Stick to rules in charter rewrite, court warns

The Constitution Court has called for parties concerned with rewriting the Constitution to comply strictly with provisions on amending the charter.

"Although the court has no direct involvement in charter change, proponents should abide by provisions on how to rewrite it," court secretary-general Chaowana Traimas said yesterday.

Chaowana warned that if proponents failed to heed the July judicial ruling on charter amendment, opponents might again petition for another judicial review.

He said he had no comments on the Bhokin Bhalakula report recommending the rewriting of the charter before holding a referendum vote.

Many see the report as deviating from the judicial ruling, which suggested a referendum ahead of the rewriting.

Pheu Thai MP Samart Kaewmechai said coalition leaders had planned to announce a push for charter change on December 10, coinciding with Constitution Day.

The coalition will launch an awareness campaign in order to explain the advancement of democracy through charter amendments, Samart said.

The awareness campaign will pave a way for Parliament to vote on the third and final reading of the bill on charter rewrite, which should take place within the upcoming House session, scheduled for December 15 to March, he said.

He said Parliament did not have to hold the referendum ahead of the rewriting because the high court's majority opinion in July was just a suggestion and not a verdict.

He said it made no sense to organise the referendum before the completion of the rewriting because voters would not be able to form a decision on what they were voting for or against.

Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yoobamrung said the coalition would not make a hasty push to rewrite the charter before the people could understand the rationale behind the change.

"Even though the coalition parties might [this month] decide to activate the charter rewrite, Pheu Thai would allow time for society to form a conclusion," he said.

The government is expected to complete a series of public dialogues on charter change by March but will extend the deadline if deemed necessary, he said.

Although the government is determined to amend the charter, it will proceed with caution to avoid increasing tension, he said.

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Source: http://www.news.thethailandlinks.com/2012/12/05/stick-to-rules-in-charter-rewrite-court-warns/