Borwornsak to head legal reform panel

Legal guru Borwornsak Uwanno has been appointed to head the government’s 23-member national advisory board supervising legal reform.

The order appointing the board members was signed by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha yesterday. Legal reform is part of the national reform framework being pushed by the regime.

Mr Borwornsak, former head of the nowdefunct Constitution Drafting Committee, was appointed chairman of the panel of legal-experts.

Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Kreangarm and Prime Minister’s Office Minister Suvit Maesincee were both appointed members and advisers to the board.

Other members of the panel include Kobsak Pootrakool, vice-minister to the Prime Minister’s Office; Kitipong Urapeepatanapong, chairman of Baker McKenzie’s Bangkok office; Narongdech Srukhosit, a public law lecturer at Chulalongkorn University; Bancherd Singkhaneti, dean of the National Institute of Development Administration’s Faculty of Law; and Paisit Panichkul, law lecturer at Chiang Mai University.

Other members include Vichaya KreaNgam, Mr Wissanu’s son and a legal expert at True Corporation; Saree Nontasut, Thailand’s representative to the Asean Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights; Abhichon Chandrasen, law fellow at Australian National University; Panit Dhirapharbwonges, legal adviser to the Finance Ministry and Kamnoon Sidhisamarn, a member of the National Reform Steering Assembly.

Additional members are heads and representatives from state and private agencies and will look to improve, amend or annul laws.