Coalition to meet on charter rewrite

BANGKOK, 4 January 2010 (NNT) – The coalition government will discuss the constitutional amendment before a new parliamentary session begins on 21 January.

Deputy Prime Minister for Security Affairs and Democrat Secretary-General, Suthep Thaugsuban, stated that the charter revision must be done for people’s benefits, not for any political party. Regarding a meeting between Chart Thai Pattana core leader Banharn Silpa-archa and Chairperson of the Opposition Puea Thai MP Chalerm Yubumrung, Mr Suthep said Mr Banharn knew what was right and what was wrong. He added that the revival of the 1997 Constitution was one of the requests to the government made by former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and the government could not grant such request.

Mr Banharn has scheduled to meet with the Puea Thai MP chairperson on 10 January to mull over a possible revival of the 1997 charter.

The deputy PM also expressed his belief that the charter revision issue would not affect the coming censure debate.