TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Critics of Thailand's new interim charter are saying it does just the opposite of what the military claims: paving the way for a return to democratic civil rule. Further reaction to the temporary constitution, which was issued this week, as reported by the VOA NEWS.

A former cabinet minister, considered a fugitive by Thailand's military leaders, is calling the country's new interim constitution one of the most repressive decrees yet from the junta.

Jakrapob Penkair, among those who has set up in exile the Organization of Free Thais for Human Rights and Democracy (FT-HD), spoke to VOA via Skype from an undisclosed location outside Thailand. “This military regime puts itself in the constitution above the whole system," he said. "Even if you have the national assembly elected or appointed or you have a government elected or appointed, the final say would be them, would be the military regime.”

Jakrapob, a founding leader of the “red shirts” movement, sees the military returning the kingdom to the political system of the 1980's and 90's when parties were weakened to the point of having no alternative but to form unstable coalitions. “In that kind of fragile political coalition anything could collapse very easily," he stated. "I guess that's what they want.”

VOA | S HERMAN