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Published on March 24, 2008

Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej yesterday weighed into moves to amend the Constitution, saying he preferred extensive changes to all "problematic provisions".

"In fact I want the whole Constitution amended. But there's some caution that the changes should affect only problematic clauses. So I think the 2007 Constitution should be compared to the 1997 charter and whatever is good should be maintained, and whatever is bad should be removed," the premier said.

Samak was wary of amending the charter as it would involve an expense of Bt2 billion to hold a public referendum. "That's outrageous," he said.

Last Friday, People Power Party secretary-general Sura-pong Suebwonglee, who is also deputy premier and the finance minister, proposed amending the constitution, arguing that it made dissolution of a political party "too easy". The resultant political instability was undermining investor confidence in Thailand, he said.

Other coalition parties yesterday backed the proposal to change the Constitution.

Chart Thai Party deputy leader Somsak Prisananantha-kul said many parties were in agreement the charter must be changed because it was written in "an undemocratic environment".

He warned against the government unilaterally proposing changes, which he said could be viewed as a conflict of interest. He called for participation by Parliament and the public.

Matchima Thipataya Party leader Anongwan Thepsuthin supported amendments, saying certain clauses were undemocratic and could not be put into practice.

Puea Pandin Party spokes-man Chaiyos Jirameteekorn said many clauses in the charter needed to be amended, such as ones that make it easy to dissolve a political party.

Pracharaj Party leader Snoh Thienthong also supported a review of the current Constitu-tion, which he said contained "some silly clauses".

Chaturon Chaisang, one of the 111 banned former executives of the disbanded Thai Rak Thai Party, yesterday also called for comprehensive changes.

Federation for Democracy chairman Weng Tojirakarn said the group was campaigning for public support to amend the Constitution.

The Nation