Senate Ready to Vote on Constitutional Amendment Drafts from All Parties; Warns People's Party Formula for Charter Drafters Risks Conflicting with Court Ruling

At 11:35 a.m. on May 27, 2025, at Parliament, Senator Pisit Abhiwattanapongse commented on the People's Party's plan to submit a constitutional amendment draft that would have Constitutional Charter Assembly members selected through elections, stating he believes this approach risks conflicting with the Constitutional Court's ruling.

Regarding the first reading consideration, Pisit explained that voting to accept the draft does not preclude later amendments, but rejecting it outright would mean rejecting the entire draft. Therefore, he believes both the House and Senate should prioritize public interest by voting to accept constitutional amendment drafts from all political parties, as no draft is 100 percent perfect—all have strengths and weaknesses with provisions that can be applied.

When asked whether he still maintains that charter drafters should not come from elections, Pisit affirmed his position is based primarily on the Constitutional Court's ruling, which clearly stipulates that direct public selection is not permitted. Given legislators have a duty to filter legislation, the court's ruling must be considered paramount.

On concerns that non-elected charter drafters could lead to backroom dealing, Pisit questioned whether representatives in the House of Representatives represent the people, arguing that parliamentary authority to appoint charter drafters is already legitimate. He rejected the People's Party's alternative proposal—having the public elect candidates first, then having parliament select from them—saying the first step alone violates the ruling, and having parliament choose from publicly-elected candidates is not an indirect method. He urged against confusing the public on this matter, as it ultimately constitutes direct election.