Names like human-rights campaigner Angkhana Neelapaijit were included in the short list and she was eventually elected by the 100-strong CDA to become a charter writer after the qualification rules were bent.

"I'm glad that they managed to do away with the restriction at the last minute," said Angkhana, also a CDA member who would otherwise not be qualified due to her lack of high government or academic rank. "I must begin the work [of co-writing the constitution] first in order to be able to say if things will turn out as I hope."

Other well-known names selected from within the CDA ranks to join the 25 charter writers include permanent secretary for justice Charan Pakdithanakul, Office of the Ombudsman secretary-general Siracha Charoenpanit, Thammasat University's Political Science Faculty dean Nakharin Mektrairat, and former Thammasat University rector Krirkkiat Pipatseritham.

However, a few others are figures close to the CDA chairman, such as Wuthisarn Tanchai who works at King Prajadhipok Institute, where the CDA's chairman Noranit Setabutr is head.

However, other names within the CDA like former senators Chirmsak Pinthong and Karun Sai-ngam opted not to join the race.

Chirmsak told The Nation that despite the relaxation of the qualification rules, he felt the restriction on the selection of charter writers was too severe for him to accept being part of the 35-person body.

The 10 other individuals will be directly named by the Council for National Security (CNS) making the charter writing body a total of 35.

The 10 other writers are expected to be appointed within three days of the selection of the first group of 25, which was completed yesterday.

The turning point came yesterday morning when former student leader and pro-democracy activist Vichien Amnajvoraprasert, told fellow CDA members that he wished to put on record for posterity that he opposed the qualification rules, which stipulate that besides the four sectoral quota of people from academia, social, business and government sectors - in which two persons from each sectors will be allowed - the rest would have to either hold a professorial, director-general rank, or have been an MP or senator.

 "Such a thing should not occur again in the future," Vichien told fellow CDA members.

It sparked fire in at least five other CDA members who took turns to speak passionately against the restriction.

"I'll not compromise with this regulation," Chirmsak declared, along with his announcement that he would not seek to become charter writer.

Fortunately, the rule under the royal decree passed by the Cabinet did not contain the word 'must' in applying the rule and the exact wording in the decree was to 'consider' the minimum qualification, leaving room for CDA members not to impose the criteria.

"Things opened up today," said Vichien. "It enabled more diverse people to become charter writers. The result was good. We managed to get three or four people in. I want the public to tell us what they want and they can contact all the 25 charter writers or the remaining 75 CDA members at any time," said Vichien, who wanted to help with the PR Committee of the drafting process.

The dozen or so committees will probably be named on Monday.

Meanwhile, a number of NGOs and pro-democracy groups expressed their

support for Charan to become chairman of the drafters, believing that he's more independent that other current candidates who could be manipulated by the junta.

Pravit Rojanaphruk

The Nation