A new constitution to be promulgated later this year is likely to end up as another short-lived interim charter, Chiang Mai University dean of law Somchai Preechasilpakul predicted yesterday.

He said that owing to the junta's tight control over drafting, "it will have little to do with the public and will largely be written by the elite of academia".

"Thus, it has a problem with legitimacy," he added.

Somchai was speaking at a Thammasat University symposium on politics and society four months after the coup. It coincided with the launch of a first anti-coup anthology published by Fah Diew Kan alternative political magazine.

"How can they draft a constitution under the climate of martial law and coercion?" Somchai said, adding that the constitution was being drafted under the overwhelming weight of how to rid politics of figures like Thaksin Shinawatra, the deposed prime minister.

Somchai said it was better to have an election as soon as possible because the constitution would not last long. The role of politicians will continue to dwindle in relation to the military and the Privy Council.

The new constitution should be aimed at producing a free and fair election only, and society should push for this goal, he said.

Others such as Thammasat University historian Somsak Jeamteerasakul said the constitution - written in a climate of continued social division - would be thrown out soon after a social rift that would lead to bloodshed.

Somsak shared Somchai's views and said a new election was needed as soon as possible, and any "permanent" constitution should be drafted afterward.

He said one major let-down, four months after the coup, was that many intellectuals had failed to learn from history and stand by their convictions. He accused some of being "hypocrites" or "cowards" for not criticising the junta, even though some were vocal in their opposition of Thaksin.

Communication arts lecturer Ubonrat Siriyuwasak of Chulalongkorn University said the public was living in a time where history was not progressing. The junta's treatment of the news media is no different from the previous regime, she said.

"[The junta] invites news editors to meet almost every week [to tell them what to censor]," said Ubonrat. "The government is feeding [state news] as a daily staple for the people."

"The new discourse is royal-nationalism and democracy is secondary," she said.

The only speaker to condone the coup was Chulalongkorn University political scientist Chaiyan Chaiyaporn, who said the junta was not Machiavellian, otherwise there would have been a swift purge of pro-Thaksin elements.

He said the coup was a work in progress and four months along was still not finished. Chaiyan said the junta would have to allow the judicial process to deal with Thaksin, and that would take time.

"The Council for National Security comes out to stop people fighting, but it can't re-establish democracy. That's up to us."

Social critic Sulak Sivaraksa said the junta should make good on its claim that Thaksin had committed lese majeste. However, nothing has been done so far.

He warned the public not to be fooled by the junta's promises. "All coups are detrimental and the September 19 coup is no exception."

Subhatra Bhumiprabhas 

Pravit Rojanaphruk

 The Nation