NRSA panels struggling to finish work on time

The sports reform panel and mass media reform committee are the only committees to come up with action plans for the next 18 months as well as the five-year interval for the 20-year long-term reform plan, he said.

The other committees have been instructed to hurriedly revise their reform plans so they can propose during the NRSA meeting on Monday, the vice president added. 

Alongkorn downplayed criticism of the NRSA whips, saying it made it clear what tasks lay ahead, and had thought through the reform process.

Heated words were exchanged as NRSA members rushed to complete their reform plans, which are due to be presented to the NRSA for endorsement from this month onwards.

Seri Suwanpanon, chairman of the NRSA political reform committee, proposed that the NRSA set up another committee to help gather the opinions of members on the best way to proceed before proposing the plans for endorsement in a bid to unite them.

Alongkorn and Seri exchanged words on the second day of the NRSA’s special meeting yesterday. Alongkorn accused Seri of not showing him respect and vice versa.

At the meeting on Thursday, members raised the matter concerning recommendations on reform for the Constitution Drafting Commission. 

Alongkorn claimed that the reform framework for a planned discussion had been resolved by the NRSA whips with all sides having agreed to it before the matter proceeded.

Alongkorn had proposed the NRSA discuss the reform framework based on the reform section in the discarded charter draft. There were four major reform points addressed, but some members argued that those were now discarded and should not be brought up for consideration.

But Seri said Alongkorn implied that he and some other members did not understand the process, when Alongkorn’s proposal was opposed at Thursday’s meeting.

Alongkorn denied that he dominated the NRSA as he could almost not convince the 20 whips. That prompted Seri to protest as he felt Alongkorn was challenging him in return. 

Seri said he had dared to raise concerns that the NRSA would work without any progress by going back and forth between previous and future plans. He was concerned and serious about the work. He demanded an apology from Alongkorn, who later gave in.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha made public the government’s work progress, including its planned reform work, on his weekly TV show “Returning Happiness to the People in the Country” last night. He said the country needed to lay down a firm foundation for development in six areas and in relation to the national reform plan, the 20-year strategic plan, and the National Economic and Social Development Board. 

Certain issues, he said, needed an extended period of time because of “constant changes”. “Today, our efforts must yield concrete results. I am doing everything in my capacity during my time in office.”