Wissanu for charter role
The Council for National Security (CNS) has approached Wissanu Krea-ngam about becoming chairman of the 35-member Constitution Drafting Committee, a source in the Constitution Drafting Assembly (CDA) said yesterday.
The source, who refused to be named, said the CNS preferred Wissanu to other candidates because he was a legal expert whose knowledge was needed for drafting the highest law.Justice permanent secretary Charan Pakdithanakul, another candidate, is believed to have withdrawn from the race, the source said. Campaign for Popular Democracy secretary-general Suriyasai Katasila warned that political and social groups would oppose Wissanu's appointment, because he had worked in ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra's Cabinet for several years. Suriyasai said he supported Charan. Meanwhile, a former senator yesterday demanded the CDA include a tough measure to punish corrupt politicians in the new charter. Sak Korsaengreung, also a member of the Assets Examination Committee, believed the previous charter of 1997 failed to punish corrupt politicians who exploited government policies to build their wealth. Apart from facing criminal charges, their assets should be seized, and they should be fined double the amount of money they stole, he said.
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