Meechai not worry on negative remarks for draft charter

BANGKOK, Jan 30 (TNA) -- Thailand’s Constitution Drafting Committee (CDC) chairman Meechai Ruchupan said Saturday he was not concerned over negative remarks on the first draft charter and he believed that the draft constitution is democratic as it allows the public to play a role. After spending about four months drafting the charter, the first draft of the 270-section new constitution was released Friday amid criticisms from several politicians. Mr Meechai said those who have attacked the draft charter disliked the work carried out by CDC members while CDC members are prepared to listen to all constructive opinions and if politicians wish to present their opinions, they could do so by presenting them in details. This just finished draft constitution is a democratic one and it allows people to play a role in political parties concerning fielding election candidates, said Mr Meechai. On negative remarks by certain politicians charging that the draft charter, if approved, would automatically weaken political parties, the government would not stable as it allows an outsider to become a prime minister, Mr Meechai responded that in that case the political parties should write their own regulatioins that a non-MP or non-member of a political party could not become a prime minister. He said the draft charter specifies that the government must be transparent in spending budget and must disclose details to the people and should not use the budget to help its colleagues. “I believe that the principle of the draft constitution has a good intention and shouldn’t weaken future government while national strategies could normally proceed,” Mr Meechai added. The charter drafters still have time over the next two months to gather feedback from the public as well as from the draft's critics and supporters to fine-tune the document. The CDC must then come up with a final draft of the new charter by early April, in line with a 180-day time frame for charter drafting as required by the interim charter, after which preparations will get under way for the referendum scheduled for July. (TNA)