POLITICS
Pheu Thai says public should steer charter push
The Pheu Thai Party has decided to step away from pushing for constitutional amendment but let pressure groups, particularly the red shirts, take a leading role in seeking the change.
The move is seen as the party's strategy to deal with stiff resistance from its opponents.
Pheu Thai MP for Nong Khai Pongpan Sunthornchai yesterday said party MPs had agreed that it would not serve the interests of Pheu Thai to spearhead the charter rewrite push as this could leave the party more vulnerable to attack from its opponents and could stir up more conflict in society.
He said the preferred option would be to allow the public to play a leading role in seeking an amendment to Section 291 of the constitution to set up a Constitution Drafting Assembly (CDA). The section allows only ministers and MPs to put forward proposed amendments to the charter, rather than a CDA.
Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yubamrung, also chair of Pheu Thai MPs, has proposed the CDA will consist of 77 members who will be elected from Thailand's 77 provinces as well as 22 academics.
Pheu Thai would provide the necessary support for those people taking part in the constitutional change process, Mr Pongpan said.
"The constitution is not democratic and amending it is inevitable. We would be met with resistance if we insisted on going ahead on our own," he said.
Mr Chalerm earlier said the process of charter amendment should be postponed for the next eight months until the government's policies bear fruit.
Pheu Thai MP for Nonthaburi Apiwan Wiriyachai said he agreed with Mr Chalerm's proposal to delay the charter amendment process.
Col Apiwan also believed that the government and Pheu Thai should not be the key players in the process to amend the constitution.
The overriding priority is for the government to focus on flood rehabilitation efforts.
Only after the people have fully recovered from the flood disaster should the government begin to think of charter amendment, Col Apiwan said.
Pheu Thai list MPs and red shirt co-leader Payap Panket said the red shirt United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship had finished its version of a charter amendment bill.
He said the UDD was now gathering signatures to push for its constitutional amendment bill to be tabled to parliament. Many red shirt supporters nationwide are ready to support the signature drive, Mr Payap added
Mr Payap said the UDD plans to rewrite the entire present constitution, with the 1997 charter as a model.
Pheu Thai MP for Nonthaburi and government chief whip Udomdej Rattanasathien said all sides had reached a common position that Section 291 will be amended to set up the CDA. It will then be left to the CDA to consider amendments to the constitution.
Mr Udomdej believed the charter amendment would take place during the present House session
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