Help us improve it, Surayud urges public
Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont, left, and General Sonthi Boonyaratglin, right, chairman of the Council for National Security, attend a ceremony at Parliament House yesterday morning, when the Constitution Drafting Assembly formally presented the first c
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Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont yesterday congratulated charter drafters for completing the first draft of the new constitution on time and urged concerned parties to offer their critiques in order to improve it.
"The draft constitution is designed to lead the country back to democratic rule and I hope it can resolve problems so as to usher in the general election to install an elected government of which the people can be proud," Surayud said. He said the people should get involved in improving the first draft in order to prevent the domination of state power, non-transparency and abuses against rights and liberties. He spoke after receiving an official copy of the draft presented by Constitution Drafting Assembly chairman Noranit Sethabutr. Although the draft was released to the public last Thursday, Noranit submitted the official copies for scrutiny by 12 concerned parties. The parties include the government, the Council for National Security, the National Legislative Assembly, the Election Commission (EC), the National Counter Corruption Commission (NCCC) and the National Human Rights Commission. The others are the Supreme Court, the Supreme Administrative Court, the Office of the Ombudsman, the National Economic and Social Advisory Council, the Office of the Auditor-General and every state university. Noranit said the 12 parties had until May 25 to lodge their opinions on the draft. EC chairman Apichart Sukhagganond said he would convene a hearing to solicit impartial views on the draft provisions. Apichart said he was making full preparations to ensure that the referendum on the new constitution would take place without a glitch. The referendum is expected in September. "I think it is time for the people and the state authorities to join hands to overcome the political turbulence and move the country forward," he said. NCCC chairman Panthep Klanarongran said the commission would confine itself to commenting on draft provisions designed to fight corruption and ensure transparency. Auditor-General Khunying Jaruvan Maintaka said she would focus on vetting provisions relating to auditing. After the 12 concerned parties complete the vetting process later this month, 35 charter drafters will have to come up with the final draft by July 6.
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