By Thai Newsroom Reporters
CHIEF OPPOSITION WHIP Pakornwut Udompipatsakul today (Dec.9) called on Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul to see to it that a public referendum on planned constitution amendment be simultaneously conducted alongside a general election speculated between the upcoming February and March.
The chief opposition whip/People’s MP Pakornwut said he believed Anutin would not dissolve the House of Representatives to call a general election on any day prior to the third or final reading of legislation for amendment to the coup junta-designed constitution scheduled for later this month and insisted that the prime minister see to it that the Election Commission hold the nationwide referendum for the people to decide whether the charter should be substantially amended and whether a constitution amendment committee should be set up for that matter on the same date as for the general election for MPs.
Pakornwut was apparently responding to tomorrow’s (Dec.10) phenomenon in which an extraordinary joint House/Senate session will open for the legislators to deliberate on the second reading of legislation on constitution amendment which might probably last until the upcoming Friday. The final reading of the bill is legally obliged to have a 15-day interval before the legislators may pass its final reading which might probably be held between Dec.26 and Dec.29, he said.
Given adequate resources and staff, the polling agency is largely supposed to be able to compile and assimilate all relevant data and get themselves prepared for the anticipated phenomenon in which the public referendum will be simultaneously conducted alongside the general election, he said.
In the meantime, the chief opposition whip said the prime minister who concurrently acts as leader of the Bhumjaithai, core of the current coalition government, would likely not dissolve the House until after the charter amendment bill has passed its final reading at parliament and been readied for the nationwide referendum.
The prime minister-cum-interior minister has earlier pledged to not dissolve the House and see the people go to the polls to pick their respective MPs in constituency-based and party-listed modes until after the charter amendment process has fully passed its legislative process. Anutin has earlier said he would not return power to the people by way of a House dissolution on any day sooner than the end of next month so that the general election, legally provided to be held in a 60-day time, could occur on any day between February and March.
Nevertheless, the prime minister could possibly do so upon the final passage of the bill at parliament or by the ending part of this month or by early next month without necessarily waiting for the end of next month as he may have earlier planned.
Government critics have invariably noted that Anutin would undoubtedly see to it that the nationwide race to parliament be held on any day prior to the foreseeable event in which de facto Pheu Thai boss/inmate Thaksin Shinawatra is released on parole after he has literally spent a six-month time behind bars.
Thaksin could probably draw more or less pity-generated votes from among constituents, especially former Red Shirt activists, for Pheu Thai electoral candidates in both constituency-based and party-listed modes.
His nephew Yodchanan Wongsawat is largely anticipated to run as one of a trio of Pheu Thai contestants for prime minister, probably alongside his son-in-law Nattapong Kunakornwong and former transport minister Suriya Juangroongruangkit. Yodchanan, a deputy rector of Mahidol University, is son of Thaksin’s sister Yaowapa Wongsawat and former prime minister Somchai Wongsawat.
Yaowapa, known to have some Pheu Thai MPs currently representing northern constituencies at command, had been allegedly demanded by the Shinawatra family to not practically tamper with her son’s political activity during a run-up to the general election and beyond.
CAPTIONS:
Above and Front Page – Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul. Both photo – Amarin TV
First insert – Chief opposition whip Pakornwut Udompipatsakul. Photo – PPTVHD36
Second insert – Mr. Yodchanan Wongsawat. Photo – Thai Rath
Third insert – Mr. Nattapong Kunakornwong. Photo – PPTVHD36
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