Council plan viable, says NACC
Proposal needs accord between rival parties
published : 12 Dec 2013 at 00:00
newspaper section: News
A people's council could be installed under an executive decree but both disputing parties would have to agree to it, says Vicha Mahakhun, a member and spokesman of the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC).
Mr Vicha agreed with Thammasat University rector Somkid Lertpaitoon, who suggested the idea was viable.
However, it can only happen if the anti-government People's Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) and the caretaker government agree to set up the people's council.
Caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said yesterday she was not sure such an idea could be put into practice because the House has been dissolved and the Pheu Thai Party is currently the caretaker government. Only senators are left in parliament.
The PDRC has demanded that Ms Yingluck and her cabinet resign.
Mr Vicha said no laws could stop them quitting if they really wanted to and if they did this would not necessarily create a political vacuum.
Mr Vicha said former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra had resigned as prime minister after dissolving the House in 2006. Former deputy prime minister Pol Gen Chidchai Wannasathit rose to become acting prime minister in his place.
Mr Vicha also denied a rumour the NACC would make a decision today on requests for the disqualification of 312 former MPs and senators who backed the charter amendment draft to make the Senate a fully elected body which was ruled as unconstitutional by the charter court.
He said the NACC has only recently obtained documents from the court and would need to study them along with the requests. He add that the NACC's examination will only concern some former MPs who initiated the charter amendment.
It could take about a month to determine if there are grounds for the impeachments to proceed, he said.
Mr Vicha raised for public attention the fact that since the House has been dissolved and the government is only a caretaker administration, the authority to make a ruling on various issues now rests with the Election Commission.
The caretaker prime minister and cabinet have to seek advice from the EC regarding their responsibilities and authority.
