Charter rewrite backtracking a mistakeAnti-government demonstrators led by the Free People group gather at the Democracy Monument on Ratchadamnoen Avenue to push for charter amendment on Aug 16. Arnun ChonmahatrakoolA political crisis seems unavoidable after politicians in the government coalition and the military-appointed Senate colluded in a charter rewrite vote which, in effect, slows down the rewrite process by another month. Backtracking on the charter rewrite has simply fuelled public anger, and only given the pro-democracy activists a solid reason to mobilise people for another major rally in revenge to the dirty political game that tricked the public into believing the government actually supported the charter rewrite. Earlier this year, it set up a panel under Pirapan Salirathavibhaga, adviser to the PM, to study a charter amendment. The panel recommended the amendment of section 256 of the charter to pave the way for the formation of a charter drafting committee.

Source: Bangkok Post September 25, 2020 23:26 UTC