Drafting of charter moves step nearer
The National People's Assembly (NPA) will convene on December 17-20 to pick 200 members to select the final nominees for the Constitution Drafting Assembly (CDA), its secretary-general said yesterday.
Paitoon Phumhirun said the 1,982-member NPA would meet for the first time at the Navy Auditorium on December 17. During the four-day session, members will select 200 names to submit to the Council for National Security (CNS), which would then pick 100 to sit on the drafting assembly, he said. The plans for the meeting had not been finalised, he added. His Majesty the King approved 1,982 names nominated as NPA members last Saturday. Some people who have been critical of deposed premier Thaksin Shinawatra are on the NPA list. They include Chirmsak Pinthong, Karun Sai-ngarm, Banchern Singkhaneti, Seri Suwanphanon, Boodyod Sukthinthai, Jaran Pakdithanakul and Klanarong Chantik. Some NPA endorsed-members yesterday reported to Parliament, and Paitoon said the NPA could convene once half its members were registered. Meanwhile, Thammasat University economist Rangsan Thanapornphan hit out at the NPA process, which the CNS claims will lead to a democratic constitution. He said the new constitution would be drafted in the shadow of dictatorship, as the CNS would pick members of the drafting assembly. Rangsan believed the charter drafters would have no choice but to add some measures that would favour or benefit the coup leaders.
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