Chalerm: Govt Performance Should Come Before Charter Rewrite

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Govt performance should come before charter rewrite

The Nation

The government should strive to ensure job performance with results to show to the people before amending the charter, Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yoobamrung said on Wednesday.

"The government pledges the charter rewrite within one year but it has just assumed office for four months and the rewrite is not an urgent issue," he said.

Chalerm said he disagreed to a hasty move to tackle charter amendments, seen as controversial.

He said the government was making significant progress on its four priorities - drug suppression, revitalising the economy, curbing the spread of royal insult in cyberspace and rooting out corruption.

If the popularity increases due to achievements on the four priorities, then the government will be in a good position to deal with the controvery related to amending the charter, he said.

The process to amend the charter would include the formation of the Constitution Drafting Assembly, the holding of referendum on draft provisions and the legislative debate on the final passage of the draft, he said.

He urged Pheu Thai MPs not to make redundant remarks on the charter amendments in order to avoid confusion.

Commenting on the push by MPs from the red-shirt movement to put the charter rewrite on a fast-track, he said he could not stop any politicians from voicing their opinions although he would try to reason with them.

-- The Nation 2011-12-21

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POLITICS

Charter amendments to come 'when time is right': Udomdej

The Nation

Chief coalition whip Udomdej Rattanasatien on Wednesday confirmed that the Pheu Thai Party had resolved to slow down its push for charter amendments.

"The coalition will delay the charter amendments until the time is right," he said.

Earlier, the main coalition party planned to sponsor a motion to rewrite the charter at today's reconvening of the House session following recess.

Udomdej said Pheu Thai MPs might air their individual views on the charter rewrite without reflecting the coalition’s stand.

"The charter will be amended because the rewrite is for progress and not regression," he said, insisting the coalition will decide at a later date the right time to activate the rewrite.

He hinted that the coalition would not object should government MPs try make individual efforts to amend the charter. Many see his remarks as a green light for red-leaning MPs to still make a separate push for charter amendments.

Dr Weng Toji-rakarn, a party-list MP of the ruling Pheu Thai Party, said earlier draft legislation to amend the charter is now ready for Cabinet consideration.

There will also be a national assembly of charter drafters, called Sor Sor Lor 3, similar to two previous assemblies set up to draft the 1997 and 2007 charters.

Ex-premier Thaksin, the older brother of Prime Minister Yingluck, reportedly hopes that a sweeping revamp of the current charter will re-set his political time machine. His wish is that the after-effects of the 2006 coup that overthrew his government will be nullified via the constitutional amendment being prepared by his sister's administration.

-- The Nation 2011-12-21

[KRS1]

Here we go...

[whybother]

The government should strive to ensure job performance with results to show to the people before amending the charter, Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yoobamrung said on Wednesday.

With criteria like that, there's no chance of amending the charter.