Senior members of parliament have agreed to set up a 120-member assembly to redraft the constitution, but the senate speaker and the opposition Democrats boycotted the meeting.
There were immediate questions about the legitimacy of the decision at the Monday meeting. Senate Speaker Prasobsuk Boondej and the opposition Democrat party snubbed the meeting, called by Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat.
The rush to rewrite the charter follows Mr Somchai's rejection of army chief Gen Anupong Paojinda's demand that he accept responsibility for the violence on Oct 7 and resign.
Mr Somchai insisted he would stay on and that changing the charter was the solution to the political crisis.
Mr Prasobsuk left before the meeting began, but denied he was doing so to please a group of 40 senators who demanded a boycott.
He said he feared the assembly could lead to violence.
Deputy Senate Speaker Nikhom Waiyaratphanit took over as senate representative in his absence, but Mr Prasobsuk said he had not assigned him or any other senators to represent the upper house at the meeting.
Democrat chief whip Sathit Wongnongtoey said the assembly would create more problems, push the country into a dead end and force the military to stage a coup.
A House dissolution was the way to put all the conflicts to rest, he said.
Rosana Tositrakul, one of the 40 senators opposing the assembly, said rewriting the charter was not a cure, and termed yesterday's decision a "parliamentary coup".
Thammasat University law lecturer Prinya Tevanaruemitrkul called for a halt to constitutional amendment.
But Anusorn Tamajai, dean of economics at Rangsit University, said while a new drafting assembly may not be the solution, it was better than nothing.
After two hours of talks, the Somchai meeting agreed to form an assembly tasked with rewriting the charter.
Under the proposal, it would comprise 76 members representing each of the provinces, 24 experts in law, political science and public administration, and 20 elected representatives of professional groups.
PM's Office Minister Sukhumpong Ngonkam said the rewrite would take no more than 240 days and the result would be submitted for parliament's approval.
If approved, the draft would be proposed for endorsement by His Majesty the King. If not, a referendum would be held.
Ruam Jai Thai Chart Pattana MP Prasert Boonchaisuk (Nakhon Ratchasima) said the meeting wanted to give one seat in the assembly to a representative from the anti-government People's Alliance for Democracy.
But PAD co-leader Pibhop Dhongchai branded the amendment process self-serving, including the attempts to rewrite Article 237.
The article provides for the dissolution of a party if a leader or executive member engages in electoral fraud. This is the basis for the dissolution cases against the People Power, Chart Thai and Matchimathipataya parties.
A lavish Brahman ceremony was held to seek a blessing from the King Rama VII statue inside the parliament compound before yesterday's meeting.
The prime minister, House Speaker Chai Chidchob and Mr Prasobsuk led the ceremony and ate the same boiled egg and drank coconut juice, presented as the offerings.
Then, the trio walked hand in hand to the meeting room. Mr Prasobsuk left shortly after
source bangkok post
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