Regime pushes 164 bills for NLA to pass

Regime pushes 164 bills for NLA to pass

Progress on many fronts, says Wissanu

The government has forwarded 164 bills to the National Legislative Assembly (NLA) for enactment over the past year, says Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam. 

Mr Wissanu, who oversees legal affairs, was speaking as the administration presented its one-year performance report at Government House yesterday.

Before the military coup on May 22 last year, there was a backlog of bills in parliament, introduced by the last government, which were designed to improve the national administration, Mr Wissanu said.

He said the incoming government supported the measures and was lucky to be able to push through the bills without hindrance.

The government has also succeeded in pushing through laws governing the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), anti-terrorism financing and anti-human trafficking, he said. 

It also rolled out legislation to help strengthen the economy, such as the Secured Transaction Act, which business operators and the World Bank supported. 

The Public Assembly Act was passed to better regulate public mass gatherings to ensure public order. 

As the government attempts to narrow social disparities, a series of laws were also passed to promote gender equality and eliminate unfair debt collection practices. 

Before the coup took place, the civil service system had been known for being slow, using excessive money and being exposed to graft.

The government had attempted to tackle those flaws with measures to streamline the state sector.

On the social welfare front, the administration has improved the surrogacy law to make it less susceptible to abuse. 

The government also rolled out legislation for conservation of natural resources, wildlife and coastal resources protection, Mr Wissanu said.

Several laws were also devised to streamline court cases, such as improving procedures so civil proceedings can be settled and concluded in the Appeals Court, though some important cases may still have to be deliberated by the Supreme Court. 

Of 164 bills put to the NLA, 26 are still being deliberated by the assembly.

Referring to the administration's work, Mr Wissanu said that more than 100 state officers who were suspected of involvement in graft and abuse of power have been suspended from duty and are now facing inquiries. 

He added that the names of another 50 local administration executives and educational institution chiefs, who are under graft scrutiny, were forwarded to Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha on Tuesday. 

An order concerning the action to be taken against them could come out in a few days, he added. 

Next year, Mr Wissanu said the system for considering high-ranking officers for promotion will be overhauled for the sake of fairness.

A legal framework will be put in place to address reforms in the police force and the economy, he said.

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