Thai PM:Court will issue fair ruling on planned Charter changes

BANGKOK, July 7 (TNA) - Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra says that she believes Bangkok's Constitutional Court will issue a fair verdict whether an attempt by her Pheu Thai Party-government to amend the 2007 Constitution is aimed at changing the country’s administration. Yingluck told the public during her weekly broadcast Saturday that her government has to listen to every criticism while it has also to be determined to work for public and national interest. Yingluck acknowledged that her government has not prepared anything pending the Constitutional Court's verdict, and that the Thai Parliament will later judge; while the government is now focusing on efforts to work for the public and the nation. According to the prime minister, if the Constituional Court ruled that the bill to amend Section 291 of the 2007 Constitution contravened Section 68 of the Charter, the government would have to further seek advice from legal experts and there is no need to worry about a dissolution of her ruling Pheu Thai Party because it has not yet occurred. The Constitution Court late Friday finished two days of witness testimony on the constitutionality of a Charter amendment and is scheduled to rule on the matter on July 13. (TNA)