PM scoffs at proposed politics ban

Prayut insists interim charter only bars CDC

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha yesterday voiced opposition to a proposal by the Constitution Drafting Committee (CDC) that members of the military council and four other core bodies set up after the May 22 coup be banned from politics for two years.

Gen Prayut said his disagreement was based on the interim charter, which says no member of the CDC can hold a political position for two years after vacating office to prevent conflicts of interest.

Under the current interim constitution, only charter drafters face a political ban after completing their job, and not the members of the four other bodies.

The prime minister’s comment came after CDC member Jate Dhonavanik said on Wednesday that the CDC is considering imposing the ban on four other core agencies set up by the coup-makers including the National Legislative Assembly (NLA), the National Reform Council (NRC), the cabinet and the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO).

“I am going by what is said in the interim charter. This is my opinion because I’ve worked [on] this charter [and] the members of the NRC and the NLA have nothing to gain,” he said.

“They are here to work. Let the CDC find other measures. All of them have been set up to work,” he added.

When asked if the proposed ban was intended to dispel doubts about NCPO members holding on to power, Gen Prayut said he does not have to relinquish power. “What doubts? If there is any doubt, I won’t return power. That’s it,” he said.

The proposed ban is widely perceived as an attempt to ensure those directly involved with reform do not attempt to prolong their stay in government.

NRC president Thienchay Kiranandana yesterday welcomed the proposed ban, saying the NRC was also part of the charter drafting process.

Under the interim charter, if the NRC rejects the draft, the reform body and the CDC will be dissolved altogether.

However, Mr Thienchay assured that the council will not pass a “blemished” charter out of fear of dissolution.

Meanwhile, the CDC has delayed its consideration of provisional clauses to specify how long the NLA, the NRC and the CDC should continue performing their duties after the charter comes into force.

Mr Jate reportedly asked the CDC to consider the two-year political ban against the five bodies, but the CDC could not find a consensus on the length of time the NLA, the NRC and the CDC would need to fulfill their work.

A source expected to attend today’s closed-door meeting said one proposal calls for the NLA to continue working until new MPs and senators are elected — roughly eight months after the new charter takes effect.

The NRC will continue working for six months after the charter comes into force, but CDC members will not.

CDC spokesman Kamnoon Sidhisamarn said the interim government and the NCPO will leave office after a new cabinet is in place. But it has not yet been decided if cabinet ministers and NCPO members can enter political positions.

Today the CDC will consider a provisional clause on amnesty for coup-makers. The CDC agreed that members of public independent agencies should be allowed to complete their current terms, he said.

Due to the disputed provision, five members of the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) will leave office this year, with president Panthep Klanarongran retiring in May and members Vicha Mahakun, Vichai Vivitsevi, Prasart Pongsivapai and Phakdee Photisiri finishing nine-year terms in September 2015.

Mr Vichai yesterday called on the NCPO to extend the terms of the five commissioners until the new constitution comes into effect. Due to the nature of the current regime, new commissioners cannot be appointed, which will lead to a gap in the agency’s work, he said.

Under the 2007 charter, NACC commissioners must be chosen by the presidents of the Constitutional Court, the Supreme Court, the Civil Court, as well as the parliament chairman and the leader of the opposition party in parliament.

The last two positions are missing in the NCPO regime and interim charter, making it impossible to select new graftbusters.

With only four commissioners left, it would be impossible for the NACC to make rulings, Mr Vichai said, as there must be an odd number of commissioners to vote on cases presented to them.

“If the NACC is left with so few commissioners, it won’t be able to do its job properly,” he said.