Prawit dismisses talk of next polls being delayed if charter rejected

Prawit dismisses talk of next polls being delayed if charter rejected

  THE NATION

 

DEPUTY PRIME Minister Prawit Wongsuwan yesterday dismissed speculation that the next general election may be postponed in case the draft charter fails in the upcoming referendum, saying everything would go as planned in the road map. 

The deputy prime minister had earlier declined to comment when asked by reporters if the election would go ahead as per the road map, only saying that the government would do its best to follow the road map. 

However, he has said that if the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) does stay longer, it would only be to get a new charter drafted by a panel that would be appointed by the NCPO’s chief. 

This comment prompted new speculation to swirl widely yesterday. 

Prawit added that it was normal procedure to appoint a new charter drafting committee if the public reject the current draft in the referendum, though he said he could not say how long the new process would take because it is in the future. 

He also said that he had no idea either on what would be done next if the charter fails at the referendum, or if the 1997 and 2007 constitutions, the previous draft written by Borwornsak Uwanno or the current one by Meechai Ruchupan’s team would be chosen or amended. 

He had earlier mentioned these scenarios, but said it was only his personal opinion and that it would only be the new committee, if any, that would consider what is best for the country.