Drafters to revise points in political parties bill

CHARTER drafters will revise two controversial points in the organic law on political parties following criticism of the bill by politicians after it was revealed to the public last week, Constitution Drafting Commission (CDC) chairman Meechai Ruchupan said yesterday. 
Meechai said the two points to be amended include the timeframe in which party members are required to pay a Bt100 annual membership fee – 150 days after the law is promulgated. Politicians have said that period is too short and impractical, especially for parties with more than 10,000 members. 
The CDC will also consider a heavier penalty imposed on financiers who provide “seed funding” for new political parties without others helping to fund the party, as intended by writers of the law, he said. 
Meechai asked the political parties to clarify their constructive comments on the law so that the CDC can take them into consideration, adding that drafters were willing to revise the law if they received useful proposals.
“I do insist that the draft organic law does not aim to suppress major or small political parties. But, [the CDC] wrote this following what we have heard [from concerned sectors], which is to promote the people as actual owners of parties,” Meechai said. 
“And [the CDC] does not want only one or two financiers to dominate the parties. So, [the law] determining that the party members have to pay between Bt2,000 and Bt500,000 for seed funding is to encourage people to be the owners.”
Meanwhile, Democrat Party deputy leader Ongart Klampaiboon said his party would send representatives to the CDC’s seminar today and give its recommendations to the drafters. 
However, Ongart said he was unsure whether the CDC would amend the law, adding that the party was only responsible for voicing its opinions on behalf of politicians. 
“Whether the CDC will amend the law depends on the commission’s discretion. However, the law is also required to pass another filter, which is deliberation by the NLA [National Legislative Assembly],” he said. 
CDC spokesman Chartchai na Chiangmai said 40 political parties had agreed to attend the seminar and only Pheu Thai had rejected the invitation. 
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha in his weekly press briefing yesterday dismissed politicians’ call for a resumption of political activities.
The PM said if politicians did not want to resume political activity by joining the drafters for sessions to get feedback on the party law, then they should continue to be suspended until the election.
With the CDC working on organic laws to prepare for the election, likely to be held late next year or early 2018, politicians want the junta to lift its ban on political parties assembling – imposed after the coup in May 2014 – so parties can resume work and make plans for the vote.
Meechai said he was convinced the junta would consider lifting the ban after the party law is passed by the National Legislative Assembly and comes into effect.