Charter change may cut appointed senators' terms

During the House special committee vetting of Article 10 of the charter-amendment bill, Pheu Thai party-list MP Sunai Chulapongsathorn proposed that the terms of all appointed senators be ended once the charter revisions take effect. Elected senators would be allowed to carry out their duties till their terms have ended.
Democrat Bangkok MP Thana Cheeravinit opposed Sunai’s proposal, saying appointed senators had taken up their posts legally in accordance with the Constitution. He said appointed senators have contributed to the country and should not be deprived of their constitutional rights. “The country cannot achieve reconciliation if senators are removed because they voice opinions against the government,” the Democrat MP said.
The terms of elected senators end in March next year. Appointed senators’ terms end in 2017.
The meeting has yet to resolve the issue. Pheu Thai Chiang Rai MP Samart Kaewmeechai proposed an end to the meeting and that a decision be made next week.
Appointed Senator Somchai Sawaeng-karn said the final decision would rest with former PM Thaksin Shinawatra. He said he knew the Pheu Thai Party would resort to this method (to get rid of his group) but lawmakers should realise that the intention of the 1997 constitution, which has been praised as the most democratic charter in the country’s history, was to have senators play a role of checks and balances.