Scholar warns against rushing revision

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CONSTITUTION

Scholar warns against rushing revision

Published: 6 Dec 2012 at 00.00
Newspaper section: News

The government's bid to resume the push to amend the charter will probably trigger a new round of political conflict, an academic has warned.

Parinya Thewanarumitkul, a law lecturer at Thammasat University, conceded the present constitution has some flaws.

The charter has been criticised by some quarters, particularly the red shirts, as being sponsored by the military leaders who staged the 2006 coup that toppled the Thaksin Shinawatra administration.

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facts_only
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Discussion 23 : 07 Dec 2012 at 00.5123
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bikeme 14, "why will they not tell us what they want to change in advance. To keep things secret is only inviting suspicion of their motives."
"The bill seeks to amend Section 291 of the constitution to make way for the establishment of a drafting assembly to rewrite the 2007 charter." - above article

bikeme 13, "...to change the constitution, it requires a super majority, thus preserving the constitution from one party's greed...amendments would be discussed with both the government and people BEFORE being voted on."
Are you denouncing the 2007 Constitution?
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ricefield
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Discussion 22 : 06 Dec 2012 at 22.5122
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Disc 21 - The 97 constitution was written by a drafting committee under the Democrat party. The PTP have proposed that the "exact same Democrat model" be used to draft a new constitution with input from all sides and input from all areas of the country. What part of "PTP refusal to reveal their designs" is that, that's total transparency of their design.
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bikeme
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Discussion 21 : 06 Dec 2012 at 16.1521
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D16 Ricefield - I didn't clap when the coup happened. The mere fact that Thailand has had umpteen coups and constitutions is proof positive that a one party controlled constitution is doomed to failure. And the PTP refusal to reveal their designs is proof of future failure as the new constitution will most likely go right up the same one party greedy path. As long as a mere majority can rewrite the constitution, it won't be worth the paper it is printed on.
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spiceman
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Discussion 20 : 06 Dec 2012 at 15.2720
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Khun Airborne #3, would you mind defining a "fair trial" for me? Is it what he gave to an estimated 3,000 drug suspects or 85 Tak-Bai suspects who are no longer with us? And TS is hardly in control of "pretty much everything" and he knows it. Otherwise, he would return to Thailand "in style" long time ago, instead of continuing to be a desert wanderer until now, don't you think?
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android
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Discussion 19 : 06 Dec 2012 at 15.2619
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Discussion 13 bikeme : the constitution has already given parliament the power to make, amend and delete any section of the constitution. Consultation through public referendum does not necessarily mean that it is a "must" when amendment to the charter is intended. It is inapplicable for every parliamentary issue to go through a public referendum green light before it is passed. Don't forget that the people is represented by a democratically elected government.
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domdunnn
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Discussion 18 : 06 Dec 2012 at 14.3118
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"The charter criticised by some quarters".

Indeed, including Veera Prateepchaikul last week in this paper who described it as having been "forced down the throats" of the nation.
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Eric
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Discussion 17 : 06 Dec 2012 at 13.2317
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Bikeme dis#13, if you are right, than you have no qualm to denounce the '07 constitution. No consultation with the people then and the failed proof referendum.
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ricefield
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Discussion 16 : 06 Dec 2012 at 13.1416
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Disc 13 - "In most mature democracies, it takes more than a mere majority to change the constitution." You guys clapped when the military had a coup, perhaps you should ask them why it was written the way they was. And.... Why would you have a referendum before it was even drafted. You can't vote rationally if you don't know what you are voting for, sort of like the last constitutional referendum of vote yes or you get something we won't disclose.
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dao
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Discussion 15 : 06 Dec 2012 at 12.4615
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Diss 7
With out laws being enforced democracy is erodes the powers of governemnt and society .PT is tryi ng to firewall laws being enforced by rewriting the constitution to pardon a criminal .Most people forget this important point .If laws arent enforced than it is just law of the jungle .Which is what we almost have right now .
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bikeme
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Discussion 14 : 06 Dec 2012 at 12.3414
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If the PTP is intending this rewrite to be a betterment of the constitution, why will they not tell us what they want to change in advance. To keep things secret is only inviting suspicion of their motives. And don't tell me they don't know because "the committee" will write it, the PTP will control choice of the 20+ appointees and they control the majority of the provinces, so will in fact control the rewrite completely.
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Scholar warns against rushing revision | Bangkok Post: news