Monday International News

Thai PM vows to amend charter
More protests seen
Bangkok
The Thai prime minister, Samak Sundaravej, who lost two ministers after tough court rulings, said on Sunday he would rewrite the army-designed constitution, a move likely to intensify street protests to oust him.
The embattled premier, whose government is threatened by a series of lawsuits, also announced that he would reshuffle his cabinet and unveil an economic stimulus package on Tuesday.
Samak blamed the current crisis on the 2007 constitution, designed by the coup makers who overthrew prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra in 2006, which gives judges more oversight powers in the political arena.
‘As Buddha says we must tackle sufferings at their causes, we have to amend this constitution that is causing this crisis,’ Samak, a devout Buddhist, said on his weekly TV show.
Any move to amend the charter could intensify a nearly two-month old street campaign, whose leaders accuse the government of seeking to protect Thaksin from corruption charges.
‘It will only upset more people and invite them into the streets,’ Ramkhamhaeng University analyst Boonyakiat Karavekphan said, referring to the street protests led by the People’s Alliance for Democracy.
Samak’s remarks could trigger further selling of Thai shares, which have fallen nearly 16 percent since the PAD – a coalition of activists, royalists and businessmen – launched their campaign 7 weeks ago.