Pheu Thai not yet ready to sponsor charter amendments

THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- The Pheu Thai Party will not be ready to sponsor the charter amendments until later this month.

"The Pheu Thai draft to pave the way for the charter rewrite has yet to be completed," MP Philaphan Phalusuk said yesterday.

The main coalition party will push for the charter rewrite without any regard for moves to amend Article 112 of the Criminal Code, a key clause regarding the lese majeste law, he said.

The party still wants to see the formation of a Constitution Drafting Assembly (CDA) to take charge of the rewriting process, he said.

Former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra agreed with the idea of the assembly although the details have yet to be finalised, said Philaphan, who had returned from a meeting with Thaksin in Dubai.

The push by the red shirts to amend the charter is separate from that of the party, he added.

A group of 50 red shirts from the North, accompanied by Pheu Thai MP Sanguan Pongmanee, submitted a people's bill seeking to amend the charter via the formation of a CDA.

The draft bill filed with Deputy House Speaker Charoen Chankomol followed last month's draft bill sponsored by red shirts from the Northeast.

"The 60,000 signatures endorsing the bill will have to be verified within 90 days," Charoen said.

The check is part of the process necessary before the bill can reach the floor of the House of Representatives.

Because of time constraints, the House might have to convene an extraordinary session to debate the activation of the charter-rewriting process, he said.

The current session is scheduled for adjournment in April.

Sanguan said the draft bill from the Northern red shirts called for the CDA to be composed of 77 elected and represented individuals from each province and 24 selected and appointed individuals from among academics and leading figures.

-- The Nation 2012-02-02

Had to laugh at this part

"Former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra agreed with the idea of the assembly although the details have yet to be finalised, said Philaphan, who had returned from a meeting with Thaksin in Dubai."

How stupid do they think people are.

The truth is Thaksin hasn't told them what the finalized details will be.

Had to laugh at this part

"Former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra agreed with the idea of the assembly although the details have yet to be finalised, said Philaphan, who had returned from a meeting with Thaksin in Dubai."

How stupid do they think people are.

The truth is Thaksin hasn't told them what the finalized details will be.

The opinion of a fugitive criminal should normally be irrelevant, but as the whole charter fuss is about whitewashing Thaksin they must seek his blessings and "guidance".

Perhaps someone should tell Deputy-PM Chalerm, that the legislation he has bravely written single-handed, is therefore not required ? Or was he merely taking-down someone else's dictation, all will not be revealed, as usual !

Isn't it coincidental how these announcements are so-often followed by the news that the speaker has just returned from Dubai ? Is this to add to their own stature, or appearance of close-links to the Absent-Leader, or have they merely forgotten that the person who's supposed to be PM is rather closer to hand than that ? Poor Yingluck, with friends & coleagues like this, who needs an Opposition ?