Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon tried to allay concerns Monday of a possible repeat of the 1992 Black May massacre, as speculation mounts that the National Legislative Assembly (NLA) is trying to help the regime prolong its stay in power via the additional referendum question.

He was reacting to a reporter's question that the NLA-sponsored question would pave the way to the nomination of an "outsider" as premier, triggering political unrest and violence similar to Black May 1992 when the public came out to oust Gen Suchinda Kraprayoon from power following the general's decision to become prime minister.

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Gen Prawit said the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) and Gen Suchinda's National Peace-Keeping Council (NPKC) are different entities, and hence such concerns are "based on pure fantasy".

Concerns about the 1992 violence were raised after several NLA members insisted the intention of the extra referendum question was for the appointed Senate to take part in the nomination process of the prime minister. Critics of the military regard the NLA's referendum question as a ploy designed to allow the NCPO to stay in power.

Under the charter, for the first five years political parties are required to nominate PM candidates before the general election, and the Senate is allowed to join them in voting to select the prime minister.

But if this process fails to select the prime minister, the joint sitting of parliament can vote to waive the political party nomination rule and nominate other candidates, which is also known as the second process.

National Legislative Assembly (NLA) president Pornpetch Wichitcholchai said Monday that the intention of the additional question was for the appointed Senate to take part in the prime ministerial nomination process.

However, he said the Senate had no right to nominate a premier during the first process of the prime ministerial selection.

According to Mr Pornpetch, whether or not the appointed Senate can nominate the prime minister in the second process would depend on the CDC's decision on when to revise the draft charter.

Meanwhile, Constitution Drafting Committee chairman Meechai Ruchupan said the CDC would meet tomorrow to revise the charter in line with the essence and spirit of the additional question.

He declined to say if the CDC would bow to the NLA for the Senate to take part in the nomination process, stressing the CDC did not have to dance to the NLA's tune.

Source:
courtesy of BANGKOK POST

by POST REPORTERS

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