Bid to oust amendment supporters

The Siam Samakkhi group organised a political discussion featuring Chirmsak Pinthong, Seri Wongmontha, Kaewsun Atibodhi and Banjerd Singkaneti at Lumpini Park.

The group accused the 399 MPs and senators who voted in support of amending the charter’s Article 291 – thereby paving the way for the appointment of a Constitution Drafting Assembly – of violating the spirit and intention of the Constitution, saying the article was not intended for this purpose. The panel members started their talk by jokingly thanking the twins arrested on Thursday over Wednesday’s assault on Worajet Pakeerat, a member of the Nitirat group, which has campaigned in support of changes to the lese majeste law. While they do not support violence, tolerance has its limits, the panel members said.

Questioning the motives of supporters of charter change, the group showed a video entitled “Eliminating the Post-Coup 2007 Constitution – Seizing Power for Thaksin”, and distributed a book with the same title to members of the public attending the event.

Meanwhile, Chart Thai Pattana Party chief adviser Banharn Silapa-archa yesterday pushed for the amendment of Article 237 of the Constitution, which provides for the dissolution of political parties whose executives commit wrongdoing, saying he totally disagreed with the law.

Banharn said he did not believe the government would interfere in the charter-amendment process. He urged all parties to refrain from commenting on institutions that could be adversely affected by amendments to the charter, because the government had made it clear that it had no intention of supporting such changes.

Banharn denied that his calls for the removal of provisions to dissolve parties, with retroactive effect, were made to benefit himself. He said he did not mind waiting for another year before his own political ban ends. The political ban on 111 former executives of the disbanded Thai Rak Thai Party would be lifted in May, so it is not necessary for any change to have retroactive effect; Article 237 should be scrapped simply because it is not right, he said.

Deputy Prime Minister Yongyuth Wichaidit supported Banharn, saying the article was problematic and resulted in political “massacres” that affected innocent politicians.

Election Commissioner Sodsri Sattayathum suggested that Article 237 be amended so that party executives who commit wrongdoings face five-year political bans, but their political parties remain intact. 

 

‘Target execs not parties’

She said party executives should face bans only if they are proved to have committed electoral offences, conspired to commit them, or acknowledge that electoral offences were committed by party members.

Sodsri said dissolving parties is not a common practice internationally, because parties are generally given the status of a political institution. Some parties are long established and if they are easily dissolved, stability is affected. She said the provision was included in the 2007 Constitution because its drafters wanted a strong deterrent to electoral offences.

A Democrat Party MP for Trang, Sathit Wongnongtoey, suggested that to prevent political violence, those involved in charter amendment must be clear about what points they want to amend. He said the Pheu Thai Party and red-shirt leaders have been trying to interfere in the amendment process by seeking to dissolve independent agencies in revenge for perceived punishments meted out by the agencies in the past.

They also want to amend the lese-majeste law, even though the prime minister has said the government had no intention of doing so, he said. Time has proven that the premier does not have the ability to rein in the red shirts, Sathit said. “Ultimately, charter amendment is a time bomb that will lead to more divisions,” he said.