Flak mounts over Thai charter rewrite bid

Opposition is mounting against a bid by the ruling Pheu Thai Party and the main opposition People’s Party (PP) to amend parts of the 2017 constitution, particularly provisions concerning the ethical standards for political office-holders.
A senator and coalition partner Bhumjaithai Party on Saturday joined growing calls to end any changes to these charter provisions.
They were responding to Pheu Thai’s submission of its partial charter amendment bill to the House last Wednesday, which followed last week’s submission of a similar bill by the PP.
House Speaker Wan Muhamad Noor Matha said deliberation of the bills in the Lower House would likely begin around mid-October, if not earlier, but certainly not later this month as previously reported.
The charter provisions targeted for change include Section 160, which lays down prerequisites for those wishing to become cabinet ministers.
It says that they must be evidently honest and must not have committed any severe violations of ethics for political office-holders.
Pol Col Kob Atchanakitti, a senator known to be affiliated with the so-called “blue” camp, a reference to Bhumjaithai, opposed the plan to amend charter provisions regarding ethics for political office-holders.
“Ethics are a top priority for politicians. If they don’t have ethics, they should quit politics and stay at home. Parliament is not a place where they can do anything they please,” he said.
“They should focus on tackling problems affecting the people rather than seeking to amend the constitution. Political crises occur because some politicians fail to respect the law,” Pol Col Kob said.
Deputy House Speaker and Bhumjaithai MP Paradorn Prissananantakul said the charter must not be amended to benefit politicians, and any charter change must be in the people’s best interests.
“Will the proposed charter change benefit politicians? No one listens to politicians who are stakeholders in the charter change. The people must have the final say,” Mr Paradorn said.
Chaichana Detdecho, deputy leader of the coalition partner Democrat Party, also disagreed with the plan to revise the ethical standards for political office-holders.
He said those who assume government office must be ready to be scrutinised under the charter’s ethical standards.
Paiboon Nititawan, secretary-general of the Palang Pracharath Party, warned that any attempt by politicians to revise the charter’s ethical standards for their own benefit could lead to a conflict of interest.
Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana, deputy leader of the United Thai Nation Party (UTN), another coalition partner, previously opposed such amendments.
He said the original intention of Sections 160 (4) and (5) of the charter is to prevent those who do not meet certain moral standards from obtaining power in public office. Any attempt to undermine this could make it easier for those lacking in scruples to rise to power, he said.
Justice Minister Pol Col Tawee Sodsong had previously backed amending charter provisions on ethics for political office-holders, saying the definition of “honesty” stipulated by such provisions is vague.
However, in what seemed to be a turnaround, Pol Col Tawee, leader of the Prachachart Party, said on Saturday he agreed with maintaining the ethical standards, though he emphasised that such an ethical code must be clearly defined and written so it can be used as a reference.
Somchai Srisutthiyakorn, a former election commissioner, earlier warned that any attempts to rewrite the charter — particularly provisions regarding ethics for politicians and the scope of power of independent agencies — may backfire.
Mr Somchai cited the Pheu Thai Party’s earlier bid to pass such a bill during the Yingluck Shinawatra administration, which ignited mass street protests and led to the 2014 coup that ousted the Pheu Thai-led government.
The blanket amnesty bill was viewed as an attempt to legally whitewash her older brother, former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.