Referendum should precede charter change: Apichart
Election Commission chairman Apirchart Sukhagganond on Friday suggested for the holding of a referendum on whether the Constitution should be amended, saying this should come before activating the charter change.
“I believe the referendum should be held on the issue,” he said, voicing concern that the charter change without asking the people will trigger the political turmoil.
Apichart said he did not want to comment on charter amendments, including a proposal to curb the mandate of independent organisations. He urged parties concerned to put the public before the vested interests.
EC member Sodsri Satayathum said the referendum on charter change, if held, would be a first one organised under the Constitution.
Past referendum votes were held under provisions of the suspended 1997 charter.
Sodsri said the referendum questions might be phrased for voters to decide either to amend the entire charter or to amend a list of specific provisions.
She said the referendum outcome would end the quarrel between proponents and opponents of charter change.
She said all sides should factor in anticipated consequences of charter amendments before drawing the conclusion.
For example, the rewrite of Constitution’s Article 309 might impact on judicial decisions involving former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, she said. Even if the change is successful and might help Thaksin, this will likely lead to the rekindle of the conflict centred around Thaksin, further driving a wedge in society.
