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Samak plans overhaul of Thai charter
Grace Chng
Mon, Mar 24, 2008
The Straits Times
BANGKOK - THAI Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej said yesterday that he wants to review and amend the entire 2007 Constitution, possibly replacing most of it with sections of the 1997 charter scrapped by the military junta.

He explained the review process during his weekly television and radio programme, the Bangkok Post reported yesterday.

The present Constitution would be compared with the scrapped 1997 law, he said. Only necessary articles, such as the chapter on the monarchy institution, would be retained. Additional articles would be inserted.

His People Power Party (PPP) had agreed at its annual convention on Saturday to push for amendments to the Constitution.

The 1997 charter, known as the People's Constitution, was abrogated after the Sept 19, 2006 coup, which toppled the elected government of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

Mr Samak, Mr Thaksin's close ally, said he favours a complete rewrite as long as it is possible to hold a referendum on a new Constitution for less than 500 million baht (S$22 million).

'The process should start straightaway if the majority of the people want to amend it. But if the expenditure is high, say two billion baht, then it would be too much,' he said.

The 2007 charter was aimed at barring a 'single person from politics', said Mr Samak, presumably referring to Mr Thaksin.

But several senators and former charter writers criticised his plan to rewrite the Constitution as a move to protect the ruling PPP.

 

 
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