Thai Democrat Meet On Charter Rewrite

[webfact]

Democrat meet today on charter rewrite

By The Nation

Charter amendments are expected to become a hot issue this week as the Democrats decide whether to endorse them before a parliamentary debate.

First, the Democrat Party will hold a party meeting today to decide whether to formally endorse the proposed amendments.

Then, the bill to amend the charter in two points is scheduled to be deliberated upon by a joint sitting of MPs and senators tomorrow and Wednesday before parliamentarians vote on Thursday on whether or not to approve the bill in the first reading.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva yesterday insisted the government would go ahead with pushing for two amendments.

Speaking to reporters after going on air for his weekly TV programme, Abhisit said the government must heed the suggestions of a panel it had set up to study how to improve the charter.

The committee proposed that the government change the electoral system from multiple-seat to a single seat.

The prime minister added that the government also wants to amend the charter to lift the requirement that the government would have to seek parliamentary approval prior to signing contracts with foreign governments. The prime minister said this point of amendment would make it more effective for the government to administer the country.

The People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) has vowed to hold a massive rally outside Parliament tomorrow against the charter amendments while the red-shirt movement also announced it might hold a parallel protest.

No prohibition against PAD, red shirts

Abhisit said he would not prohibit the two groups from demonstrating. He believed the PAD and the red-shirt movement did not want to see violence break out.

The prime minister said he had told Police Commissioner-General Wichean Potephosree to talk to leaders of the two groups to make sure their demonstrations would be held within the framework of constitutional rights.

Abhisit insisted the two points of amendment would not lead to or further worsen rifts in the country, so his government would continue to push for them.

The prime minister said the amendments would take some days and he would still have time to change his mind if it turned out later the public disagreed with the amendments.

"The bill must be passed in three readings. After it is approved in principle, a panel will have to consider it. Then, after the bill is passed in the second reading, it must wait 15 days before it is considered in the third reading. If conflicts heighten at any point during the process, we can have second thoughts," Abhisit said.

Meanwhile, PM's Office Minister Ongart Klampaiboon said yesterday that if the bill is rejected by Parliament, the government will have to take responsibility.

Thepthai Senpong, spokesman for the Democrat leader, said Democrat MPs would start debating their stand on the amendment bill from 2pm today.

Thepthasi said the party meeting is expected to last several hours before the party makes a formal statement on the bill, and all MPs will have to comply with that stand.

-- The Nation 2010-11-22

[bushwacker]

Sounds like many politicians might loose their jobs in the future. Maybe a good thing.