PPP agrees to charter referendum

Jatuporn Phromphan, one of the 150 MPs and senators backing the motion, said the ruling party would heed the public's decision.

He said the PPP would also welcome views from the public on how the Constitution should be amended.

Sunai Jullapongsathorn, who heads the coalition MPs' public-relations committee on the charter-change plan, yesterday said the group had agreed to a referendum in order to settle the differences between those supporting a rewrite and those opposing it.

Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister and Education Minister Somchai Wongsawat said the government would work with the Election Commission to issue a law for organising a referendum.

In a related development, Pongthep Thepkanchana, a spokesman for ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, yesterday also voiced support for holding a referendum.

He said the result would indicate the desire by the majority of the country.

Pongthep, who served as justice minister in the Thaksin administration, asked the government to ensure clear questions for voters to choose in the referendum, such as whether they want the amendment to be based on the 1997charter.