Institute agrees to study reforms

King Prajadhipok's Institute has accepted the invitation to study political reforms under former charter writer Suchit Bunbongkan. It has given itself eight months to complete the task.

The decision was greeted with mixed reactions. The People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) welcomed it but it was opposed by the opposition Puea Thai party.

The institute agreed at a meeting yesterday to take up the mission after being approached by the government which wanted a neutral body to look into political reforms. King Prajadhipok's Institute (KPI) is a public organisation set up by parliament.

A preliminary plan was unveiled by institute council member Somkid Lertpaitoon. It set a deadline of eight months to complete the study which includes the key issue of how the constitution should be amended.

The study will form the framework to be used by constitution writers.

Mr Somkid expected it would then take three months to form a team of drafters and eight months to write a new constitution. The entire process will take about 19 months. The institute's task will end after it completes the study.

KPI secretary-general Borwornsak Uwanno said it would be up to the government to accept the results.

The study will be undertaken by a committee led by Mr Sujit of no more than 50 people. It will be made up of lawmakers from the lower and upper houses, academics, and representatives of the government, opposition parties, the PAD, the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD), the armed forces, the public and private sectors, the press and non-government organisations.

KPI deputy secretary-general Wootisan Tunchai said each group could nominate its representatives, while the institute would approach potential committee members.

Mr Borwornsak promised the panel would be independent even though it would be funded by the government.

Mr Sujit, who is chairman of the Political Development Council, said the task would be difficult because of high hopes that the reforms would bring an end to political conflicts.

He pledged to block political interference with the panel but cautioned reforms should not be seen as a magic pill to cure all political problems.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva insisted all parties would have a say in the political reform study.

PAD coordinator Suriyasai Katasila said the alliance was prepared to take part in the study unless the panel planned amendments to the charter that would pardon transgressors from the Thaksin Shinawatra administration.

Key PAD members would not join the panel, instead sending academics or allies to represent them, he said.

Puea Thai protested at a political reform study being led by Mr Sujit and doubted the sincerity of the government to carry out its aims.Opposition chief whip and Puea Thai MP for Ayutthaya Withaya Buranasiri said the choice of Mr Sujit was unacceptable. Since Mr Sujit was known to be connected with the coup makers who toppled Thaksin, Mr Sujit's impartiality was in doubt, he said.

Mr Withaya said eight months was too long for the study. It should actually take no longer than three months as every party was already aware of the political problems and eight months meant it would be too late to tackle them, he said.

Puea Thai spokesman Prompong Nopparit accused the prime minister of trying to buy time for himself by assigning the political reform study to KPI.

Thammasat University deputy rector Parinya Thewanarumitkul said the government should take the lead in studying political reforms with KPI acting in a supporting role.

By assigning the study to KPI, the government could be regarded as avoiding the responsibility for political reforms or even delaying them, Mr Parinya said.