Charter change to go ahead without the red shirts
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The coalition will push for changes to the Constitution based on three bills sponsored by the Pheu Thai and Chart Thai Pattana parties and the government, chief coalition whip Udomdej Rattanasatien said yesterday.
Udomdej said the charter debate will be activated without waiting for the verification of voters’ signatures solicited by the red shirts to support the other two separate drafts on the issue.
“The checking of signatures will take up to three months and there will be no time to start the amendment process in the current House session,” he said, noting the House will recess in April.
He said the Pheu Thai-sponsored draft would be ready for debate within a few weeks and the government draft was to reach the House floor as soon as the Council of State had completed the vetting process.
Chart Pattana Party’s draft could be completed and submitted in time for the debate, he said, explaining that the first reading of the charter amendment bills should commence by this month if the charter rewrite is to be activated before the House recess.
All drafts support the activation of a Constitution Drafting Assembly (CDA) to take charge of amending the charter, but vary on the details of the CDA.
