March 24, 2008
BANGKOK - The People Power Party (PPP) said Saturday it would move to amend the constitution, warning the charter could throw the government into a political deadlock.
The PPP wanted to strip the Election Commission (EC) of its power to seek the dissolution of political parties.
The EC used that power to disband the Thai Rak Thai party of former premier Thaksin Shinawatra.
Two of the PPP's coalition partners are before the Supreme Court over vote fraud charges, which could lead the judges to dissolve the parties.
The PPP could eventually find itself in a similar legal tangle after the House Speaker Yongyut Tiyapairat was brought before the court on election violations last week, according to AFP.
"If these three parties were dissolved, it would be like killing Thailand. It would not just damage the party executives, it would cause tremendous damage to Thailand," PPP spokesman Kudep Saikrajang told reporters.
"The People Power Party believes that the current constitution has caused another political crisis which will place the country in a political deadlock," Kudep said after a general meeting of the party.
PM Samak had earlier indicated he would only seek to amend the constitution after two years.
Kudep insisted that the PPP would not insert into the constitution an amnesty for Thaksin and his top lieutenants.
But the spokesman said the party may try to amend other parts of the constitution in addition to limiting the powers of the EC.
The party had decided to seek amendments now because the threats hanging over the ruling coalition were eroding investor confidence in Thailand, Kudep said.
Amending the constitution requires only a simple majority of both the House and the Senate in three readings.
The PPP's six-party coalition controls 315 seats out of 480 in the lower house.
Senators are not allowed party affiliations, but 74 of 150 seats were appointed by a committee set up the military.
