Charter deadline set for July 

Charter deadline set for July 

A meeting of the so-called "five rivers" has agreed the final draft of the new constitution must be completed by July 31.  

Representatives of the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), the cabinet, the National Reform Council (NRC), the National Legislative Assembly (NLA) and the Constitution Drafting Committee (CDC) — the "five rivers" — on Wednesday met at parliament to discuss national reform.

CDC chairman Borwornsak Uwanno said last week the CDC plans to submit the first draft of the new constitution to the NRC for consideration by April 17.

Speaking after the meeting yesterday, Alongkorn Ponlaboot, secretary to the NRC's whip, said the meeting also concluded the framework for national reforms must be finalised by Feb 27.

He said the representatives of the NCPO have also put forward the NCPO's reform proposals for inclusion in the NRC's reform blueprint. They would also have to be built into the document.

Mr Alongkorn said Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha also wanted the reform council to work with ministers to implement reform proposals aimed at improving the work of ministries.

The ministers and the reform council are also required to report on the progress of implementation to the cabinet every week, Mr Alongkorn said.

He added the chairman of the CDC told the meeting the process to foster national reconciliation can begin straight away without the need to wait until after the draft charter is finished.

Mr Alongkorn said coordination of the "fiver rivers" has now improved and they are expected to work together more efficiently.

He said representatives of the NCPO and the government have given assurances they will not meddle with the work of others, instead of working with them.

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