No charter rewrite in government plans

The Democrat-led government has decided against including a controversial proposal to amend the constitution in its policy statement to be delivered to parliament on Dec 29.

The policy-drafting panel, chaired by Democrat deputy leader Jurin Laksanavisit, met yesterday to give the statement the last touches before forwarding it to the cabinet tomorrow for final approval.

"We didn't include a charter rewrite in the government's policy or set an agenda to amend it," said Mr Jurin, who is education minister.

The decision could put the Democrats in conflict with the government coalition faction headed by Newin Chidchob.

A fresh effort to amend the constitution was set by the Friends of Newin faction as a condition for joining the Democrats in a coalition government after the dissolution of the People Power party.

The group claims the changes would make politics more democratic and have nothing to do with any effort to find a way out for fugitive former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, sentenced to two years in jail in absentia for violating a conflict of interest law.

Mr Newin, banned from politics for five years when the Thai Rak Thai party was dissolved, used to be a close aide of Thaksin.

The constitution written after the Thaksin government was toppled in 2006 boosts human rights protection and keeps politicians under tight scrutiny. But politicians complain about the rigid penalties for parties which fall foul of the law, and the powers given to the executive branch, among other things.

A short-term plan has been included in the draft policy to relieve the impact of the global economic slump and drop in farm produce prices. Urgent matters will be implemented over one year.

The small, medium, and large-enterprise (SML) fund will undergo big changes with the government bringing it into line with the sufficiency economy concept. The scheme, in which villages were given loan funds, will include safeguards against "excessive consumerism".

The SML programme was launched in 2005 during the Thaksin administration as a measure to ease poverty.

The United Front of Democracy against Dictatorship, which supports Thaksin and the opposition Puea Thai party, has said it will rally in front of parliament on the day the government plans to deliver its policy statement.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said the group had the constitutional right to demonstrate and police could keep things in order.

Mr Abhisit and Democrat secretary-general Suthep Thaugsuban denied a report that a "gang of four" party bigwigs had influenced the quota of ministerial positions allocated to Democrat MPs.

He also denied Democrat deputy leader Chalermchai Srion had resigned from the party because he was unhappy about the way the quota system worked.

Mr Chalermchai, an MP for Prachuap Khiri Khan, made the claim about a gang of four operating in the party. He said the four kingmakers were PM's Office Minister Sathit Wongnongtoey, Public Health Minister Witthaya Kaewparadai, Democrat deputy secretary-general Siriwan Prasajaksatru, and party treasurer Anchalee Wanitthepabut.

"Mr Abhisit and I are the only people considered to be the party's influential figures," said Mr Suthep, who is a deputy prime minister in charge of security affairs.

Mr Chalermchai and Phatthalung MP Nipit Intarasombat are among key Democrat members who missed out on ministerial portfolios, which could lead to a rift within the party.

Mr Nipit claimed that PM's Office Minister Veerachai Veerametheekul secured his position because he donated 80 million baht to the party.

Democrat chief adviser Chuan Leekpai said the party had talked to Mr Nipit and he was confident there would not be a problem. A few complaints were to be expected because there were more people than available positions, he said.