Chuan says charter rewrite needs Senate cooperation

Chuan says charter rewrite needs Senate cooperation

House Speaker Chuan Leekpai
House Speaker Chuan Leekpai

Charter amendments only stand a chance of success if the Senate, widely seen as one of the elements intended to prolong the coup-makers' stay in power, is brought into the process, House Speaker Chuan Leekpai said on Tuesday.

He said some senators are likely to resist the process so it will be necessary to hold talks with them about their roles in a democratic system.

However, Mr Chuan admitted the Senate does certain jobs, such as screening political post-holders, better than the House.

"If we really want the amendments to succeed, don't topple them. We should get consent from all sides and talk to them [senators] about how to revise the charter or remove certain things and make it 'democratic'," he said.

Mr Chuan said he disagrees with the charter requirement that six Senate seats are reserved for the three armed forces leaders, the supreme commander, the defence permanent secretary and the national police chief.

"I have no problem with those positions, but by democratic principle, it shouldn't be written like that," he said.

He also expressed confidence that an extraordinary House committee set up to study rewriting the charter will be able to secure cooperation from all stakeholders.

Pheu Thai Party MP for Nakhon Phanom, Chawalit Wichayasut, on Tuesday called on the House committee studying constitutional amendments to assure that it would work closely with all parties concerned to restore democracy and political stability.

Future Forward Party secretary-general Piyabutr Saengkanokkul described the 2017 charter as a time-bomb, saying it would be torn apart either by another coup or by a popular uprising.

He called on the government not to get carried away with its power.

According to Mr Piyabutr, the government went to great lengths to prevent the opposition's motion seeking the formation of a panel to scrutinise executive orders issued by the previous administration.

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