Two charter drafts better than one

       The government, opposition and senate whips will ask the two houses' legal affairs offices to draft two versions of the planned changes to the constitution to accommodate their differences.
       One version, supported by the opposition, would include all six suggested amendments in the one draft. The other would separate them into six separate proposals, as backed by the ruling Democrat Party.
       A special meeting of the whips yesterday agreed to have the legal affairs offices of the lower house and Senate write the two versions.
       The legal offices had acted as the secretary to the joint committee on national reconciliation and constitutional amendments, which proposed the six changes.
       The changes cover the selection of MPs, the selection of senators, a requirement for parliament to approve international contracts, the dissolution of political parties, the demand for MPs to be allowed to act as advisers or secretaries to cabinet ministers, and the demand for MPs and senators to have a say in government budgetary affairs.
       "The drafting should be finished in two weeks," government chief whip Chinavorn Boonyakiat said after the meeting."Then, the three [groups of] whips will meet again to choose one."
       Mr Chinavorn preferred a separate draft for each proposed amendment so,when they are put to a referendum, people could choose to change only the areas they wanted. If all the amendments were included in a single draft, approval of one amendment would mean they voted for them all.
       The Abhisit Vejjajiva government is going ahead with the amendments,reasoning they are needed for the sake of national reconciliation. This is despite the opposition of 40 senators who believe the constitution should only be amended after it has been in effect for five years,
       The move also honours a promise made by the Democrat Party to the Newin Chidchob faction which dominates the coalition Bhumjaithai Party in return for its support in forming the present government.
       The whips will meet Mr Abhisit today to discuss the holding of a referendum on the future of the 2007 constitution.
       Mr Abhisit insists a referendum is needed on the planned amendments.