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Amendment draft ready
Fears charter rewrite may derail conciliation
Bangkok Post – 4 November 2008
AEKARACH SATTABURUTH and MANOP THIP-OSOD and SURASAK GLAHAN
A draft amendment to Article 291 of the constitution is ready for coalition parties to discuss amid fears it will only escalate political tension and derail attempts to end the divisions in society through negotiations.
The amendment provides for the setting up of an assembly to rewrite the constitution.
Chief government whip and People Power party (PPP) MP Witthaya Buranasiri said yesterday the amendment, prepared by a government whip committee led by PM's Office Minister and PPP deputy secretary-general Sukhumpong Ngonkam, was ready.
The draft had been given to the whips of each coalition party, to seek endorsement from their members.
Mr Witthaya said Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat will discuss it with the leaders of the six coalition parties tomorrow so they can thrash out their differences.
Mr Sukhumpong said he would explain the details to PPP members so they can add their comments and views.
If the coalition party members endorse the draft, it would be presented to House Speaker Chai Chidchob later this week to be put on the House agenda for vetting, probably on Nov 12.
Under the constitution, the support of at least one-fifth of MPs or one-fifth of both MPs and senators, or 50,000 people, is required to submit a motion seeking to amend the charter.
Acting PPP spokesman Kudep Saikrachang said the move to amend the charter by setting up a new drafting assembly was meant to encourage national reconciliation.
The PPP already had enough support from the requisite number of MPs and senators to file the amendment motion.
Chart Thai party whip Ekkapoj Panyaem confirmed the party's 34 MPs were ready to support the motion.
However, some coalition partners disagreed with the move.
Gen Chettha Thanajaro, leader of the Ruam Jai Thai Chart Pattana party, said any move to rewrite the charter must be weighed carefully given the still-simmering political tensions.
The changes could backfire if it were discovered they were made for anyone's personal gain.
He said when the leaders of the six coalition parties meet on Monday, he might ask them to consider delaying the plan to amend the charter.
Kiatikorn Phakpiansilp, a Matchimathipataya party whip, said he had sought the views of members of the public, other coalition members and the opposition Democrats.
They had agreed the charter rewrite should be put on hold as it could deepen social divisions. The government should direct its efforts toward tackling the economic problems, Mr Kiatikorn said.
Suriyasai Katasila, coordinator of the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD), said the alliance's core leaders will discuss their strategy to oppose any move to amend the constitution.
He reiterated that the government's bid to amend the constitution was the reason for the PAD's campaign to remove the Somchai government from office.
Mr Suriyasi also confirmed that the alliance would not appoint a representative to sit on the new drafting assembly.
Democrat party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva called on the government to stop the charter amendment process. This would facilitate a plan to break the political impasse through peaceful dialogue.
Mr Abhisit warned a major political conflict could be in the making if the government went ahead and tabled the charter amendment in parliament next week.
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