The Senate on Tuesday formed a committee to draft the Upper House's meeting regulations, which are required before 25 senatorial committees are set up to implement national strategy and the national reform plan.
Initially, the drafting committee consists of 28 senators and is headed by Gen Singsuk Singprai, the first deputy Senate speaker. Senate Speaker Pornpetch Wichitcholchai yesterday signed off on the process.
Section 270 of the constitution requires the Senate to be responsible for following up on, making suggestions and accelerating the government's implementation of the national reform plan and national strategies.
Before the drafting committee was formed, more than 50 senators who are former members of either the National Reform Council or the National Reform Steering Assembly met for an informal discussion on Monday, said an informed source.
At the end of Monday's discussion, they came up with some proposals, which were forwarded to the drafting committee, said the same source.
During the meeting, another committee was proposed to work together and coordinate with the other committees to ensure integration of their different areas of reform work as well as that of the implementation of the national strategies, said Senator Yongyut Sarasombat who led the meeting.
Pol Maj Gen Yongyut said these 25 senatorial committees are also responsible for reporting to the National Anti-Corruption Commission in cases where corruption is detected in the implementation of the national reform plan and national strategies.
As for opposition against the national reform plan and national strategies, voiced by a number of MPs, he said he believed that would not become a problem between the Upper House and the Lower House when they work together as all sides wish to make Thailand a better nation.
Differences in opinions won't develop into conflicts as long as all sides are willing to listen to the reasons of others, he said.
The new government is mandated to follow the National Council for Peace and Order's 20-year national reform strategy aimed at securing "stability, prosperity and sustainability" for Thailand.