People also want to see greater checks and balances, as well as more decentralisation, so they can manage their local natural resources and participate in politics.

Some 63 per cent of the 16,935 respondents throughout the Kingdom said the PM should come from the ranks of MPs, while 26 per cent said that was not necessary.

Also, 87 provincial-level forums were organised around the country and 63 of these concluded they want the premier to come from people elected as members of Parliament.

"Those against it are few," said Voraphon Sokatiyanurak, deputy chairman of the committee, which is headed by ex-senator and CDA member Chirmsak Pinthong.

The same finding revealed that 67 per cent supported the idea of placing a two-term limit for a prime minister - while 24 per cent oppose it. Similar findings by both the Election Commission and the National Economic and Social Advisory Council (NESAC) were due to be presented to the drafting committee yesterday.

"Some even want to directly elect the prime minister," said Gothom Arya, chairman of the NESAC.

The drafting committee is still considering the controversial possibility of allowing room for a non-elected PM. However, this has led to claims the junta might seek to install a representative as prime minister.

Another finding by the CDA's committee is that respondents wish to see state-supported education extended from 12 to 16 years. This comes after drafters such as Sriracha Charoenpanich, advocated a reduction from 12 to nine years last week.

"The people are already talking about 16 years," Voraphon reported.

The majority of respondents want to see the number of MPs reduced to 400 and the largest support - 26.5 per cent - went for a single-MP constituency while 23 per cent said three MPs could be elected in one constituency.

Some 60 per cent want Cabinet members removed immediately if convicted, and given suspended jail sentences.

Voraphon said only 29 public-hearing forums out of 87 supported the continuation of the party-list MP system, however, 22 forums did not express any opinion on the issue.

Sixty per cent of respondents said parliamentary candidates should hold at least a university degree.

The majority or 53 per cent said politicians should be a member of a political party for no less than 90 days before the election.

Some 65 per cent said senators should be elected, while 61 per cent thought they should be directly elected by the people.

Some 80 per cent said launching a censor debate should be made easier than means stipulated by the 1997 constitution.

Eighty-six per cent said moral and ethical regulations, plus clear punishments were needed in the new charter in order to rein in politicians.

Sixty-three per cent of the respondents believed the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) should be furthered empowered to enable it to file charges directly to the various courts of law.

Eighty-four per cent said they want greater political participation guaranteed by the new charter, with 78 per cent saying citizens should have a role in proposing new bills.

Three in every four of the respondents said people should be able to directly participate in court proceedings to impeach corrupt politicians.

Some 77 per cent said press freedom needed to be guaranteed along with rights to privacy - so the media would not exploit people. And 70 per cent supported the establishment of a fund for public political development.

More than half, or 56 per cent, called for greater decentralisation, while an overwhelming 83 per cent wanted greater monitoring and standard-setting for local administrative bodies.

Seventy per cent of respondents want to see an independent body - or the judiciary - monitor the work of independent organisations created under the 1997 constitution.

Some 53 per cent said they want to see a proportionate requirement for the number of signatures needed to launch an impeachment motion against politicians.

Thirty-six per cent said the required number of signatures should be fixed - but less than the 50,000 signatures required by the 1997 charter.

A massive 89 per cent of respondents want local communities to play a greater role in natural resource management, while 54 per cent said other forms of local administration should be introduced if suitable to the locality.

Chirmsak voiced concerns to the drafting committee, however, that a large proportion of the people he met during the hearing process expressed mistrust and suspect the drafters already have a blueprint of a new charter in mind - and would not take public suggestions seriously.

"Right now the idea that the CDC has a blueprint is rather wide-spread," said Chirmsak, who added that while he was in Chachoengsao province on Wednesday, he was repeatedly asked about the alleged blueprint by many local people - and that he had the same experience elsewhere.

"We can't blame them for being suspicious," he said.

Pravit Rojanaphruk

The Nation