POLITICS / CDC CHAIRMAN SPEAKS OUT, MISSING LAWYER, TELEVISION BROADCASTING

Prasong lambastes govt for inertia

Says it could result in public vetoing charter

WASSANA NANUAM

Pattaya Constitution Drafting Committee (CDC) chairman Prasong Soonsiri yesterday slammed the interim government for inertia in doing its job, saying this could lead to the public ending up rejecting the new charter.

Speaking at a seminar on the constitution held by the Council for National Security (CNS), he said the public was growing weary of and disappointed with the administration. These feelings might affect how they voted on the constitution referendum.

''Even if we have the best charter ever ... if the atmosphere remains like this or gets worse on referendum day ... with a slowing economy, sluggish exports ... it will affect the referendum outcome,'' he said.

He emphasised the need for the government to shape up, noting that it had yet to come up with anything substantive to back up the military's four reasons for overthrowing the Thaksin administration.

Sqn-Ldr Prasong, also a member of the National Legislative Assembly (NLA), was critical of the Surayud government's policies delivered to the NLA last year.

He said the charter faced criticism from the beginning and urged the military to help educate the people about its content.

According to the CDC chairman, he and his fellow drafters did not mind if the draft was rejected because it was no good.

It would be a pity if the constitution was shot down because of ignorance or political manipulation, he said.

CNS secretary-general Gen Winai Phattiyakul urged the seminar participants not to mind the criticism, saying they were doing their duty.

He said it was the military's job to raise public awareness about the new charter and help them have a proper understanding to ensure that they go to the referendum educated.

Meanwhile, CNS chairman and army chief Sonthi Boonyaratkalin brushed aside a warning that the charter would be rejected.

He said that the interim charter provided a contingency plan in the event the draft charter was rejected. In that case, the CNS would use one of the former charters as a model.

Gen Sonthi assured that the general election would be held on schedule, considering the progress in the charter writing process.

He also said the CNS would make public the progress of investigations into lese majeste allegations against deposed leader Thaksin Shinawatra and corruption on Tuesday.

He said the public briefing on the lese majeste probe will be conducted by the police and the public prosecution while those on the corruption cases will be undertaken by the Assets Scrutiny Committee.

The briefings are seen as showing the progress the CNS has made six months on from the Sept 19 coup.

Bangkok Post
Thursday March 15, 2007