CIVIC groups asked Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha yesterday for the right to participate in the drafting of the new charter, which they say must be "people-oriented".
The groups, including the Network of People to Protect the Country, the Good Governance Council and the Thai Energy Reform Council, submitted a petition to Prayut via a representative.
The petition made the following points:
Citizens must have the right to help draft 315 provisions to the charter before it takes effect. The new charter must be people-oriented and not geared to protect the interests of any groups;
Independent agencies must face heavy penalties if they commit malfeasance, negligence or discrimination.
They must represent the people, not political groups or rival groups. Their performance must be evaluated annually, they said;
Elections must be free and fair and no corruption should be allowed;
Schools must allow children to explore their potential and stress diversity since each child has different interests and competency.
Democracy must be taught at school, and monks should also have voting rights;
MPs and senators, as well as Privy Councillors, independent agencies and C 9-11 officials must swear before Buddha that they will not jeopardise the nation or be corrupt;
The Stock Exchange of Thailand must be transparent. The oil and energy sectors must belong to the people and management of these sectors must be on a profit-sharing basis.
An inspection system to check volumes of petroleum must be installed to ascertain true production capacity.