Civil society groups have launched a campaign to collect 50,000 signatures in support of a constitutional amendment bill that would establish a Constitution Drafting Assembly (CDA) elected entirely by the public.
At parliament on Tuesday, representatives of the Constitutional for All (ConForAll) network, led by Natchapakorn Nammuang, manager of the Internet Law Reform Dialogue (iLaw) and constitution campaign activist Pasarawalee Thanakitvibulpol, formally submitted a declaration of intent to initiate the signature drive to Lerdsak Patthanachaikul, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Mr Lerdsak welcomed public participation in constitutional reform, describing it as a positive sign that all sectors of society were attaching importance to the issue. He said the proposal would be forwarded to House Speaker Sophon Zarum.Once 50,000 signatures are collected and verified, the amendment bill can be submitted for parliamentary consideration.
Mr Natchapakorn said the proposal is based on the principle that a new constitution should be drafted by a CDA elected 100% by the people.
The assembly would comprise both provincial representatives and members representing diverse social groups and issues. It would oversee the drafting process, appoint committees and ensure public participation.
A 35-member drafting committee would prepare the new charter, consisting of 25 CDA members and 10 invited experts. Once completed, the draft would require approval from the elected CDA before being put to a public referendum. The online signature campaign will open on Friday through the network's website, with organisers expecting to gather the required signatures within one month.
