Public hearings on reform to start on December 27

– Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community

PHUKET: The National Legislative Assembly will commence public hearings on national reform and reconciliation in the northeastern provinces of Mukdahan and Bueng Karn in late December.

Under the process, NLA vice president Peerasak Porjit yesterday said the assembly would call on educational institutes, the Interior Ministry’s networks, non-governmental organisations and local communities to reach out to every target group.

The Mukdahan and Bueng Karn hearings will be held from December 27-29.

Peerasak said the NLA would not seek an additional budget but request permission from Parliament when it starts public hearings in Mukdahan and Bungkarn.

He said apart from public hearings, the NLA intended to the win the support of people who held different political views in a bid to propel the country towards the reform roadmap’s third stage – democratic elections.

Constitution Drafting Committee deputy chairman Krasae Chanawongs approved the plan to hold the public hearings as proposed by Thawilwadi Burikul, chairperson of the CDC’s public participation subcommittee.

The CDC suggested that the public-hearing process focus on academic aspects in order to glean relevant information from experts.

Krasae said the budget for public hearing was Bt24million.

Of this amount, Krasae said 15 million baht would be spent on making handbooks for public hearings on the new charter and training.

Krasae said 13.6mn baht would be spent on public hearings in Bangkok, Chon Buri, Suphan Buri, Chiang Mai, Pitsanulok, Roi Et, Surin, Udon Thani, Surat Thani and Songkhla.

He said 500,000 baht would be spent on making videos of the public hearings, 2.6mn baht had been earmarked for public questionnaires on the new charter and 1mn baht would be used to prepare 100 stages for the public hearings.

Another 3mn baht would be spent on making 100,000 books to disseminate information about the charter-drafting process, 300,000 baht would be spent on creating media tools to propagate information about the drafting process and Bt625,000 would be spent on organising five seminars.

Krasae said 1mn baht had been set aside for making stickers about drafting campaigns and 500,000 baht would be spent in setting up special post boxes nationwide where people could mail their views on the charter.

— Phuket Gazette Editors