Issues such as whether to leave room for a possible non-elected prime minister or to continue with the party-list MP system and how the members of the upper house should be selected - will be among the divisive issues.

The committee began adopting less controversial issues yesterday although they kept the preliminary draft classified, claiming it would give the public a false impression of the committee not being participatory or open to public opinion if the details were to be revealed, as various articles are still at stake.

The committee will take its second out-of-town meeting to Bang Saen, Chon Buri province.

Among the major issues over which a consensus could not be reached was the question of whether to shorten or maintain compulsory education at 12 years and whether the state should provide schooling free of charge. Leading the opposition voice against maintaining such standards, which were guaranteed in the now defunct 1997 constitution, was drafter Sriracha Charoenpanich who claimed it was too costly and unrealistic. But supporters said this was the least they should provide for Thai citizens and a commitment to education should be a clear national priority.

Sriracha asked for a vote after failing to convince more than half of the drafters, but the vote was postponed by Prasong until April 10.

One new introduction in the charter will include a guarantee of some level of a social safety net for the unemployed and the elderly.

Progress was made on issues like barring politicians from directly or indirectly owning or having shares in mass-media companies. The new charter will also require that measures be introduced to prevent media monopoly through cross media ownership.

Other issues adopted include making it explicit in the new charter that citizens have the right to access a judicial process that is "quick, convenient and with reasonable cost". Children, youth, women and handicapped people will also be "reasonably protected during the process".

Pravit Rojanaphruk

The Nation