An initial blueprint for the drafting of a new constitution allows for the revoked charter of 1997 to be reinstated in case a national assembly set up to scrutinise the new draft constitution rejects it, according to a source close to the matter.

The blueprint, suggested by Meechai Ruchuphan, chief legal adviser to the Council for Democratic Reform under Constitutional Monarchy, calls for a national assembly to be set up consisting of no more than 200 members, the source said yesterday.

The assembly would select a constitution-drafting council, which would form a team of legal experts to draft a new constitution. The council would be charged with "deliberating the draft" and improving it if necessary, said the source.

The final draft would be forwarded to the national assembly, which would vote whether to endorse it. If the assembly rejected the draft constitution, the country's previous charter would be reinstated.

Local elections : EC postpones municipal polls

The Election Commission (EC) decided yesterday to postpone local elections in 14 municipalities which had been scheduled for tomorrow.

EC caretaker secretary-general Staporn Santibutr said the election commissioners had voted 4-1 to postpone the elections by 30 to 45 days because political activities during them might violate an order of the Council for Democratic Reform under Constitutional Monarchy which bans political gatherings of more than five people.

Ousted foreign minister : Kantathi set to return next week

Ousted Foreign Minister Kantathi Suphamongkhon is scheduled to return to Bangkok next Wednesday. An informed source said he left Paris this past Wednesday for Germany, in order to rest and visit friends.

Kantathi was on a weeklong visit to Dublin and France.