The Group of 40 senators wsays it will seek a ruling from the Constitution Court on whether the government can insist on proceeding with a vote on the charter amendment bill in the third reading.

Senators Somchai Sawaengkarn and Prasarn Maruekapithak, representing the group, announced its intention at a press conference ion Tuesday, reacting to a decision to go ahead with the vote by a working group of the coalition parties.

Mr Somchai said that voting on the bill, which seeks to amend Section 291 of the constitution to make way for the setting up of a constitution drafting assembly (CDA) to rewrite the charter, would go against the Constitution Court's decision on July 3.

The court stated that amending the constitution in its entirety would go against the result of a public referendum which endorsed the 2007 charter.  If the charter was to be amended, the people should be first asked for their opinion.

If the coalition insisted in going ahead to push for the crucial vote, the group would ask the Constitution Court for interpretation of the law, the senator said.

Mr Prasarn said a vote on the government coalition's attempt to amend the constitution would create a new round of conflict.  The issue of amending the charter was a time bomb, he added.