Five months after General Sonthi Boonyaratglin staged the September 19 coup, the drafting of a new constitution is the hottest issue in the country's political scene.

Not only is the charter aimed at slamming the door on deposed prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra returning to power, but also on weakening the clout of national politicians and political parties.

The junta claims a "national crisis" in 2006 was a result of dishonest politicians, and flaws in the 1997 charter that gave them powers, which they abused for self-interest.

The head of the constitution-drafting sub-committee responsible for clauses on political institutions is Charan Pakdithanakul, Thaksin detractor and former Justice Ministry permanent secretary.

Although his panel appears to be using the 1997 Constitution - dubbed "the people's charter" - as a model, there are changes it wants to make.

The Charan panel wants to scrap single-member constituencies in a bid to reduce vote buying.

It is looking to reduce the number of members of Parliament, select senators via sector and scrap party-list members elected via proportional representation.

Political heavyweights including the Thai Rak Thai, Democrat and Chat Thai parties have broken their silence in spite of a junta ban on political activity. Until now they have kept a low profile in the belief the junta will hold elections before the end of the year as promised.

They have until now chosen to accept the country's new rulers and not condemn their illegitimate shortcut to power. They agree the junta had to intervene to save national integrity damaged by Thaksin.

It appeared they were prepared to wait until they could return to power via the ballot box. Now, they believe they have taken the wrong approach.

Chat Thai Party leader Banharn Silapa-archa recently warned charter drafters appointed by the military leaders that political parties and the public must be consulted during the drafting of a new constitution. Failure to do so will risk the document being rejected at a referendum.

Now political parties are raising concerns the junta plans to retain its power by deliberately messing up the draft so it is rejected.

If this occurs, the ball is back in the court of the Council for National Security (CNS).

According to the 2006 interim charter, the CNS can enforce any one of 17 previous charters should the new draft be rejected. It was only last week that leaders of the main political parties encouraged the CNS to show its sincerity by specifying which constitution it would endorse.

Previous charters include those written by military dictators and those backed by people power.

Some charters allow for a non-elected prime minister. This led to mass protests to oust General Suchinda Kraprayoon in the Black May uprising of 1992.

Because of just such an eventuality, the CNS has been asked to announce its position.

The Constitution Drafting Assembly version will now not be finished before its June deadline.

We should be ready for the promise of a return to people power to become a dim light along the road back to democracy.

Weerayut Chokchaimadon

 The Nation