Is a non-elected premier acceptable?

"Personally, it's acceptable. It should be OK for members of Parliament to appoint a prime minister because members are all elected and are acting on behalf of the voters," said a Federation of Thai Industries source.

The federation has been sent a copy of the preliminary draft and it says its consensus response will be finalised soon.

Thai Direct Marketers Association managing di-rector Songpol Shanmat-kit is not opposed to a non-elected prime minister.

"It's fine to have a capable prime minister, elected or not, who can run the country efficiently," Song-pol said.

However, several disagreed, including Thai Frozen Foods Association president Poj Aramwat-tananont, Spa Advertising president Kitti Chambundabongse and DM Organiser managing director Song-khun Kunavong. They said without an elected prime minister Thailand would never reach full democracy.

"If the prime minister is non-elected there will be problems. It must be clearly stated in a constitution the prime minister must be elected if we want full democracy," Poj said.

"Elections are the fundamental right of all. If prime ministers are not elected we are stepping backward as much as 25 years," Songkhun said.

Crisis committee

All businessmen spoken to voiced disagreement with the establishment of a crisis committee whose resolutions would apply to all including the prime minister.

"It's dictatorship. If you want the prime minister to act under a certain framework put that in a constitution not a committee," Song-khun said.

Poj expressed surprise at the idea. "It's impossible to have a committee with such immense power. That should not happen in Thailand."

Spa's Kitti agreed at times of crisis prime ministers should make decisions in consultation with Parliament. Song-pol believed there was a hidden agenda behind the crisis-committee idea.

End of party-list MPs?

Businessmen agreed with abolishing the party-list system, saying it would have no effect on the political system as long as elected members of Parliament were educated, publicly accepted and aware of the law. "It's evident these people represent business communities as they need not run in elections," Poj said.

An elected or non-elected Senate?

Songpol was open to either an elected or an appointed Senate but said there was no assurance appointed senators would not buy their seats.

However, Poj and Kitti insisted on a fully elected Senate.

Poj suggested the charter ensure proper checks and balances. In doing so, independent organisations had to be fully independent from the central government, he said.

Songkhun, of DM Organiser, suggested the constitution include mechanisms to prevent another coup. "For years, the military has been under constitutions but has risen to abolish these. There should be a mechanism to ensure maximum control of the military and a mechanism where minority opinions are taken into account."