Pheu Thai's struggle to find common stand on charter change

“The rewriting options will hinge on a consultation of the ruling party, the coalition parties and the coalition whips,” Pheu Thai spokesman Prompong Nopparit said yesterday.
The ruling party held a twoday seminar at Pattaya over the weekend to debate its next move on charter rewriting in the wake of the judicial decision on the charter amendment bill.
Prompong said the coalition whips would today convene a meeting to review various options raised during the party’s seminar. Tomorrow, the coalition parties will meet over dinner, paving the way for coalition MPs to form a common stand before the House reconvenes on Wednesday, he said.
He said the push to amend the charter was on track and that the ruling party would try to overcome any resistance to overhaul the political system, keeping it in line with democratic principles.
But the rewriting process might take more time than previously anticipated because of the necessity to involve the public in backing the proposed amendments, he said.
Within the next two months, the Pheu Thai has been projected to grow to 2.5 million members and is expected, by next year, to see at least 15 million members, he said, hinting at an ambitious plan to boost party membership for support should the referendum vote be deemed necessary.
Pheu Thai director Phumtham Wechayachai said the party would not withdraw the two contentious bills for reconciliation and for charter change.
The two bills will remain on the legislative ticket but be on hold pending consultation on a next step, Phumtham said.
Pheu Thai MP Paijit Sreewarakan said the people from the Northeast did not want the party to abandon the charter rewrite.
Paijit reminded his party to remain close to its supporters because of the shifting sentiment due to the falling prices of cassava, paddy and natural rubber.
Pheu Thai MP Samart Kaewmechai said his northern constituents wanted the entire charter amended by the Constitution Drafting Assembly.
Samart also voiced dissatisfaction that Cabinet members appeared inaccessible to MPs. He said he wanted to bring the grievances of falling commodity price to the attention of ministers concerned but had difficulty getting an appointment.
Democrat Party MP Theptai Seanapong said the ruling party should withdraw the reconciliation bill in order to avoid inflaming the volatile situation.
Theptai urged House Speaker Somsak Kiatsuranont to hold an informal meeting with four sponsors of the bill, paving a way for the bill’s removal.
Commenting on the Skype online call to the ruling party by former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, he said the call was proof that Thaksin remained in control.
In another development, Democrat legal adviser Rames Rattanachawen said Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yoobamrung was trying to discredit the Constitution Court by issuing a critique of the verdict on the charter amendment bill.
Chalerm failed to check the facts in regard to forming the verdict and individual opinions of the eight judges before drawing a hasty conclusion that the decision was not transparent, he said.