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Published on April 4, 2008

"You must be able to answer whether the changes are for the public interest or personal benefit," said Anand, who is chairman of Siam Commercial Bank.

He said like the charters of other countries, the current Constitution had a clause allowing amendments. "However, countries with constitutions don't want their charters to be changed or scrapped," he said.

Kanchana Silapa-archa, deputy leader of the coalition Chart Thai Party, yesterday voiced opposition to the bid to scrap Article 309.

The clause recognises as lawful any acts performed by the organisations set up after the coup, which include the Assets Examination Committee.

"I certainly don't agree with any attempt to terminate the AEC," she said, adding that key Chart Thai figures would discuss the matter to determine the party's stance.

However, she disagrees with the "too severe punishment" in Article 237, which makes party leaders and other executives liable to electoral fraud committed by any party candidate. "I think it's unfair to political parties," she said.

In a related development, PM's Office Minister Jakrapob Penkair yesterday insisted on the coalition plan to seek amendments to the charter.

He said that in winning the election, the coalition parties had won the public consent for constitutional changes.

"I believe most people want the Constitution to be amended. For those who are opposed to changes, they should be clear which clauses they want to be left untouched," Jakrapob said.

Jakrapob said it appeared that many clauses in the charter had been written in a way to prevent a coalition government led by the People Power Party from running the country too easily.

"We are like the lamb in Aesop's fable confronted by the wolf. If it's not our fault, it's our father's fault," he said.

The Nation