Constitutional Overhaul Set to Begin as Government Moves Forward on New Charter

Thailand is moving forward with drafting a new constitution following voter approval from over 21 million people in the referendum, but the parliamentary process will essentially restart from the beginning. The government under Prime Minister Anuthun has declined to confirm use of the previous draft pending in parliament, necessitating a fresh start and additional time. The ruling Bhumjaithai Party, through spokesman Paradorn Parishnanantakul, states that if approved at the party's parliamentary meeting, they will submit their draft to the parliamentary speaker on May 20. Bhumjaithai's proposal would amend Article 256 of the constitution by adding Section 15/1 to allow parliamentarians to serve as constitution drafters, while keeping Sections 1 and 2 locked from revision. The opposition Phakkaopracharaj Party, which has driven constitutional reform efforts, has outlined three core principles: maximizing public participation in selecting drafters within constitutional court guidelines; preventing any single group from monopolizing the drafting process; and ensuring equal voting rights for all parliamentarians without granting special privileges to senators. These movements mark significant developments, but a major hurdle looms under Article 256, particularly the requirement in the third reading that any approval must include support from at least one-third of senators alongside at least half of the combined chambers. Political observers note that conservative political networks have shown resistance to constitutional changes, making it unclear whether the Bhumjaithai Party, closely aligned with these networks, will genuinely push for successful constitutional reform.