Abhisit calls for monarchy clause in charter bill

Abhisit, also the Democrat Party leader, repeated his call for the inclusion in the government’s bill to amend the charter’s Article 291 of a clause stating that the first two chapters on general provisions and the monarchy would be kept intact. 

He noted the chapters were taken from the “People’s Constitution” of 1997, which was abolished by the coup-makers after their power seizure of September 2006. 

Critics say former minister Thaksin Shinawatra abused the 1997 charter to strengthen his grip on power.

Abhisit also called for the Constitution Court to rule whether it was constitutional to set requirements for keeping certain clauses intact, avoiding changes about independent organisations, or cancelling past court verdicts.

Three government bills to amend Article 291 recently sailed through Parliament in the first reading. A parliamentary vetting committee is preparing the drafts for the next readings.

Abhisit said the number of constitutional drafting assembly (CDA) members should be increased from 99 at present to 150 to reduce the possibility of the CDA being dominated by people from any particular political party.

Abhisit said tougher qualifications for CDA members should be specified to screen out persons unsuitable for the job, such as former convicts who completed their terms in less than five years. He also said the current bill should be altered to require parliamentary endorsement of the CDA’s final draft before a public referendum is held.

Red shirt leader Natthawut Saikua, who is now deputy agriculture minister, said yesterday the Democrats appeared to have repeated their calls regarding constitutional amendment. “They seem to be following the same path, which keeps them increasingly away from the public. They view the people as their enemies,” he said.