CHARTER REWRITE SET FOR DEBATE

       The Cabinet is expected to approve a motion tomorrow to convene the joint House-Senate session for a genral debate geared for charter amendments, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said yesterday.
       "The joint session is seen as necessary to form a decision on how to proceed with the charter rewrite," he said.
       Abhisit said he expected the lawmakers to deliberate issues in one session before voting on the process to bring about the draft amendments.
       He dismissed speculation his main coalition party had done an about-turn by supporting the rewrite, saying the Democrats had never opposed amending the charter. The only precondition was th erewrite should serve the public and not vested interests, he said.
       Following the Cabinet's approval of the government-sponsored motion, he said he would coordinate with Parliament President Chai Chidchob to schedule the joint session and its format for debate.
       Abhisit said the upcoming debate on a charter rewrite should not be linked to the issue of amnesty for political offences.
       The charter rewrite is expected to focus on six issues designed to improve the political system, according to the reconciliation panel's report, he said.
       Critics should not act in haste to condemn the rewrite before studying the proposed amendments, he said, arguing the rewrite of Article 190 for framing international agreements is not designed for the gain of political parties.
       He said the debate on charter amendments was deemed appropriate at this juncture because the government had already devoted sufficient attention to fighting economic woes.
       He warned against speculating whether the charter rewrite would quicken House dissolution. It still remains unclear whether or not the lawmakers will impose tranisitional clauses in order to delay the promulgation of revised provisions, he said.
       If there is a transitional clause, as happened in past amendments, then there is no linkage between the charter rewrite and a snap election, he added.
       The Democrat Party has agreed to convene the parliamentary session to debate the process for charter rewrite, its deputy spokesman Warong Dejkitwikrom said.
       After a preliminary review, the main coalition party has voiced support to amend two provisions related to the framing of international agreements and the revision from multi-seat to single-seat constituencies.
       He said his party might agree to the holding of a public hearing or a referendum on the draft amendments - if the public and the majority of lawmakers approved.
       Pheu Thai Party deputy leader Plodprasop Suraswadi called for a speedy process to amend the charter.
       "The deepening social divisions can be attributed to the Constitution and the problem will degenerate beyond rehabilitation without the timely action to rectify the flaws," he said.
       Plodprasop voiced optimism that the House and the Senate had sufficient votes to push for charter amendments. He claimed 188 opposition MPs and 170 coalition lawmakers and senators were in favour of rewriting the charter. A minimum number for the passage of a charter amendment is 324 votes.
       Former charter writer Seri Suwannapanont said he suspected a conflict of interest if MPs and senators were the main driving force for the charter rewrite. Seri reminded lawmakers they might face impeachment proceedings in case the amendments were designed for self-serving gains.
       Peopel's Alliance for Democracy spokesman Suriyasai Katasila warned the charter amendments might deepen the turbulence instead of resolving it.