CDC spokesman Norachit Singhaseni said yesterday that the commission had explained to diplomats from 63 countries and 10 international organisations that a general election would be held within the time frame set earlier, which is next year.

Norachit said the military’s ruling National Council for Peace and Order and the government might resort to the 1997 or the 2007 charter if the charter draft is rejected.

“One of the charters could be brushed up to suit the current situation and promulgated,” he said.

The CDC invited the foreign diplomats to inform them about the first charter draft that was released to the public on January 29. It took about an hour and a half to explain it and answer queries from the diplomats.

The diplomats asked how confident the CDC was in its charter draft that it could reduce conflicts and political problems faced by the country. They were told that the CDC tried its best to establish mechanisms to prevent problems and conflicts from reappearing, Norachit said.

“In reality, a charter cannot solve all problems. It depends on the people who use it. Political parties and the people must join forces to ensure that the country moves forward and crosses over the conflicts,” he said.

Other points explained to the diplomats were about the use of the single ballot system and indirect election of senators.

Norachit said the CDC told them that it did not want senators to have affiliations to political parties.

The CDC told the diplomats that the charter had five mechanisms that stressed anti-graft, which it believed would help reduce corruption if enforced effectively.

Norachit said some diplomats asked what the solution would be if several political parties nominated the same prime-ministerial candidate. The CDC explained that PM candidates must endorse approval to be nominated by a party to create transparency.

The commission said it would consider revising the draft according to recommendations from all sectors to be forwarded to the CDC by next Monday.