Bangkok Post

Panthep Puapongpan, the PAD spokesman, read a statement announcing the alliance after a meeting of its core members.

The statement said the charter amendment proposals to be deliberated in a joint siitting of parliament on Thursday and Friday were clearly intended to rewrite the entire constitution because most of the members of the constitution drafting assembly (CDA) that would be set up were certain to represent the government.

The main objectives of the new charter to be written by the CDA were to whitewash a person behind the political party currently in power and his colleagues of all wrongdoing and to consolidate their political power, the statement said.

In the statement, the PAD threatened to take legal action against all holders of political positions, seek to impeach them, and file for the dissolution of all political parties involved in the ongoing move to abolish the present constitution.

The PAD also invited its core members, coordinators and representatives in every province to attend a meeting on March 10 at a venue yet to be fixed to prepare for an uprising against the charter change and a campaign for major political reform.

Earlier today, a group of about 50 senators led by Surachit Chiravej of Samut Songkhram province held a press conference to voice their opposition to constitutional amendment.

Other noted senators in the group were Rossana Kosittrakul, Somjet Boonthanom and Khamnoon Sitthisamarn.

Ms Rossana said said the government's move to amend only Section 291 to set up a CDA to rewrite the whole constitution had a hidden agenda to take control of the executive, legislative and judicial branches.