Opposition has emerged to former Senate Speaker Meechai Ruchuphan assuming leadership of the National Legislative Assembly.

Activist groups fear front-runner Meechai's appointment as speaker of the makeshift parliament would result in it becoming a rubber stamp for the junta.

Campaign for Democracy secretary-general Suriyasai Katasila yesterday warned the interim legislature would become polarised if Meechai were leader.

He said the campaign had spoken with other groups and resolved to seek coup leaders' backing for their opposition.

Meechai appears to be front-runner for election to the position thanks to his background as a former Senate speaker and legal adviser to past governments.

Suriyasai said his and other groups were opposed to Meechai heading the assembly because he was too close to the Council for National Security (CNS) and the interim government.

May 1992 Heroes' Relatives Committee secretary-general Krongkarn Suebsaiharn is opposed to attempts to install Meechai.

She said Meechai had paved the legal way for the military to hold onto power during and after the 1991 coup.

Democracy demonstrators of 1992 took to the streets seeking an end to rule by the junta. More than 50 lost their lives and many "disappeared".

Krongkarn explained that the committee would meet on Thursday and announce its stance against Meechai.

Meechai drafted the public orders issued by the coup leaders when they were known as the Council for Democratic Reform under Constitutional Monarchy, before becoming the CNS.

These cosy ties could lead to a public perception that the assembly was a rubber stamp and the suspicion that Meechai was a CNS insider helping it maintain political power.

Suriyasai argued that the assembly should be a check on government and there to scrutinise its legislation.

He said he believed it was a popular misconception that an assembly speaker had to be well versed in the law to be qualified for the position.

"That's wrong. And such an assumption is being made to ensure Meechai gets the post," Suriyasai said.

"In fact, anyone can be the assembly president if they win the confidence and faith of other members. The country needs

reconciliation now. The appointment of Meechai as assembly speaker will immediately divide it."

Suriyasai said he hoped Meechai would rule himself out of the running.

"I think it's ugly enough to have one third of the assembly come from the military. So Meechai and those representing the military should not accept the post of speaker," said  Suriyasai, who called on assembly members to review and annul all existing and proposed legislation that infringed or suppressed people's rights and participation in politics.

And he encouraged the repeal of laws enacted by the ousted government that had led to "conflicts of interest".

The assembly should form standing and special committees keeping an eye on the interim government as well as bring government ministers to the assembly to account for their actions and policies, he said.

Special committees should monitor the work of the Assets Examination Committee, the panel seeking to end deep-South unrest, government flood-relief efforts and public complaints.

Suriyasai also called on the CNS to ensure the 2,000 members of the national confederation come from all walks of life and vocations and not be provincial representatives.

Those 2,000 representatives will be asked to elect 200 of their number from which the CNS will appoint 100 to the Constitution Drafting Assembly (CDA).

Suriyasai said he wanted to see a "more progressive and democratic" charter improve upon the suspended 1997 Constitution.