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Published on April 9, 2008

The entire membership of the People Power Party (PPP) yesterday decided to amend almost all of the 2007 Constitution, using the 1997 charter as the model.

The main coalition partner had previously planned only to change a handful of articles, including 237 and 309.

PPP deputy spokesman Supachai Phosu said the Constitution posed problems in terms of its implementation, and the party wanted to fulfil an electoral pledge to amend it. The party will seek opinions from a number of agencies before starting to draft its amendment.

Supachai said the party had not decided on the time frame, as it had yet to discuss its decision with the other coalition parties. It will seek their agreement next week.

Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej downplayed speculation by government whips that the constitutional amendments would result in violence.

"What is written can be rewritten. We amend the law every day and the people who wrote the Constitution also said if people did not like it, it could be amended later. Now they object to the amendment,'' he said.

He dismissed criticism the move was purely out of self-interest, especially to help Yongyuth Tiyapairat, who has temporarily stood down as House Speaker while facing electoral-fraud charges.

Asked if he would appoint a constitution drafting panel with non-MPs as members, Samak became angry. "We have MPs to manage the legislative branch,'' he said.

PPP secretary-general Surapong Suebwonglee said the party had decided to maintain the first two chapters of the Constitution and could take six months to complete the amendments.

Meanwhile, two camps of senators proposed motions to appoint a special committee to scrutinise the problems involving the charter's amendment. The first motion - proposed by a group of senators led by Surachai Liangbunlertchai - asked what the reaction would be if the Constitution were to be amended.

The group said the move to amend Article 237 could lead to a political crisis and the Senate should scrutinise the matter within 45 days.

A second group proposed the same agenda. Yasothon Senator Yuthana Yupparit and 13 other elected senators said the 2007 Constitution had been created after an elected government was overthrown by a coup and the country was not enjoying full democracy.

The Senate should, therefore, appoint a special committee to scrutinise the charter within 90 days, the group said. The Senate will debate this issue on Friday.

Opposition whip chairman Sathit Wongnongtoey said the opposition disapproved of government MPs amending the Constitution, saying the move could have a negative impact on the economy because foreigners might misunderstand the move and suspend their investments.

Constitutional amendment also could lead to government inaction in running the country as there was a campaign to create a political confrontation over the amendments, which may in turn lead to a political crisis.

He said the opposition believed a House special committee should be set up to debate whether the charter should be amended within six months, in order to allow all parties to voice their opinion.

PIYANART SRIVALO,

KESINEE JAIKAWANG

THE NATION