Govt to push for political reform

It plans to amend Article 291 of the charter to pave the way for the formation of a Constitution Drafting Assembly (CDA) in charge of revamping the political system, PM's Office Minister Sukhumpong Ngonkham said yesterday.

The policy debate, which will cover the government's stand on reforms, is expected to take place on October 7 and 8 with the possible extension by a day if needed.

"Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat has called for a comprehensive hearing on ideas for political changes before drawing conclusions on necessary charter amendments to advance democracy with the King as head of state and bringing about effective participation by the people," Sukhumpong said.

Somchai has further stated that the soon-to-be-formed CDA, the third of its kind, should be a politically neutral body comprising every professional group, he said.

He said the government was in favour of bringing about reforms through the CDA instead of entrusting the job to partisan lawmakers.

A source from the Cabinet meeting said some ministers were not in favour of the government making the reform issue a part of its policy statement.

The prime minister said the government is not only considering the PAD's voice but of all the people in the Kingdom, the source said.

Speaking after the Cabinet meeting, the prime minister said his government would not be directly involved in the reform process and the charter rewrite although it was willing to assist the CDA in getting its job done.

He said he was in favour of putting the CDA in charge of reforms because various sectors of society would be able to air their ideas.

"Based on recommendations from the CDA, the eventual responsibility to revamp the political system will lie with Parliament and not the government," he said.

The Democrat Party cast doubts on how the government would fill the CDA seats.

The government appeared to have succumbed to pressure to embrace political reform, hence the Democrats remained suspicious about a possible ploy for lopsided nominations to the CDA in order to rig the reform process in the government's favour, party spokesman Buranat Samuttharak said.

The Democrats were also suspicious that the push for political reform coincided with the public prosecutors' final preparations to seek judicial review on the party dissolution case involving the People Power Party, he said.

Chart Thai Party MP Nikorn Chamnong said the government was moving in the right direction to push for a new round of reforms by setting up the CDA.

Nikorn was speaking in his capacity as deputy chairman of the House panel in charge of reviewing implementation of charter provisions.

He said his panel was ready to forward its report on the charter review to the CDA. The report could be a starting-off point to revamp the political system, he added.

The PAD voiced scepticism and said the government might invoke the political reform as a pretext to rewrite the charter to shield coalition parties from dissolution and safeguard the personal interests of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

PAD leader Chamlong Srimuang said he still had doubts about the government's true intentions.

Chamlong said the PAD would continue its protests and that it will closely monitor the developments relating to the reform process.

Senate Speaker Prasopsuk Boondet voiced support for the CDA formation. He said he agreed with the planned rewrite of Article 291, a required first step to reassign the mandate for constitutional amendements from lawmakers to the CDA.

He said he would have no objection if the PAD leaders or their designated representatives would join the CDA.

Chart Thai Party leader Banharn Silapa-archa said the reforms by the CDA offer the best hope for overcoming the political turmoil.

Banharn urged for a quick rewrite of Article 291 to allow the CDA to come into existence as soon as possible.

With regard to the proposal by 24 university rectors to form an independent panel to recommend the necessary reforms before commencing the charter rewrite, he said that would be cumbersome and time-consuming.

By setting up the CDA to improve the political system, it was relying on the successful model which led to the promulgation of the People's Constitution in 1997, he said.

He was the prime minister in charge of initiating the previous round of political reforms.