Thai Parliament Adopts 2 Moderate Drafts Of Constitutional Amendment Law In 1st Reading

Thai Parliament Adopts 2 Moderate Drafts of Constitutional Amendment Law in 1st Reading

The Thai parliament adopted in the first reading by a majority of votes the two most moderate drafts of the new law on amending the country's constitution, media reported on Wednesday

BANGKOK (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 18th November, 2020) The Thai parliament adopted in the first reading by a majority of votes the two most moderate drafts of the new law on amending the country's constitution, media reported on Wednesday.

Lawmakers from both chambers at the joint meeting gave preference to the two most moderate projects draft number 1, presented by the main opposition Pheu Thai Party ("For Thailand"), and the ruling coalition's draft number 2. Both projects, like the other five, include a requirement to create a constitutional commission and draft a new constitution for the country, but differ on the constitutional role of the Senate, appointed now by the Royal Thai Military, in the election of the prime minister and the constitutional legalization of decrees issued by the military government that ruled Thailand in 2014-2019, as reported by the Thai Parliament Television (TPTV).

Unlike other drafts, both versions adopted in the first reading leave unchanged parts 1 and 2 of the Thai constitution, which deal with the role of the monarchy and define the concept of the country's sovereignty. Draft number 1 received 576 votes out of 719 possible, and draft number 2 received 647 votes.

Drafts number 3, 4, 5 and 6, prepared by the groups of parliamentary opposition lawmakers, and the most radical draft number 7, which includes demands of mass protests underway in Bangkok and other cities, failed in the vote.

The next step in the constitutional process will be a detailed discussion of the two draft laws in the second reading.

Thailand's opposition considers the 2017 constitution, adopted under the military government, which enshrined military government legislation as valid laws, and introduced an appointed Senate rather than an elected Senate, undemocratic and outdated.