The chairman of the Constitution Drafting Committee (CDC) has agreed to include a clause to set up a national strategy and reconciliation panel that will be given special powers over the executive and legislative branches to intervene in a political crisis.
CDC head Borwornsak Uwanno said under the provisional clause of the new charter, members of the crisis committee can vote among themselves to decide if it will intervene when a political crisis arises.
To intervene, two-thirds of the panel members must vote for it, he said, noting that the crisis must be so serious that the government cannot function and national administration is adversely affected.
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According to Mr Borwornsak, the committee also has to consult the Constitutional Court president and the Supreme Administrative Court president.
The committee chairman's order to resolve a crisis is considered legitimate and constitutional, whether the order has legislative or executive implications. After the order is implemented, the committee must report to the House speaker, the Senate speaker, the Constitutional Court president, and the Supreme Administrative Court president.
He said the crisis committee will have no more than 22 members and one chairman, with the members divided into two batches.
The first batch of 11 members comprises the parliament president, the Senate speaker, the prime minister, the supreme commander, the army, navy, air force and national police chiefs, a former prime minister, a former parliament president and a former Supreme Court president. The 11 other members will be specialists from various fields selected by parliament.
According to Mr Borwornsak, the committee is empowered to intervene in an event that may lead to violence by taking over both executive and legislative powers from a government and parliament.
"This measure could be taken if there are various protests that threaten to become a riot and the government is at its wit's end in resolving the situation.
"It is not about prolonging power, but helping turn the situation around as quickly as possible," he said.
He also noted that he and National Reform Council member Anek Laothammatat have agreed that the CDC will propose a "national government for reconciliation" question at the charter referendum.
"The national government for reconciliation will work for four years after the charter takes effect," he said.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha confirmed Tuesday the new cabinet lineup is ready but he refused to reveal when the actual shake-up will take place.