Govt leaders to meet, but charter change 'done deal'

Jatuporn Phromphan, a spokesman for the PPP's committee charged with public relations for the charter-amendment plan, said yesterday he expected the coalition leaders' meeting to reach a "good conclusion".

"I hear that the initial discussion among all the coalition parties was completed successfully. And all the parties agreed to make constitutional amendments," Jatuporn said.

He said "new findings" presented by People Power had made some reluctant coalition partners change their minds. "Let's wait and see the outcome from the meeting," he added.

Chart Thai deputy leader Kanchana Silpa-archa, daughter of party leader Banharn, said the party still had reservations about amending some clauses.

Kanchana said it was not a good idea to replace much of the current Constitution with the 1997 charter, which she said had contained "several flaws and needed some improvement first".

She said it appeared the current charter treated politicians in a bad light as it was written by a group of people who were biased against former premier Thaksin Shinawatra and his government.

"This constitution dislikes politicians and aims to keep elected politicians weak," she said.

Meanwhile, a group of senators was lobbying for changes to Article 291 of the Constitution to allow groups other than parliamentarians to help amend the charter.

Siriwat Kraisin, a senator from Nakhon Si Thammarat, yesterday called on MPs to join the Upper House members' motion seeking to rewrite the clause. "We want support from one-fifth [of the Parliament] and I'm sure we'll have more than enough supporters," he said.

Siriwat said extensive amendments, such as that planned by the ruling parties, should incorporate as much public participation as possible to ensure legitimacy. "Questions have arisen as to whom this amendment plan is meant," he said.