Piyabutr Saengkanokkul, secretary-general of the Progressive Movement, asked members of the parliament to pass the first reading of a people’s bill for charter amendment instead of blocking it.
He told the joint sitting of the House and the Senate that the bill proposed changes to the installation and power of the Constitutional Court and other independent organizations to create checks and balances. It also proposed constitutional amendments to prevent coups and increase the roles of the opposition and House representatives.
The bill would keep only one House and intensify checks. That was the reason why it increased the roles of the opposition to check the government and required a deputy parliament president and the chairs of important House committees to come from the opposition, Mr. Piyabutr said.
“The people’s amendment bill requires the prime minister to be a representative. Experiences show that otherwise a coup maker would assume the position instead. For the examination of the armed forces, there is a section of the bill to form a committee of armed forces inspectors.
It will consist of five representatives each from government MPs and opposition MPs. The civil government is above the armed forces and the armed forces are parts of the government. The committee will check how the armed forces spend their budgets, make procurement and generate income,” Mr. Piyabutr said. (TNA)
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