Thailand government hedges on vote
- From: "Chim" <ChimS1@xxxxxxx>
- Date: 16 Feb 2006 06:45:36 -0800
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/1104AP_Thailand_Constitution.html
Tuesday, February 14, 2006 · Last updated 7:46 a.m. PT
Thailand government hedges on vote
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
BANGKOK, Thailand -- The government of Prime Minister Thaksin
Shinawatra said Tuesday it was reviewing a decision to hold a
referendum in April on whether or not to amend the constitution.
Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-Ngam, Thaksin's top constitutional
adviser, said there were legal impediments to holding a referendum on
April 19, as Thaksin had proposed, the state Thai News Agency reported.
Thaksin said Saturday he had asked the Election Commission to hold a
referendum simultaneously with the next election for the country's
Senate.
But Wissanu said the constitution did not allow such a vote to be held
without more time to prepare.
"We could find other ways to do it such as putting the question on the
Internet," he was quoted as saying. "However, it is still too early to
say what is what. I need time to think and to talk to the national
Election Commission."
In his weekly radio address on Saturday, Thaksin had said that "If the
people said they want the constitution to be amended, we will do so as
the people hold sovereignty over the country."
But questioned on Tuesday by reporters, Thaksin backtracked, saying a
public consultation would be better.
He said there was not enough time to prepare for an actual referendum
by April 19, and so preferred the phrase "consulting with people."
Thaksin's Saturday announcement was widely seen as being made in
response to political pressure from a growing public campaign seeking
his ouster for alleged corruption and abuse of power.
However, the move was dismissed by his critics as a political trick,
not really intended at to achieve reform.
Thailand enacted a constitution in 1997 that was supposed to promote
democracy, but in practice it has consolidated power in the ruling
party.
.
- Prev by Date: Cambodia to ship mine detectors for first overseas U.N. peacekeeping mission
- Next by Date: Prince Thomico Returns to Cambodia
- Previous by thread: Cambodia to ship mine detectors for first overseas U.N. peacekeeping mission
- Next by thread: Prince Thomico Returns to Cambodia
- Index(es):
Relevant Pages
|
|
