Pursue charter middle ground

Pursue charter middle ground

The government botched, and tacitly admits it has bungled the attempt to amend the constitution. The stated purpose of charter change is supposedly twofold. It is meant to make the supreme law more democratic. It also is designed as a major support of the government's policy to press for national reconciliation.

Until now, this has failed, but there are hopeful signs. The government may now realise that its simplistic notion of amending the constitution needs a more serious and constructive look. More needs to be done, and "go slow" is a slogan, not a plan. In the real world, either the process goes ahead, or it sits on the shelf, as it has for several months.

The 2007 charter was effectively forced on the country by a military junta which gave citizens a Hobson's choice. Either citizens approved an inferior constitution, or the country remained under military rule. By voting for the 2007 charter in the national referendum, Thais took the choice _ and the chance _ to return the country to an elected government.

Now, however, the country can afford to take a longer view, and consider possible changes to the 2007 constitution carefully. Living with the current charter is imperfect; accepting the wrong amendments could make it worse.

There are those, not without reason, who are intensely suspicious of any government-proposed amendments. The truth is that many Pheu Thai MPs and their red-shirt supporters are recklessly determined to return ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra. They may try to exploit this and other causes for their own purposes.

Thoughtful voices may be prevailing in the government to bring about useful, democratic charter change. Such efforts must reach across the political and parliamentary aisle to opponents, including the official opposition. It is not the fate of a government that is at stake, but the future of the country.

The Yingluck government including leading parliamentarians now appears to see the wisdom of taking the issue to the people. Last week, chief government parliamentary whip Udomdet Rattanasathian agreed to "consider" a call from a group of senators to amend the constitution section by section. Earlier this week, Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra endorsed the referendum move. It is necessary, however, to ensure that there is extensive public input before the referendum begins.

Meanwhile, people are correct to be sceptical about the government's goals. The amendment process has been opaque. Ministers found it more convenient to shelve the changes for five months, when a better plan would have been to widely publicise the proposed amendments for public comment and national debate. This is not Pheu Thai's constitution; it belongs to all.

There is a question of fairness and common sense that is often overlooked. The government has no right to change or rewrite the supreme law simply to help Thaksin return. Neither does the parliamentary opposition or outside groups have the right to hold up democratic, positive change on the suspicion it might help Thaksin. Apart from a referendum, the government needs to try harder to gain public trust which can be achieved by using public input. The opposition must also try to approach charter change more objectively, considering what is good for the country.

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