iLaw director to meet panel studying the charter drafts

iLaw director to meet panel studying the charter drafts

Jon Ungphakorn, director of the Internet Law Reform Dialogue (iLaw), has agreed to give the group's views on charter amendments to the parliament committee scrutinising the current set of proposals.

Yingcheep Atchanont, manager of iLaw, said Mr Jon, the founder of iLaw, has accepted an invitation to attend the panel's meeting on Thursday to share key details of the group's draft with those in attendance.

Both Mr Jon and Mr Yingcheep defended the bill before parliament when it met earlier this month to scrutinise seven charter amendment proposals. The draft, which also sought to dismantle the independent agencies installed by the military, was rejected with 212 votes against, 138 for and 369 abstentions.

Only two drafts, one sponsored by the government and another by the opposition bloc, were passed in the first reading. Both proposed to amend Section 256 to make way for the setting up of a charter drafting assembly to draw up a new charter.

Somkid Chueakhong, spokesman for the charter amendment committee, said yesterday the opposition camp would make sure the charter examination process is completed within 45 days ahead of second readings this January.

Mr Somkid, a Pheu Thai MP for Ubon Ratchathani, expressed confidence that political conflicts and anti-government protests would ease after the charter amendment bill passes its third reading.

He said the drafting process should be completed by the end of next year and a general election under a new charter held by the middle of 2022.

Ramate Rattanachaweng, spokesman for the Democrat Party, said yesterday the charter amendment process must go hand in hand with the reconciliation process and the party was preparing information for its MPs serving on the charter study panel.

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