CDA needs 180 days: charter panel

The agreements were reached during the meeting of the ad hoc committee in charge of amending Article 291 of the Constitution, which is headed by PM's Office Minister Sukhumpong Ngonkham.

After the meeting, Deputy Senate Speaker Nikhom Waiyaratphanit, who is deputy chairman of the amendment panel, said the panel was of the view that the 120-day timeframe set by the Cabinet for the CDA to complete the new charter draft would be too tight.

As a result, the panel agreed to extend the period to 180 days and assigned Sukhumpong to seek a final approval from the Cabinet.

Nikhom said the committee agreed to change the amendment draft to state that the 120 CDA members would include 8 former charter drafters. Other CDA members would come from 76 provincial representatives, 8 public law experts, 8 political scientists and 20 representatives of professional groups.

Initially, the CDA planned to have 8 legal experts, who were changed to 8 former charter drafters.

Nikhom said public universities nationwide would select 8 public-law experts, 8 former charter drafters and 8 political scientists among their academics.

He said the CDA would be required to be set up within 60 days after the charter amendment bill is passed by Parliament.

Nikhom said the amendment panel would try to finish its draft so that it could be submitted to Parliament president Chai Chidchob on Friday.

While the Sukhumpong panel wants to extend the working timeframe of the new CDA to 180 days, the Matchima Tipataya Party wants to shorten it to 60 days.

Matchima secretary-general Porntipa Nakhasai said the 120-day timeframe as agreed by the Cabinet would be too long so the Matchima would like it to be shortened to 60 days.

She said the 60-day period would be the best way to end the on-going political crisis.