from NLA and another 5 from NCPO.

NCPO will also maintained special powerspopulist policies

[Chitown]

Is Thailand going to be stuck in this viscous cycle for another century or will it ever change for the better?

[Mid]

"Those who don't know history are destined to repeat it."
Edmund Burke (1729-1797)

which is often quoted as

"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it."
George Santayana (1863-1952)

and debate exists as to whether or not that actual quote does belong to Santayana .

[English Noodles]

Sometimes there is nothing wrong with repeating the past, Mid. It just depends on what parts of the past are to be repeated.

[Mid]

Repeating the past IS NOT the point ,

Failing to learn from previous experiences IS .

[Mid]

NCPO will have final say on charter
Opas Boonlom
The Nation

Special clause expected to give junta more power than govt to deal with security situations

A provisional charter is set to be put into effect soon after it is submitted to the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) for final approval before it gets royal endorsement and can be promulgated.

The interim charter, drafted by a team of law experts led by Prof Wissanu Krea-ngam, is currently undergoing final approval.

Meanwhile, political observers have been waiting patiently to see what the new charter would say regarding the National Legislative Assembly, the prime minister and the National Reform Council.

However, the most interesting point would be the subject of security and what powers the NCPO would be given to deal with security issues once an interim government takes over.

The NCPO has some lessons to learn from the 2006 coup. At that time, coup leader General Sonthi Boonyaratglin failed to retain enough power after handing the administration over to a post-coup government led by General Surayud Chulanont. Hence, the military was unable to complete its goal of completely overthrowing the Thaksin Shinawatra government. This is possibly why many of the problems, such as corruption and conflict, were left unsolved and Thaksin's camp managed to return to power. For many, the 2006 coup was a "waste of time".

In order for the NCPO to not repeat this mistake, it is believed that the provisional charter will include a special clause that gives the council more power than the interim government in relation to security matters. This clause would be similar to Article 27 in the 1991 interim charter, which came into effect after the government of Chatichai Choonhavan was ousted in a coup staged by a group of military officers calling themselves the National Peacekeeping Council (NPKC).

Article 27 said that if at any time the country's security was threatened, the NPKC chief or the prime minister had the power to issue orders. This meant that the NPKC chief had the same powers as the government leader in terms of security matters.

Should there be a similar clause in the new interim charter, NCPO chief General Prayuth Chan-ocha will have the power to issue security-related orders without having to consult the government and essentially ignore any disagreements. (There were previous reports that the junta chief might also double as an interim premier.)

In comparison, Article 34 in the charter put in place after the 2006 coup stated that the post-coup Council of National Security (led by General Sonthi) or the prime minister could call a joint meeting with the council and the Cabinet to discuss ways of dealing with security threats. This meant the coup leaders could only act as advisers to the post-coup government.

NCPO probably wants to retain power in terms of security because it wants to be able to deal with problems such as street protests or riots that may happen in the future.

nationmultimedia.com

[Mid]

rrypky4.jpg

livingstylishlywell.com

[Mid]

July 11, 2014

Junta chief Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha said the National Reform Council will have 250 members who will represent 11 groups of people in the society.

He said the each of 11 groups would nominate 50 candidates, totaling 550 and there would be 76 representatives from 76 provinces.

The 550 candidates and 76 representatives would vote among themselves for 250 members of the council on the condition that all 11 groups would be represented, Prayuth added.

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/brea...-30238338.html

[Mid]

King has endorsed interim charter, says Prayuth
22/07/2014

The interim charter has been endorsed by His Majesty he King, according coup leader Prayuth Chan-ocha, who said he would receive it at a royal audience later on Tuesday.

Gen Prayuth informed the meeting of the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) on Tuesday of the royal endorsement of the temporary constitution.

He said he would receive the endorsed charter from His Majesty at an audience at Klai Kangwon Palace in Hua Hin district of Prachuap Khiri Khan later on Tuesday, and this would be publicly announced afterwards.


Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha
(Reuters photo)

The NCPO would reveal the details of the interim constitution on Wednesday.

This would pave the way for the setting up of a national legislative assembly, an interim government and a reform council.

The army chief and coup leader said last month that the legislative body would be formed a month or so after the country had an interim charter, and an interim administration would be formed by September. The reform council could be established in October, he added.

Gen Prayuth has never ruled himself out as prime minister of the interim government. He is due to retire at the end of September.

The NCPO said on Tuesday that it planned to send more than 400 bills to the national assembly. Legal experts led by Visanu Krue-ngam were studying 138 legislative bills earlier approved by the government unseated by the May 22 coup.

bangkokpost.com

[Mid]

Thailand: Interim Constitution Provides Sweeping Powers
July 25, 2014

Rights Violators Get Blanket Immunity


Thai Army chief General Prayuth Chan-ocha speaks at a meeting in Bangkok on June 13, 2014.

The interim constitution attempts to give legal justification to the sweeping and unaccountable power taken by the military junta. Instead of paving the way for a return to democratic, civilian rule, the Thai junta has granted itself unchecked authority to do almost anything it wants, including committing rights abuses with impunity.

Brad Adams, Asia director

Brad Adams,Thailand

[Mid]

Thai Junta Chief Defends Constitution; Questions Democracy
26 July 2014

BANGKOK(DPA)Critics have been quick to raise concerns about specific articles that increase the regime's unchecked authority, including giving it veto powers and the ability to enact laws and decrees outside the constitutional framework.

"As long as power is used for good, there is no need to worry," Prayuth told the nation in his weekly televised address.

He went on to question a widespread desire for democracy, when he said it had demonstrably failed.

Prayuth pointed out that the country is currently at peace, in contrast to civil unrest and protests that marred the nation when a democracy existed.

"Nevertheless, the junta will continue to work towards democracy," he added.

The general also stressed that no human rights would be violated in dealing with refugees from Myanmar.

The junta had earlier stated that they would begin repatriating Burmese refugees who had been living in Thailand for the past three decades.

en.khaosod.co.th