Pheu Thai seeks change to power of the judiciary

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Pheu Thai seeks change to power of the judiciary

CONSTITUTION COURT UNDER FIRE

Published: 15 Jul 2012 at 00.00
Newspaper section: News

The Pheu Thai Party is considering a move to restrict the Constitution Court's powers following its ruling on Friday in which imposed restrictions on how the constitution can be changed.

The court did not prohibit the Pheu Thai-led government from overhauling the 2007 charter, but it said the government "should" hold a public referendum on attempts to amend any sections.

The decision has put further pressure on Pheu Thai not to push through the third reading of the charter amendment bill.

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geoffo
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Discussion 15 : 15 Jul 2012 at 09.2515
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Mr Jirayu suggests complaints can only be made through the Office of the Attorney General.

BECAUSE ? (a) PT control the AG, (b) the AG is a political appointee (c) other reasons ?
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peterd
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Discussion 14 : 15 Jul 2012 at 09.2514
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No have limits to the indecency. "The government should be thinking about how to drive the country forward without putting itself in conflict with laws," Mr Abhisit said. What law was respected in the Coup which he profited himself to come in power? Accessory, what law authorized his Gvt to send snipers to shot the people? In all the countries have laws, even in the worst dictatorships. But It's an human right to fight and try to change the bad laws (remember the apartheid in S.A, the mutilations, stonings in some, thousand exemples of bad and unfair laws in the world).
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dao
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Discussion 13 : 15 Jul 2012 at 09.2313
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I agree with PJT
.There problem is with PT and their whole existence which is nothing more than to pardon criminals .They don't seem to think there is any problem wasting the national budget on non sense populist policies in order to ensure they can continue to nothing but drag Thaksin back who is the centre of PT and their problems .Stop wasting peoples time .You've been in power for a year and all I have seen is a lot of money wasted with very very little to show for it and you still have the gall to say your constitution rewrite isn't about Thaksin .Get off it .
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Ian
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Discussion 12 : 15 Jul 2012 at 09.2212
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The Thai people have a very simple choice, do they want ultimate power to reside in the people and their elected representatives, or to be held by nine unelected judges? It seems a simple choice on the surface, however when elections are based on powerful patronage groups, of all political persuasions, it becomes a more complex decision. The choice becomes yet another power struggle.
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waters
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Discussion 11 : 15 Jul 2012 at 09.0111
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"The government should be thinking about how to drive the country forward without putting itself in conflict with laws," Mr Abhisit said.

Well said. I'd like to see the government focus on poverty and corruption eradication, total reform of the education system, renewable energy, environmental protection, and a tax system that forces the rich to pay their fair share. They need to serve the people of Thailand.
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grassroots
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Discussion 10 : 15 Jul 2012 at 08.4610
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If the Constitution is not allowed to change for the better by the representatives of
the people, why you did allow a tiny group of armed personnel who staged a coup
to freely rewrite as they wanted without your opposition, huh?

The "Thai Charter" can be easily torn up or changed by soldiers, just a piece of paper, lol!
The very same "Charter" is indeed hard to be changed by the people! Should I laugh or cry?

Ridiculous, isn't it?
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commonman
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Discussion 9 : 15 Jul 2012 at 08.459
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How can you have an effective Constitution Court when the constitution is altered on average every four years. I have long been mystified by what seems a lack of any legal precedents in deciding cases. But then precedents have never had a chance to develop. It's not democracy, it's rule by the strongest. It's paternalism at its finest.
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hawaiiman
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Discussion 8 : 15 Jul 2012 at 08.458
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If PT party is so confident that the majority support it, then why fear a referendum?
Restricting the right to petition the court is un-democratic. Filtering these grievances through the office of a government servant is a great way to insure nothing will happen that does not please the ruling party.
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pjt
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Discussion 7 : 15 Jul 2012 at 08.187
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The root of this problem is PT will not openly explain what in which areas the existing Constitution should be changed and in principle to what (details can be done by CDA)? Significant parts of the current charter as the same as the 1997 version, others where words are different but effect the same. Its not even clear that PT want to go back to 1997 as far as possible. Its no good to simply punt those decisions to the CDA without some clear direction from Parliament - which is the responsible body. The Constitution allows amendment - indeed it was already amended in 3 places under the Ahbisit government. The issue will be when does amendment become a re-write where an initial referendum as suggested by the court seems logical
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ggh
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Discussion 6 : 15 Jul 2012 at 07.516
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AV says the government should concentrate on economic affairs. So then, what would be the price tag on a national referendum? Could this money be spent more wisely? What are the chances of referendum being the same outcome of the election which gave PT its mandate? Is this simply another form of obstructionism which ultimately prevents the government from doing its job efficiently?
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Pheu Thai seeks change to power of the judiciary | Bangkok Post: news