The stipulation had drawn criticism that the drafters were making it too difficult to amend the constitution, considering it had many controversial points that may need to be amended later.

Some had said that it would be impossible to amend the constitution when only one MP from a small party objected, because of the stipulation that 10 per cent of MPs from all parties had to approve the proposed amendment.

CDC spokesman Udom Rathamarit said yesterday that though the panel was seeking to rewrite the clause, they would try to maintain the principle that MPs from the ruling and opposition parties agree on any amendments. It should reflect every party’s demand, he added.

The other contentious points concerning constitution amendment, including the requirement of one-third of the Senate approving a proposed amendment and the amendment to change politicians’ qualifications must enter a referendum would remain unchanged, Udom said.

Further details would be discussed and resolved this week, the spokesman said yesterday.

He said drafters would deliberate on the issue of reforms this week.

The National Legislative Assembly, the National Reform Steering Assembly, and the Cabinet had proposed that a reform chapter be included in the charter draft.

Udom said yesterday that CDC had a different view on this, implying the panel did not want to include such an ad hoc point in the permanent clauses. However, they planned to write a reform chapter with concrete content and goal. Points with a definite timeframe would be written in the transitory chapter.

On the Parliament chapter concerning the origins of the Upper and Lower houses, the spokesman said there were no changes yet. They would deliberate on the electoral system this week.

On the controversial call by the powers-that-be for selected senators, Udom said the CDC viewed it differently. He said the drafters would like the Upper House to be a “people’s assembly”, without any personal interests, which could intervene in the selection process as proposed by National Council for Peace and Order figures.

The spokesman said he understood there might be concerns about security and peace in the future, though he stressed the CDC had not discussed about it.