Bangkok: Understanding the concerns of the Bhumjaithai Party regarding the origins of the Constituent Assembly and potential conflicts with the Constitutional Court's ruling, the chairman of the Senate Political Development Committee urged caution in making judgments. He emphasized the importance of upholding the principle that the people have the power to establish the constitution. Concerns persist among senators about amending Chapters 1 and 2 of the constitution, prompting the proposal of a two-legged, two-step model.
According to Thai News Agency, Mr. Naraset Prachayakar, a member of the Senate and chairman of the Senate Committee on Political Development, Public Participation, Human Rights, Rights, Liberties, and Consumer Protection, outlined the progress of the draft constitutional amendment bill. He stated that the committee is studying draft constitutional amendment guidelines from all political parties, awaiting the Constitutional Court's complete ruling. Addressing concerns about the direct electability of the Constitutional Drafting Assembly (CDA), the committee respects the Court's ruling while maintaining that the people hold sovereignty in establishing the constitution and should directly elect the CDA. Mr. Naraset stressed that Parliament should uphold this principle on behalf of the people.
Mr. Naraset revealed that after studying the origins of the Constituent Assembly (CA) members and visiting all regions, nearly 100% of the populace insisted on electing CA members themselves and desired regional representation. The committee's two-legged, two-step model proposes 200 representatives from each region, based on population, with larger provinces having up to five CA members, aligning with smaller provinces. A party-list model of experts was used to choose 200 members from parliament, ensuring even distribution and diversity. The proposal allows 200 selected CA members to serve on the Constitution Drafting Committee, with the remaining 200 on the Public Opinion Committee. This ensures 400 elected individuals participate in drafting a new constitution, adhering to the Constituent Assembly's principles. The committee plans to share this proposal in various forums, continuing related activities into the next year.
When questioned about senatorial support, Mr. Naraset stated the idea had not been presented to the Senate yet, as it was a study by the House Committee on Political Development. While some committee members agreed with the idea, others had reservations. Mr. Naraset plans to visit the Senate for clarification and emphasized that the idea was merely a preliminary proposal.
Addressing potential alignment with other political parties' drafts, Mr. Naraset acknowledged the Bhumjaithai Party's concerns about allowing public voting due to potential conflicts with the Constitutional Court's ruling. He stressed the importance of adhering to the constitutional principle that the people have the power to establish the constitution and urged parliamentarians to uphold this principle.
When asked about concerns of over-representation leading to manipulation, Mr. Naraset noted the concern that the final vote for the Constituent Assembly might be influenced by a parliamentary majority. This concern led to the proposed model.
Regarding the one-third senator approval requirement, Mr. Naraset acknowledged lingering questions among senators. He expressed concerns about drafting a constitution with unchecked authority or leaving Chapters 1 and 2 untouched. He emphasized the need for understanding and ensuring elected Constituent Assembly members recognize the importance of these chapters while listening to public opinion.