Terms of interim government clarified
PM's Office Minister Thirapat Serirangsan clarified Friday his remarks about the term of the interim government and dismissed speculation about trying to cling to power.
Thirapat triggered criticism on Tuesday after he said the government might stay in office for 17 months instead of one year, as many previously assumed. "The time for this government hinges on the timetable to write the new charter and not an arbritrary decision by anyone," Thirapat said. Should the charter writing be completed ahead of schedule, the government will be gone in less than a year, he added. He outlined key steps and dates to monitor the drafting of the new charter as follows: 1. Appointment of the Cabinet on October 8. 2. Formation of the National People's Assembly (NPA), comprising 2,000 members and expecting to complete on January 4, 2007. The date can be advanced forward if the Council for National Security (CNS) deems appropriate. 3. NPA's nomination of 200 candidates for the Constitution Drafting Council (CDC). The nomination process must completed in seven days. 4. Of the 200 candidates, the CNS will choose 100 for the royal appointment to the CDC. This should take about one month. 5. Activation of the CDC to start actual writing the new charter. This should happen around February, 2007. 6. Completion of the drafting process in six months. This will be on or before August 1, 2007. The actual writing can be cut by up to 90 days if charter writers limit their debate on amendments to the 1997 Constitution. 7. Submit the charter draft for referendum no later than 30 days. This will be around September 1, 2007. 8. Should the draft win approval by the referendum, the CDC will proceed to complete the drafting of organic laws. This will be around November 1, 2007. The writing of organic laws will take 90 days, discounting the 30 days alloted for the referendum. 9. The next general election is expected to take place no later than December 15, 2007. 10. Convene the Parliament on January 15, 2008. The House of Representatives will elect its speaker before proceeding to name the new prime minister. This is expected to happen on February 15, 2008. The new prime minister is expected to spend one to two weeks forming the government. And the interim government will expire around February 28, 2008.
|
