A COPY of the proposed Constitution is displayed during a meeting of the Thai Journalists Association where Thammasat University law academics and members of the news media discussed the new charter draft.

They should remove the provisions allowing a special committee to intervene during crises and granting amnesty to the Council for National Security (CNS), the alliance said.

The group, including Somsak Kosaisuk, Suriyasai Katasila, Pibhop Dhongchai and Kittichai Saisa-ard, said some articles should be revised. They suggested that Senators should be elected rather than appointed.

Somsak said he would propose their deliberations to the chairmen of the CDA and the Constitution Drafting Committee next week.

Thammasat University law lecturer Kittisak Prokati said the draft should not be approved as it would ruin the whole legal system. However, controversial issues, including Article 299 on the amnesty for the CNS, would draw the people's attention to the draft, he said.

"Article 299 was written for the CNS to stay forever. If the Constitution draft passes the referendum, the CNS will claim its constitutional existence and unlimited power. If the Article remains, I will call on all legal lecturers to reject the draft and we will have to campaign against this Constitution," he said.

He was speaking at a forum, organised by the Thai Journalists' Association on human rights and contentious issues in the draft.

Law lecturers from Chulalong-korn and Chiang Mai universities also attended.

Meanwhile, the People's Network for Elections in Thailand chairman Saiyud Kerdpol said the CDA should reject the draft as the 1997 Constitution was the best constitution for Thailand.

"While we are worried whether this Constitution draft will pass the referendum, I want us to save Bt1.5 billion by getting the CDA to agree to reject this draft and return to the 1997 Constitution," he said.

Saiyud was expressing his opinion during a meeting of 40 former senators to discuss the Constitution draft yesterday.