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Published on August 4, 2007

The initiative of some members of the Constitution Drafting Assembly and the National Legislative Assembly (NLA) is seen as aimed at the case of the 111 Thai Rak Thai executives, all of whom were barred only from assuming major political posts for five years, leaving a grey area for non-executive functions.

The party was ordered dissolved by the Constitution Tribunal on May 30 for election fraud.

Prasong Soonsiri, chairman of the Constitution Drafting Committee, said the new punishment was too harsh and should be changed.

Its proponents want it included in an organic law to be drafted if the constitution is endorsed in the August 19 referendum.

Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva said the five-year ban was severe enough for the Thai Rak Thai executives as he believed some of them were not involved in election graft.

If they all were prohibited from conducting any kind of political affairs, it could create a perception among many people that the upcoming election and road to democracy had no room for them.

That would lead to more "underground" political movements, he said.

NLA President Meechai Ruchuphan said lawmakers would absolutely reject the provision when it came to them because it violated basic civil rights, as enshrined in the constitution.