Thailand’s army-backed council rejects constitution
Print Edition
Thailand’s junta-appointed reform council yesterday voted to reject a controversial new constitution, a result that will prolong military rule and push back an election to April 2017 at the earliest.
Political parties, nevertheless, cheered the decision by National Reform Council (NRC) to dismiss the draft charter, having seen it as an affront to democracy on various grounds, including a provision that potentially allowed generals to intervene in a “crisis”.
If it had been passed it stood to become Thailand’s 20th constitution in 83 years.
The whole process of writing a constitution must now start from scratch.
The military staged a coup in May last year and has always denied it was clinging to power.
The charter was given a thumbs-down by 135 NRC members and approved by 105, short of the 124 needed to pass and go to a referendum in January. The election had been slated for the second half of next year.
The constitution was expected to sail through the NRC vote but hit a snag when internal discord emerged recently, according to several members.
“They’re worried about political problems in the future,” council member Paiboon Nititawan told reporters.
A bone of contention was a late addition, the creation of a National Committee on Reform and Reconciliation Strategy. That would be dominated by military, allowing it to exercise power over the executive and legislative branches in a vaguely defined “crisis” situation.
The government now has a month to appoint a committee that will have 180 days to draft a new constitution.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
