The draft charter to be written by the new Constitution Drafting Committee is unlikely to differ very much from the rejected one written by the committee led by Bowornsak Uwannano, National Legislative Assembly deputy chairman Peerasak Porjit said on Monday.
Mr Peerasak said he was of this opinion because the new CDC headed by Meechai Ruchupan is still required to conform with the constitution drafting framework stipulated in Section 35 of the 2014 interim constitution.
This was reflected by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha's remarks that he wanted a constitution which is in line with international norms of democracy and suitable for conditions in the country, he said.
Mr Peerasak said the NLA would help the CDC by taking opinions from the public through various channels, since the National Reform Council had been dissolved and the new 200-member National Reform Steering Assembly would be responsible for only reform work.
He said if there was to be a certain provision for use in a special situation, it should be included in a provisional sunset clause. This was to prevent recurrence of the problem in the previous draft charter which provided for a national reform strategic committee which was more powerful than the government and the legislative branch, he added.
Whether or not the new draft charter would be passed in a public referendum rested with its content, Mr Peerasak said.
Mr Surachai, another NLA deputy chairman, confirmed the legilsative assembly was ready to help the CDC by feeding it public opinions.
He foresaw no problem with NLA having only one member on the CDC - Gen Niwat Sripen.
The NLA's committee for compiling opinions on the new constitution would begin meetings next week to prepare issues for submission to the CDC, Mr Surachai said.
