ants charter to pass a referendum and an end to quarrels.
PRIME MINISTER Prayut Chan-o-cha said yesterday that he hoped the constitution draft would pass a national referendum and that the next general election would be free from violence.
Speaking to Government House reporters yesterday, he said it was important that post-coup work progresses this year so the country can move forward. In his weekly "Returning Happiness to People in the Country" TV programme last night, the PM also called on people to refrain from "needless quarrels" over the new constitution being written by the Constitution Drafting Commission (CDC).
"We are now aiming for a constitution that is universally accepted and internationally recognised. So please refrain from needless quarrels over the charter," he said.
"Our efforts in drafting this charter are to prevent the problems we had to undergo in the past. Through the new charter, we want the people to live and prosper peacefully, and not remain deeply divided as politicians fight for power like before," General Prayut said.
He said: "Along with a constitution, we will also need laws for administration, the criminal code, the civil code and corruption law, among others.
"This is to ensure fairness in our society. Checks and balances will be scrutinised. Justice will be provided for all."
Prayut expressed concern about the referendum on the new charter draft. "There will be no progress if people do not consider what's actually written in the constitution and who it benefits. Does it benefit me, the NCPO [National Council for Peace and Order] or any other group?
"There are many misunderstandings about this, foretelling more problems. If this is the case, what if the referendum rejects the new constitution? What can we do then?"
The PM is head of the NCPO.
In a related development, the Democrat Party's chief adviser Chuan Leekpai yesterday called |for an extension of the voting time for general elections during his meeting with a leading member of the CDC.
Chuan was accompanied by deputy Democrat leader Jurin Laksanavisit when he met deputy CDC chairman Suphot Khaimuk at the invitation of the commission, which is seeking suggestions from different groups on how the new constitution should be written.
A former Democrat Party leader, Chuan told reporters that he had suggested to the CDC the voting time for general elections should be extended from the current 8am to 3pm in order to allow voters more time to exercise their right.
He said the voting period should be lengthened as much as possible.
The 8am to 3pm voting period has been used for decades.
Chuan said that in the past, voting had to end early possibly because there was no electricity in many areas.
Suphot said the constitution drafters would consider Chuan's suggestion for the voting time to be extended until 5pm or 6pm.