What is your publicity plan for the charter draft?

We have 180 days to campaign. A weak point is most people don't know that the CDA is drafting a new charter. Some don't know how the charter involves their lives. Some can't understand the contents of the charter.

To be honest, we cannot instil the ideology of the charter in people within that period of time, so we will forget about it.

Our promotional operation will start next month to build widespread understanding of the drafting process and the people's right to express their opinions.

Then, between April and June, we will urge people to express their opinions after the first draft is finished. From June to September, we will campaign for people to agree with the draft.

You've come to this duty after the abrupt resignation of the former chairman Pichien Amnartworaprasert. Is it hard or easy for you to continue the work?

Both. It's not hard, because we already have our plan. We didn't need to go back to square one. But in practice, perhaps it does have a hitch.

The hard thing, in my opinion, is that other CDA members have a negative attitude towards us. We have to prove ourselves by working hard to win their confidence.

As an executive of Boon Rawd Brewery, will you use Singha Beer's PR team to help you?

Absolutely not. There is no need to seek help from any companies. We - all 100 CDA members - have the right potential to do our job. We do have some connections and networks with organisations that can cooperate with us. The most important thing is how to use those connections.

For instance, committee member Thawat Bowornwanitchayakura is a classmate of Public Relations Department (PRD) director-general Pramoj Rathavinij. Tawat can ask for some TV programmes on Channel 11.

Committee member Wutthichart Kalayanamitr, who is also the acting president of the Transport Company, will help publicise the new charter by sticking campaign banners or stickers and showing videos about the contents of the charter on every bus. Bangkok Governor Apirak Kosayothin has asked for around 800 banners to put on all the schools, temples and public health centres run by the BMA.

Do you think you are capable enough to take over this job from the former chairman?

I'm not saying I'm special at all. My role is to encourage [all the parties involved in the drafting process] to work to the best of their ability.

What is the hardest part of this work?

To educate people and make them understand the draft before voting on the constitution referendum. If most people still don't understand major substances of the draft, or don't realise how it affects their lives, they may not go to exercise their rights.

What concerns me is how people will decide to approve or reject the draft.

For instance, in 10 issues, if one agrees with nine and disagrees with one, how he will vote? Will he reject all the nine issues or approve the draft and take a gamble in the hope the disagreeable issue could be amended some day in the future?

My solution, for this case, is that we have a daily TV or radio programme to discuss the pros and cons, issue by issue.

How will you handle the apparent public distrust that the new charter will pave the way for the junta to retain their power in politics?

I would rather think positive. In fact, the charter drafters haven't yet finalised the draft. Some controversial issues, which were expressed by some CDA members, are their personal opinions. People still have

the right to express their own opinions as well. 

Which factors will make the draft pass the referendum?

It's too early to say. As everybody seems to accept, the 1997 Constitution, which was torn up because of the recent coup, is one of the best charters, and if the drafters can adjust some of the weak points of the charter, people would accept it.

But if you ask whether it will be a perfect one, I'd like to say that there is no perfect charter in this world. A good constitution must be "a living constitution", which can evolve as time goes by.

Will the new charter be the last one? And if people reject it, will it be your committee's responsibility?

Absolutely, we will be blamed as it's our fault. But I don't think we should find any scapegoat. I hope that we [the CDA] can still make some changes when the CDA deliberates the draft. All concerns are speculative. Don't be too pessimistic.

If the draft is rejected, will you accept the 1997 Constitution, which the Council for National Security tends to use as a model?

Yes, but if that really happens, a question will be asked. If it's good, why did the CNS tear it up in the first place? The CNS has to prepare for a good answer, but I don't think they will have one.