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"The PPP plans a motion on charter amendments to be submitted before the convening of the extraordinary House session on June 9," MP Supachai Phosu said.

A party's 12member panel will be in charge of drafting the motion and solicit the endorsement beginning on Monday, Supachai said.

He said the motion refiling was not meant as a challenge to street protests organised by the People's Alliance for Democracy but to fulfill a campaign pledge to amend the charter.

He also stated that the charter debate will not commence before the outcome of the planned referendum on whether to rewrite charter provisions.

Suphan Buri Senator Prasit Potasuthon, leader of the group of senators who withdrew their names yesterday, said they decided to withdraw their names after learning from the media the previous day that the People's Alliance Democracy leaders had agreed to end their protest if the motion was dropped.

The group had not been able to contact Buri Ram Senator Taweesak Kidbanjong and Phetchabun Senator Somporn Juman, but they might withdraw their names as well, he said.

The withdrawal of the seven senators' names has reduced number of MPs and senators supporting the motion from 131 to 124 - two less than the minimum required.

Nisit Sinthuprai, a People Power Party MP from Roi Et, said his group would gather signatures to launch the motion again as they wanted the Constitution to be more democratic.

The motion needs at least 96 MPs to support it and the group is confident of reaching that number, Nisit said. However, they would drop the move if the result of a proposed national referendum on the amendment were negative, he said.

He said the MPs had a right to push for the charter amendment and did not need a party resolution, and those who withdrew their support would have to explain their decision to their voters. However, the group would listen to opinions in the party, he said.

Senator Prasit said his group would not support a fresh motion for charter amendment in the near future and would wait for the result of the national referendum on the issue.

The group earlier in the day approached PAD leaders at Parliament House to ask them to stop their protest as a condition for withdrawing support for the charter amendment. However, the PAD leaders declined to discuss this with the senators, saying they had come to submit a petition to impeach those who supported the motion.