Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and his deputy Prawit Wongsuwan are among the key figures from the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) who have suggested the measure.

Meechai Ruchupan, chairman of the Constitution Drafting Commission (CDC), said yesterday the drafters would consider if proposed special mechanisms should be included in the new charter.

“In the original transitory clauses, there are ordinary mechanisms available,” he said. “But if special mechanisms are needed, we have to consider the reasons. We will mainly adhere to national interests.”

Previously, Meechai had maintained that the CDC would go ahead with its original draft, which requires senators to be indirectly elected from representatives of 20 occupational groups.

Speaking to reporters at Parliament, he said the drafters had little time left to complete the final version of the draft. “We will see how much we can revise the first draft,” he said.

The CDC has until March 29 to complete its final draft before it is voted on in a national referendum.

Meechai said the drafters had yet to obtain the NCPO’s charter suggestions in writing, adding that he expected to get the document within a day or two.

He said he did not feel any pressure regarding the NCPO’s proposals.

General Prawit said the NCPO would submit its suggestions in writing to the constitution drafters. The document will explain the rationale behind the suggestions, he added.

“If Meechai refuses to follow the suggestions, he has to explain why,” Prawit said.

Asked if he had any worries about the charter drafting process, Prawit said he had confidence in all 21 drafters. “I think they will do their best. I don’t think they will write a bad constitution,” he said.

Prawit shrugged off former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra’s criticism that the new constitution would give the courts an unusual amount of power.

He said that was just Thaksin’s personal view. “He should know that our country has problems that need to be solved,” he Prawit said.

Prawit reiterated his call for selected senators for a five-year transition period, which he described as a key turning point that would allow the country to move forward and for the reform effort to go ahead smoothly.

In response to speculation that NCPO members would be selected as senators, Prawit said it would depend on the selection committee. “Not all NCPO members will be selected, and the selection committee may not pick any of us,” he said.