THAILAND’S constitutional panel dropped a proposal today to ban members of the ruling junta from politics for two years following pressure from the military.

The Constitution Drafting Committee (CDC), itself appointed by the military government to draft a new constitution, agreed to apply the ban to its own members.

Originally the ban was to apply to members of five bodies including the junta, known as the National Council for Peace and Order, which took power after last May’s coup.

But members of the junta had decried the planned ban.

Committee member Kamnoon Sidhisamarn said the panel had decided in a meeting to ban 36 members of the CDC from politics but not the remaining four bodies.

Criticism of the draft constitution has been growing.

Among the more contentious points is a proposal to make the 200-member upper house, the senate, unelected.

Under the draft, the prime minister would also not have to be an elected MP.

The army seized power last year after months of street protests, tearing up the 2007 constitution and rolling out an interim replacement that gave the military sweeping powers.

Meanwhile, a court in Pattaya has sentenced 15 members of the “Red Shirt” political movement to four years in prison for inciting riots.

It is the latest blow against supporters of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted by military coup in 2006.

Those sentenced included two of the group’s senior leaders, ex-MP Worachai Hema and pop singer-turned-politician Arisman Pongruangrong, their lawyer Karom Polpornklang said today.

“The accused were found guilty on multiple charges, including causing unrest, leading more than 10 people to do or threaten to do an act of violence and trespassing,” said Mr Polpornklang.

Mr Shinawatra and his allies have won every election since 2001, but his sister Yingluck was forced from the prime minister’s job last year just before the May coup.