Thumbs down for CDA

Participating in the seminar at the King Prachadhipok Institute were Bangkok Senator Rosana Tositrakul, chief opposition whip Sathit Wongnongtoey, Rangsit University economics dean Anusorn Thamjai and Thammasat University law lecturer Parinya Thewanaruemitkul.

The government did not send a representative to the seminar.

Sathit said the government had an ulterior motive in proposing the so-called CDA III. It was the government's attempt in disguise to amend the charter to benefit itself and its associates, he said.

CDA III could not solve the political crisis because the opposition and the Senate did not take part in the process, he said, adding that Senate Speaker Prasopsuk Boondej did not attend the meeting about the CDA establishment yesterday.

"I believe the CDA III will further polarise the country. So I suspect that the government is setting the stage for the military to initiate a coup so that someone can play a hero role," Sathit said.

Rosana said the government was still firm in its goal to amend the constitution and the CDA III was planned only to make the government look good in its attempt to revise the charter to benefit itself.

She said she believes the CDA III would eventually take up a draft prepared by a pro-government panel and adopt it as the new charter draft.

But Anusorn expressed support for setting up a new CDA.

He called on the opposition, senators and all sectors of society to take part in crafting the new charter.

The CDA's establishment would also be gesture to say "no" to the September 19, 2006 coup, he said.

Parinya said the government should set up a new independent committee to conduct public hearings to hear the opinions of all sides on how to tackle the political crisis and adopt a charter rewrite that is acceptable to all sides.

Setting up such an independent panel would be better than setting up one to amend Article 291 of the Constitution because the opposition and senators would not support the amendment, he said.

The government should dissolve the House after the independent panel is set up so that all political parties could propose to the panel how the new charter should be written, he added.