Democrat Party Urges NCPO, Govt to Allow Criticisms on Draft Charter

BANGKOK, Feb 7 (TNA) – The Democrat Party, Thailand’s oldest political party, has called on the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) and the military government of Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-ocha to allow everybody to criticise the draft charter. Citing the reason that criticisms would benefit a public referendum on the draft constitution which would be held later, Democrat Party’s deputy leader Ong-art Klampaibul said allowing criticisms would help the general public to become more interested in the draft constitution while the NCPO would help create democratic atmosphere before a general election is held in the country. NCPO leaders are behind the coup which helped toppled the elected government on May 22, 2014. Mr. Ong-art said there are both advantages and disadvantages in the draft charter. The advantage points stipulated in the draft constitution involved in corruption suppression, on closer scrutiny of people who plan to join the government workforce and on bestowing power to independent organisations to suppress malpractices. He suggested that the Constitution Drafting Committee (CDC) ought to prepare a stronger organic law so that it could match with the draft charter. Simultaneously, deputy spokesman of Democrat Party Ramet Rattanachaweng said that the CDC should stipulate freedom of the press in the draft constitution because the now-abrogated 2007 constitution did mention freedom and liberty of the press clearly in presenting news. (TNA)