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Published on April 29, 2008

The Nation

Puea Pandin's executive chairman Vatana Asavahame disagreed with the changes, which he viewed as being aimed at sparing the People Power Party and former premier Thaksin Shinawatra from legal troubles, according to the source.

Vatana wanted Puea Pandin leader Suwit Khunkitti to delay a meeting with other coalition-party leaders as late as possible to discuss the charter changes, according to the source.

Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej, in his capacity as the People Power leader, had said that he would call a meeting of coalition leaders to debate the issue. Suwit said earlier the coalition government should give priority to urgent tasks like easing economic problems.

The premier said yesterday he would call a meeting of coalition leaders next month to discuss charter changes. He angrily rejected an earlier media report the meeting "had been indefinitely postponed".

Samak said he would call the meeting after welcoming Burmese Prime Minister General Thein Sein, who is to end his official visit here on Thursday.

The source said Puea Pandin's non-committal stance on a coalition meeting had led to the postponement. However, party spokesman Chaiyos Jiramethakorn said the prime minister had put off the meeting possibly because he was too busy with other matters.

Some key Puea Pandin figures wanted a neutral committee, instead of a committee connected with the coalition parties, to be set up to draft an amendment, according to another party source.

The government whips have yet to complete their blueprint for the amendment draft, pending the outcome of the coalition leaders' meeting, Chai Chidchob, chairman of the whips' coordination committee, said.

Chart Thai Party MP Ekkapoj Panyaem, who is on the coalition whips' subcommittee dealing with the amendment, said he had found several draft clauses prepared by the PPP were "rather vague", particularly those involving the transitional provisions. He said he would consult his party about his findings. "I wonder if the clauses will need to be interpreted," he said.