Sonthi ‘has right to be a politician’
Ally of CNS chief says fight against Thai Rak Thai only half finished
Defence Minister Boonrawd Somtas yesterday said Council for National Security chairman Sonthi Boonyaratglin had every right to enter politics at the next election. He added that Sonthi might consider it essential to ensure he achieves the objectives declared by the CNS.

Boonrawd said the objectives of the coup had yet to be fully achieved and the “old power clique was moving full steam to win the next election”. “It will pour everything into winning the election so it can come back. Nobody currently has as many resources as it does. We can see from its movements now that it must return,” he said. “It’s not what we planned. We planned to clear them out and clean up the dirt,” he added.

CDA accepts challenge to debate draft charter
Midnight University: public being deceived
MONGKOL BANGPRAPA

Cha-am _ The Constitution Drafting Assembly has accepted a challenge from Midnight University to debate the new constitution ahead of the planned Aug 19 referendum. Somchai Ruchupan, chairman of the panel tasked with publicising the draft charter, said he agreed with Midnight director Nidhi Eowseewong’s proposal for a debate between supporters and opponents of the draft.
This would give the public a better understanding of the issues. A format for the forum had still to be discussed, he added.
Charter writers and CDA members are gathering in this resort district of Phetchaburi to prepare a campaign on the draft charter.
Midnight University, an online academic forum operating out of Chiang Mai, is strongly opposed to the draft, which it says ”has so far failed to reflect the people’s opinions”.
”Broadcasting media under the control of the army and certain television stations have been misused by the state to convey false messages to persuade people to endorse the draft 2007 constitution,” a statement issued by the university said.
Other groups, including university students and Thai Rak Thai, also rejected the draft.
Constitution Drafting Committee secretary Somkid Lertpaithoon agreed a debate would allow people to hear both sides of the argument.
However, he did not think it should be broadcast on television as this would only create confusion among the public.
Any group had the right to campaign for the acceptance or rejection of the draft, but he did not agree with people opting to abstain from voting at the referendum. They should vote to either accept or reject it.
Mr Somkid said opponents of the draft should compare it with previous constitutions, particularly the 1997 charter, during the debate. They should not use the forum simply to attack the CDC.
Khomsan Phokhong, a CDA member, said although there were many groups opposed to the draft, both the CDA and CDC agreed it was perfect and believed the majority of the public would realise this and vote to accept it.
He urged those against accepting the draft to read all 309 articles before criticising it. It was not acceptable to simply oppose it without having read it thoroughly, Mr Khomsan said.
The CDC secretary denied the charter drafters had worked under the direction of the CNS. Many issues proposed by the CNS, such as provision for a non-elected prime minister, were not included. The draft states clearly that the prime minister must be elected, he said.
This meant that any military officers or CNS members wanting to become prime minister must contest the general election, he said.

An event not to be missed – hopefully New Mandala can get a ticket before they are sold out!

I agree that a return to the late 1990’s type of politics is optimistic. Given that the junta will appoint all oversight agencies prior to the elections, appoint half the senators and then try to pass a dictator’s constitution that can only be changed with the approval of a majority of that same senate, calling the “elected” politicians a government is even a bit optimistic.