POLITICS
Constitution Court judge Jarun Pukditanakul yesterday strongly criticised new attempts to amend the charter by the People Power party (PPP).
The former permanent secretary for justice asked whether a criminal should rewrite the Criminal Code, if politicians should be allowed to change the law on electoral fraud and if ill-intentioned people should be allowed to rewrite the charter.
''The answers from society will be studied and implemented,'' he joked.
He spoke out after the PPP last week announced its determination to amend the charter. Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej also said on his weekly national broadcast on Sunday that he would push for constitutional amendments after parliament convenes next month.
Government chief whip Samart Kaeomeechai said Mr Samak had revived the drive to quickly rewrite the charter by himself, a move which surprised members of the government coalition.
Mr Samart said the special House committee formed to study the charter and how to amend it would finish its study next month and other parties such as educational institutes and the civil sector were presenting their views on the problems with the constitution.
Chart Thai spokesman Ekapot Parnyaem said party leader Banharn Silpa-archa supported changes only to the party dissolution-related article 237 because it was very problematic and its origin was not democratic.
The current charter was drawn up by the coup-makers who toppled the Thaksin Shinawatra administration on Sept 19, 2006. Article 237 involves the dissolution of a party when that party's executives are found guilty of violating the election law.
Democrat party secretary-general Suthep Thaugsuban said the attempt to amend the charter underlined efforts by the de facto party leader and the party leader, who is his proxy, to escape legal punishment. He was clearly referring to Mr Thaksin and Mr Samak.
Mr Suthep said the government had simply changed its stance, as it had earlier promised to wait for the findings of the House joint committee.
Thitinant Pongsuthirak, a political analyst at Chulalongkorn University, said the government's fresh bid to rewrite the charter showed the government was cornered.
Without the constitutional amendment, people in the government would not have any way out and would face party dissolution, asset seizures and imprisonment, he said.
Three coalition parties _ the PPP, Chart Thai and Matchimathipataya _ risk dissolution if their executives are disqualified for election fraud.
Former House speaker Yongyuth Tiyapairat was found guilty of poll fraud by the Constitution Court last week. The Chart Thai and Matchimathipataya cases will be heard soon.
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