Jakrapob resigns; charter rewrite dropped
Two substantial Thai political news stories today: Jakrapob Penkair has resigned from his position as Prime Minister's Office Minister, and the PPP's plan to rewrite the constitution has been stopped.
Jakrapob had been under pressure following an FCCT speech last year in which he implicitly criticised the monarchy. Today, the police announced that they will file lese majeste charges against him, and consequently he has resigned from the cabinet.
To introduce a motion in parliament, 126 MPs are required to sponsor it, and last week there were 164 MPs signed up to support the constitution amendment. However, a PAD campaign to impeach the sponsors gave some of them cold feet. Today, the number dropped to only 124, so the motion cannot proceed. The government had originally intended to amend two articles in the 2007 constitution. When it became clear that the amendment was merely a desperate attempt to avoid the dissolution of the PPP following the Yongyuth verdict, Samak proposed a more substantial rewrite, to be decided by a referendum.
Despite the events of today, the PAD [People Against Democracy?] rally is set to continue, and indeed the group is becoming more militant. They are now calling for the dissolution of parliament, a demand they must realise is unrealistic. Are they deliberately provoking the army into another coup?
Jakrapob had been under pressure following an FCCT speech last year in which he implicitly criticised the monarchy. Today, the police announced that they will file lese majeste charges against him, and consequently he has resigned from the cabinet.
To introduce a motion in parliament, 126 MPs are required to sponsor it, and last week there were 164 MPs signed up to support the constitution amendment. However, a PAD campaign to impeach the sponsors gave some of them cold feet. Today, the number dropped to only 124, so the motion cannot proceed. The government had originally intended to amend two articles in the 2007 constitution. When it became clear that the amendment was merely a desperate attempt to avoid the dissolution of the PPP following the Yongyuth verdict, Samak proposed a more substantial rewrite, to be decided by a referendum.
Despite the events of today, the PAD [People Against Democracy?] rally is set to continue, and indeed the group is becoming more militant. They are now calling for the dissolution of parliament, a demand they must realise is unrealistic. Are they deliberately provoking the army into another coup?
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