Delay charter change: senior doctors

A network of senior doctors yesterday urged the government not to press ahead with its planned amendment of the Constitution on the grounds that such a move could lead to violence.

"We are going into a crisis situation if the government revises the Constitution," said Dr Banlu Siripanich, who leads the group.

He said it was not the right time for amendments because most people across the country are now facing skyrocketing prices of oil, rice and other basic commodities.

"People are now focusing on their economic problems while the government is only focusing on revising the Constitution," he said.

"The government should focus on resolving the economic problems as the first priority. If they don't, people will understand that they are only altering the Constitution to help themselves," he added.

The group of senior doctors includes former public health minister Dr Mongkol na Songkhla, former permanent secretary of the Public Health Ministry and former public health minister Dr Pairoj Ningsanont, the former dean of Ramathibodi Hospital's Faculty of Medicine Dr Aree Walayasewee, Public Health Ministry senior official Dr Juree Ningsanont, former director-general of the Medical Science Department Dr Panya Sornkom, and former Siriraj Hospital Faculty of Medicine lecturer Dr Vithoon Ungpraphan.

Mongkol said he was concerned that events could lead to the same situation as before the coup on September 19, 2006. "I am afraid that violence will happen again, which will stem from political pressure and economic crisis," he said. "I want members of the public to be conscious [of the wider issues] and not think [solely] about their own problems, but try to think about how to solve the problems together, which would benefit the country," said Mongkol.