The Political Development Council (PDC) chairman is pushing for members of the National Reform Council (NRC) and the Constitution Drafting Committee (CDC) to declare their assets.
The process of choosing a National Reform Council began Sept 6 with this speech at the Royal Thai Army Club by coup leader and army chief, now Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha.(Reuters photos)
The PDC, an organisation under King Prajadhipok's Institute, acts as a consultancy group offering information and guidelines for political development.
Teerapat Serirangsan said Monday the NRC and the CDC will play greater roles than any other organisation in setting reform guidelines, and conflicts of interest could arise.
"People chosen as NRC members are likely to hold positions in private companies, state agencies, state enterprises and in the civic sector, and some reform proposals could be linked with their benefits," said Mr Teerapat.
"If their assets are not declared, there could be an unusual rise or decline in their assets in one year's time."
The PDC chairman insisted the principle of asset declarations is sound and they should be included in future charters.
New measures should also be brought in, he said, adding the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) must also examine declared assets and liabilities.
Some proposals also call for NRC members' tax payments to be scrutinised, he added.
The PDC Monday denounced the 28 National Legislative Assembly (NLA) members who earlier protested against the NACC's requirement that they declare their assets.
Led by Gen Noppadol Inthapanya, the group took their complaint to court. However, the challenge was shot down by the Central Administrative Court and last month by the Supreme Administrative Court.
As a result, the NACC early this month disclosed the assets and liabilities of 195 NLA members who took office on Aug 8. The disclosure came amid NACC secretary-general Sansern Poljiak's suggestion that citizens should report information about NLA members' suspicious assets.
"The action of those 28 NLA members is inappropriate and is not a good model for ethics," the PDC said.
"Those members should understand their duties and maintain the ethics of political position-holders as role models for society."
The group should take the PDC's remarks as a light warning, said Mr Teerapat.
He insisted asset declarations show the transparency of those involved and can help stop graft and conflicts of interest.
"If you do not want to declare your accounts, please do not join the NLA," the PDC chairman said. "When you join, you must be a good role model for society.''
PDC member Suwanchai Saengsukeiam said the NLA has such wide powers that asset declarations should be mandatory.