Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan also said reform plans would help concerned agencies including the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) to accomplish a peaceful transitional period and the 20-year national strategic plan.

Prayut made the remarks after the weekly Cabinet meeting yesterday, during which the Cabinet was scheduled to look at the charter’s content to determine its own recommendations for the Constitution Drafting Commission (CDC). However, Cabinet members decided to submit their version after next week’s meeting.

Prayut said reform schemes should be enforced through laws, procedures and measures, but more importantly they should be in line with the 20-year national strategy as well as the National Economic and Social Development plan prepared by the Office of the National Economics and Social Development Board.

“There is no hidden agenda to grab power [but] the reform plans should be carried out,” he said.

The plans as well as the timetable for implementation should be stipulated in the transitory provisions or relevant organic laws,Prayut said, explaining that he did not want the charter to be amended too often.

Also, he said he wanted the legal and justice systems to be improved, confidence among independent agencies boosted, and measures to limit future conflicts specified in the charter draft. These are the root problem areas, he added.

He expressed satisfaction with the charter in general, and said it did not limit people’s rights and freedoms as has been expressed by some people.

Among other concerns including the PM’s access to power, Prayut said he wanted the charter to be in line with international norms and urged people not to worry.

“The political sector would be the one which chooses prime ministerial [candidates]. Don’t be afraid or worried about it. And don’t choose me. I won’t let them choose me,” Prayut added, referring to concerns that the new PM’s access to power would allow an “outsider” to enter politics.

Despite chief drafter Meechai Ruchupan’s opinion that the road map might be extended, the prime minister yesterday stood firm saying the election would take place in July of next year and the results, as well as the establishment of a new government, could be expected no later than September. “The sooner, the better,” he said.

He said he wanted as many people as possible to exercise their voting rights on the date of the referendum.

However, he declined to reveal his back-up plan to proceed with the election next year if the draft charter does not pass a referendum, saying that if he made his plans public then his opponents could use them against him.

The Cabinet’s collective recommendations on the charter draft will be submitted to the CDC by February 14 as the prime minister attends a US-Asean meeting in the United States.

Meanwhile, CDC chairman Meechai said criticism of the draft had not discouraged him. Many critical comments had been made out of mere “aversion” without considering the draft, he said, but added that he did not know how to solve the problem.

However, he added, the CDC was trying to listen to and gather all comments, including those made on social media forums such as Facebook.

Regarding comments about the limitations of rights and freedoms in the current draft, Meechai said he wanted everyone to understand that the CDC had just taken a different approach to writing a constitution for the sake of the people, who would be able to enjoy their rights and liberties.

The CDC will meet the National Legislative Assembly and the National Reform Steering Assembly today to discuss the content of the charter before both bodies make their own recommendations by next week.