Thailand Law Library

by Thailand Lawyer

There shall establish the National Reform Council to study and provide recommendation for reform in the following fields:

1. politics;
2. administration of State affairs;
3. laws and judicial procedure;
4. local administration;
5. education;
6. economy;
7. energy;
8. public health and environment;
9. mass communication;
10. social;
11. others,

with a view to setting up of a democratic regime of government with the King as the Head of State which is suitable for Thai context, establishing the trustworthy and fair election system, establishing the efficient mechanism for prevention and suppression of corruption, eliminating economic and social inequality for sustainable development, enabling State mechanism to provide public services thoroughly, efficiently and effectively, and strengthening law enforcement rigorously and fairly.

The National Reform Council consisting of not more than two hundred and fifty members as appointed by the King from the persons of Thai nationality by birth with not less than thirty-five years of age in accordance with the recommendation of the National Council for Peace and Order.

The King appoints, in accordance with the resolution of the National Reform Council, a member of the National Reform Council to be the Chairperson of the National Reform Council and not more than two members of the National Reform Council to be the Vice-Chairpersons of the National Reform Council.

The Head of the National Council for Peace and Order shall countersign the Royal Command appointing members of the National Reform Council, the Chairperson and the Vice-Chairpersons of the National Reform Council.

A member of the National Reform Council shall not being under the prohibitions under section 8 (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) and (9), and the provisions of section 9 shall apply to the vacation from office of a member of the National Reform Council mutatis mutandis, but the power to make a decision under section 9 paragraph two shall be the power of the National Reform Council.

The National Council for Peace and Order shall select the persons to be appointed as members of the National Reform Council in accordance with the following rules:

1. there shall establish the Selective Committee for each field of reform under section 27 to nominate the qualified persons in each field, and there shall establish the Provincial Selective Committee in each province to nominate the qualified persons whom domiciled in each province;
2. the Selective Committee for each field of reform shall be appointed by the National Council for Peace and Order from the persons having apparent knowledge and experience and being generally accepted persons in each field;
3. the Selective Committee shall propose the list of the nominees whom having qualifications under section 28 and not being under the prohibitions under section 29 and having apparent knowledge and experience in each field to the National Council for Peace and Order. In this case, no member of the Selective Committee shall be nominated;
4. in the nomination under (3), regard shall be had to varieties of persons from each group of persons in public sector, private sector, social sector, academic sector, professional sector and other sectors which shall be beneficial to the performance of duties of the National Reform Council, apportion of persons from each province, gender opportunity and equality of the nominees and the conferment of the socially underprivileged persons;
5. the Provincial Selective Committee shall consist of the members as prescribed by the Royal Decree;
6. the Nation Council for Peace and Order shall select not more than two hundred and fifty persons to be appointed as members of the National Reform Council from the list of nominees proposed by the Selective Committees under (1). In this number, one nominee nominated by each Provincial Selective Committee shall be selected.

The number of members of each Selective Committee, the selection procedure and period of selection, the number of the nominees and other necessary matters shall be prescribed by the Royal Decree.

The National Reform Council shall have the powers and duties as follows:

1. to study, analyze and propose the guideline and proposal for the reform of any field under section 27 to the National Legislative Assembly, the Council of Ministers, the National Council for Peace and Order and other related agencies;
2. to give advice or recommendation to the Constitution Drafting Committee for the purpose of Constitution drafting;
3. to deliberate and approve the Draft Constitution proposed by the Constitution Drafting Committee.

For the purpose of (1), if the National Reform Council is of opinion that it is necessary to have an Act or Organic Act comes into force, it shall prepare and introduce that bill to the National Legislative Council for deliberation. If it is a money bill or Organic Law bill, it shall be submitted to the Council of Ministers.

The National Reform Council shall give advice or recommendation under (2) to the Constitution Drafting Committee within sixty days as from the date of its first meeting.

The provisions of section 13 and section 18 shall apply to the performance of duties of the National Reform Council mutatis mutandis.