Although many CDA members wanted the 35-member Constitution Drafting Committee (CDC) to focus just on rectifying flaws in the suspended people's charter, they eventually backed down for the sake of advancing the drafting process.

The yesterday's debate was prompted by a motion filed by CDA member Watchara Hongprapat.

In launching the debate, Watchara voiced concern that the CDC had strayed on the new constitution blueprint and failed to adequately factor in the people's aspirations.

"Judging from interviews by CDC members, the people have been led to believe that the charter rewrite has been complete even before they have a chance to voice their opinions," he said.

He went on to attack the CDC for veering off course even though the Interim Constitution prescribed for the 1997 Constitution as the basis for charter rewrite.

Echoing Watchara, CDA member Chirmsak Pinthong said he too suspected the CDC had tried to skirt around the "People's Charter" rather than use it as model.

"The charter drafting would be much a simpler task if one of the past charters was picked as model and it is not too late to do so," Chirmsak said.

A weak point of the suspended charter was the rise of a powerful government at the expense of people's power and the CDC should concentrate on strengthening the people's involvement in politics, he said. Instead of doing this, the CDC was focusing on giving more power to the judiciary and not the people, Chirmsak said.

In his rebuttal, CDC chairman Prasong Soonsiri said the CDA should allow his committee some leeway to do its job.

"After completing the draft, the CDC will be obliged to explain new features in comparison to provisions of the 1997 Constitution, hence everyone can pass judgement on the draft then rather than pick a model now," Prasong said.

He also dismissed suspicion that his committee had shunned public participation. None of the 35 charter writers had finalised draft provisions and they were still open to suggestions, he said.

Under to the drafting timetable, the CDC is expected to launch a sequestered session on March 5-10 to complete the first draft.

CDC member Charan Phakdithanakul said the CDA might have been overly concerned about the direction of the charter drafting process although no draft provisions had been finalised.

Charan's colleague Sriracha Charoenpanit said the constitution draft should strive to improve on the political system without confining itself to a particular model.

In closing the debate, CDA deputy chair Seri Suwanpanont said he would leave it up to the CDC to decide how to revise provisions from the "People's Charter". He ruled out the demand for the CDC to adopt the 1997 Constitution as the only model for the new charter.