GOVT AWAITING ADVICE FROM COUNCIL OF STATE ON CHARTER CHANGES

       Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said yesterday he was waiting for clear advice from the Council of State on laws relating to procedures for amending the Constitution.
       Abhisit said the government, opposition and Senate whips would meet today and he might get together with them either tomorrow or next week.
       While the Bhum Jai Thai Party proposed a national referendum after the Parliament's first reading of the amended charter, Abhisit said some procedures might be against the law unless a Constitution Article was amended, which could delay the process.
       He was waiting for advice from the Council of State before considering whether to hold a national referendum before the drafting of changes, or while it was considered by a parliamentary committee after the first reading.
       Abhisit explained that people would not be asked whether they agreed with all changes proposed for the charter by the parliamentary committee.
       But the referendum, which would cost about Bt2 billion, would ask for the public whether they supported changes on six issues in one questionnaire - rather than having six votes on separate charter changes.
       In a related development, senators from the Group of 40 Senators continued campaigning against the charter amendment saying only politicians would benefit from the change.
       Bangkok Senator Rosana Tositrakul cited a survey by the Asia Foundation in September that two-thirds of Thai citizens wanted the Constitution to be amended, or a new constitution drafted, through a participatory process that involves ordinary citizens
       Meanwhile, only 10 per cent of respondents thought it appropriate for Parliament to take the lead in changes to the Constitution. More - 16 per cent - thought the changes should be made by a committee of experts.
       The survey was conducted via interviews with 1,500 people in Bangkok and 26 other provinces between June 3 and July 5.
       Rosana also claimed the survey result said 84 per cent of respondents wanted a national amendment held before drafting of the change.
       About 60 per cent wanted to keep Article 237, which requires parties to be dissolves and executives losing their voting rights for five years as penalties for electoral fraud by a party executive. But, 31 per cent wanted that punishment scrapped.
       Rosana said the survey showed a majority of people wanted the government to stay until the end of its term. Therefore, politicians should not rush to change laws against the public's will.
       Appointed Senator Somchai Sawangkarn pointed out that the Bhum Jai Thai Party had changed its stance by turning to support the holding of a national referendum, as suggested by the Prime Minister, just when its NGV bus leasing project was approved by the Cabinet.
       Meanwhile, Tourism and Sports Minister Chumpol Silapa-archa said his Chart Thai Pattana Party did not see a referendum as necessary. But it did not oppose one being staged on whether to amend the six proposed issues.
       He said it was not necessary to dissolve parliament after the Constitution was amended.