The leaders of both Democrat and Thai Rak Thai parties yesterday rejected the first draft of the 2007 Constitution and urged drafters to revise key points before putting it up for a national referendum.

Abhisit Vejjajiva, the Democrat party's leader, told a seminar at Tulakit Bundit University that the first draft lacks the spirit of democratic reform.

Speaking at the same event, Jaturon Chaiseang, the acting TRT leader, said the people's power is not enshrined in the proposed charter.

"If we wanted to reform the democratic system, this draft will not serve such an objective. The proposed appointment of senators (rather than senatorial election), or the super body to resolve national crisis are not the answers (if we wanted a reform)," said Abhisit.

Jaturon said if there are no changes to the proposed charter, the public should vote against it.

One of his objections is also the proposed appointment of senators who would be nominated, instead of being elected as in the previous 1997 charter.

Jaturon said he is also against the increased role of judiciary in the first draft of 2007 charter.

Abhisit said if there was the national referendum, the Council of National Security (CNS)  should also give the public another choice in case they did not accept the charter.

"CNS should state publicly which previous charter would be adapted in substitution," he said.

Kanin Bunsuwan, a drafter of the 1997 charter, said the first draft of 2007 charter shows heads of several independent bodies installed by the CNS would stay in power for an extended period.

He added that the public will likely vote against the charter in its current form.

Meanwhile, the Election Com-mission has set up an operations centre for the September referendum on the new charter, its member Sodsri Satayathum said yesterday.

"Under the leadership of chairman Apichart Sukhagganond, the centre will strive for unity, efficiency and quality in the referendum," Sodsri said.

The centre will promote awareness of the referendum and manage it under provisions of the 2007 Interim Constitution and Constitution Drafting Assembly requirements, she said.

Among its priorities is helping voters familiarise themselves with procedures, as this is the country's first referendum. Another is to ensure a successful and fair outcome, she added.

The centre will assist handicapped and absentee voters to cast ballots, she said, noting that many migrant workers find it inconvenient to return to their hometowns to vote.

The National Legislative Assembly, meanwhile, has asked a 23-member committee to recommend draft laws, including necessary revisions of the first draft of the constitution, to resolve situations which led to the September coup.

The coup happened because of four things - a lack of trust in the government, abuses of power, rampant corruption and social divisions and activities deemed offensive to the monarchy - NLA Speaker Meechai Ruchuphan said.

In his instruction, Meechai said the panel should make recommendations within 60 days of its April 11 appointment, adding that its report would form the basis for the legislative agenda in the second half of the NLA's term.

Ranking NLA members on the committee include chairman Somphote Kanchanaporn, Borwornsak Uwanno, Bowornsak Uwanno, Wissanu Krea-ngam, Prapan Koonme and Juree Vichit-Vadakan.

The panel formed three subcommittees to handle issues relating to the monarchy, corruption and social security.

Somphote is in charge of laws on the monarchy, while Borwornsak will review laws on corruption and Juree is scrutinising social affairs.

Commenting on the charter draft, former constitution-drafter Kanin Boonsuwan said the 1997 Constitution had not labelled organisations created by organic laws as independent organisations or constitutionally sanctioned agencies.

This was because former charter-drafters did not want to discriminate among the various agencies, he said, voicing opposition to the new constitution's introduction of state-agency categories.