Post by Deleted on Sept 9, 2014 6:47:12 GMT 7
NEW GOVERNMENT
Govt ready to reveal its policies
The Nation September 9, 2014 1:00 am
Prayuth to outline plans to the NLA on Friday; Cabinet to make final decision
The new government plans to announce its policies before the National Legislative Assembly on Friday, NLA president Pornphet Wichitchonchai said.
Pornphet said yesterday that Prime Minister General Prayuth Chan-ocha has informed him that he himself would announce his government's policies at the NLA meeting this Friday at 10am. However, the Cabinet would make the final decision about this matter at its first meeting today, Pornphet added.
Copies of the government policy announcement would later be given to NLA members, Pornphet added.
He said the NLA would convene on Thursday to discuss the draft regulations on the assembly's meetings.
The NLA will also debate an observation that certain clauses in the draft regulations contradict the provisional charter, he added.
Meanwhile, NLA member Somchai Sawaengkarn asserted yesterday that the assembly had the power to issue meeting regulations that include provisions on impeachment of political office-holders.
Somchai said the NLA also acts as the Senate in addition to being the House of Representatives. He added that it was the Senate's duty to make decisions on whether to impeach any political office-holder, as had been suggested by the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC).
"The NLA has to follow the existing NACC Act and other related laws. If we fail to do so, it will be regarded as dereliction of duty," he added.
Somchai was responding to an objection by former Senate speaker Nikom Wairatpanij and some other Pheu Thai politicians against the NLA's decision to issue regulations regarding the impeachment of political office-holders. They argued that the NLA had no power to do so as the 2007 Constitution was already abolished and that the provisional charter had no clauses about this matter.
"We are not trying to single out anyone in particular," he said, adding that the NLA would follow the existing law on the number of votes needed for certain decisions.
For example, the NACC Act requires support from at least three-fifths of the Senate to impeach a political-office holder.
Before the May 22 coup, the NACC had referred to the Senate separate impeachment cases against Nikom, former Parliament president Somsak Kiartsuranond, and 36 other ex-MPs accused of violating the Constitution.
The previous Senate failed to decide whether to impeach them before it was dissolved following the coup.
The NACC has also decided to seek impeachment against former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra for dereliction of duty, in connection with her government's corruption-plagued rice price-pledging scheme - but the case has not been forwarded to the Senate.
Govt ready to reveal its policies
The Nation September 9, 2014 1:00 am
Prayuth to outline plans to the NLA on Friday; Cabinet to make final decision
The new government plans to announce its policies before the National Legislative Assembly on Friday, NLA president Pornphet Wichitchonchai said.
Pornphet said yesterday that Prime Minister General Prayuth Chan-ocha has informed him that he himself would announce his government's policies at the NLA meeting this Friday at 10am. However, the Cabinet would make the final decision about this matter at its first meeting today, Pornphet added.
Copies of the government policy announcement would later be given to NLA members, Pornphet added.
He said the NLA would convene on Thursday to discuss the draft regulations on the assembly's meetings.
The NLA will also debate an observation that certain clauses in the draft regulations contradict the provisional charter, he added.
Meanwhile, NLA member Somchai Sawaengkarn asserted yesterday that the assembly had the power to issue meeting regulations that include provisions on impeachment of political office-holders.
Somchai said the NLA also acts as the Senate in addition to being the House of Representatives. He added that it was the Senate's duty to make decisions on whether to impeach any political office-holder, as had been suggested by the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC).
"The NLA has to follow the existing NACC Act and other related laws. If we fail to do so, it will be regarded as dereliction of duty," he added.
Somchai was responding to an objection by former Senate speaker Nikom Wairatpanij and some other Pheu Thai politicians against the NLA's decision to issue regulations regarding the impeachment of political office-holders. They argued that the NLA had no power to do so as the 2007 Constitution was already abolished and that the provisional charter had no clauses about this matter.
"We are not trying to single out anyone in particular," he said, adding that the NLA would follow the existing law on the number of votes needed for certain decisions.
For example, the NACC Act requires support from at least three-fifths of the Senate to impeach a political-office holder.
Before the May 22 coup, the NACC had referred to the Senate separate impeachment cases against Nikom, former Parliament president Somsak Kiartsuranond, and 36 other ex-MPs accused of violating the Constitution.
The previous Senate failed to decide whether to impeach them before it was dissolved following the coup.
The NACC has also decided to seek impeachment against former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra for dereliction of duty, in connection with her government's corruption-plagued rice price-pledging scheme - but the case has not been forwarded to the Senate.