Thammasat academic gets CDC offer

Udom says teaching still his primary task

A Thammasat University academic says he has been invited to sit on the new Constitution Drafting Committee (CDC).

Udom Rathamarit, the university vicerector in charge of human resources management, yesterday said he is waiting for a formal order to be issued for his appointment to the role.

He said teaching was his primary task, although he earlier served as a member of a subcommittee working on the previous draft charter.

“It is true I was asked on Friday to serve as a CDC member,” he said, adding he was ready to do anything to contribute to the country.

CDC membership will be finalised at today’s meeting of the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), chaired by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha.

Legal expert Meechai Ruchupan, who is a NCPO member, will inform the meeting whether he will accept the role of CDC chairman, according to a source.

Media speculation about whether Mr Meechai will take the helm of the charter drafting panel has been rife.

Gen Prayut, in his capacity as NCPO chief, was given 30 days to pick 21 new charter writers after the first draft was rejected on Sept 6 by the National Reform Council (NRC), which was dissolved after the vote.

The 200 new members of the National Reform Steering Assembly, which replaces the NRC, will also be announced after today’s meeting. The steering assembly will advise on national reform.

Kanit Na Nakorn, former chairman of the now-defunct Truth for Reconciliation Committee set up by the Abhisit Vejjajiva government, denied speculation he would be one of the new charter drafters.

However, Mr Kanit threw his support behind Mr Meechai to become the CDC chairman, saying he had vast legal knowledge and had what it takes for the job.

Mr Kanit also said he wanted Gen Prayut to invoke his powers under Section 44 of the interim charter to push for speedy reforms to the justice system and restore public faith in the judiciary.

The Pheu Thai Party’s acting deputy spokesman Anusorn Iamsa-ard yesterday said the public is paying more attention to the likely content of the new constitution than who will sit on the new CDC.

He said he believed the new charter would still be dictated to by the military regime and would not be much different from the draft by the previous CDC, chaired by Borwornsak Uwanno.

Mr Anusorn said the new charter must uphold the principles of democracy to gain public acceptance. It must have no hidden agenda that would allow the military regime to hold on to power longer, he added.

He also reiterated Pheu Thai’s stance that it will not allow members to join the steering assembly. The party said it would not support any activities of the coupinstalled government, as doing so would legitimise the military regime.

Mr Anusorn said any party members who want to join the steering assembly must resign from the party first, and be prepared to face the consequences.

It would be difficult for the party to welcome such members back into the fold, he added.