NCPO to meet parties in June

The National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) confirms it will meet political parties in June to settle problems that might hinder their preparations for next year’s general election.

The schedule, set by NCPO chief and Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha who initiated the talks, signifies the NCPO would follow its roadmap to the election set for February next year. Earlier, some politicians showed lack of confidence due to problems concerning the charter’s organic bills on election of MPs, selection of senators and political parties.

However, Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam said yesterday “the official meeting will be certainly held in June”.

He made the confirmation after both pre-established and new political parties asked for a pre-June talk on some political issues.

“It’s unnecessary to meet the NCPO [for the pre-talk] if they are about what can be or can’t be done,” Mr Wissanu said, reasoning these questions can be answered by the Election Commission or even him.

Yet the meeting with the NCPO in June will go as planned, he said.

Also voicing support to the meeting is Constitution Drafting Committee chairman Meechai Ruchupan, but he earlier expressed a concern over a delay after the Constitutional Court was asked to examine the three organic bills.

Mr Meechai said he had no idea whether the military regime will wait after all legal problems have cleared the Constitutional Court before it holds the meeting with political parties.

It is unknown how long the court will consider the legal dispute.

The organic bill on political parties directly concerns the NCPO after it issued a Section 44 order to amend the law on political parties. The order caused Democrat and Pheu Thai parties to bring it to the Constitutional Court via the ombudsman.

The two parties accused the NCPO’s order of violating basic rights of party members granted under the constitution. The order makes a process to update their membership a burdensome task. Party members have to confirm their membership and pay a fee within 30 days of April 1 or lose their status.

Democrat leader Abhisit Vejjajiva said it is inconvenient for members living upcountry and the process can be done smoothly at party headquarters.

In another report, Gen Prayut played down a doubt raised by Pheu Thai key member Khunying Sudarat Keyuraphan about what his political stance will be post-elections.