Thai parties unite to amend Referendum Act for easier constitution change

[webfact]

 

Thailand’s leading political parties, Pheu Thai and Move Forward, are joining forces to amend the country’s Referendum Act. The Act’s existing flaws are viewed as hurdles to modifying the constitution, a critical move supported by many parties who see the current charter as a legacy of the National Council for Peace and Order, the orchestrator of the last coup.

 

Both Pheu Thai, the governing party, and the main opposition faction, the Move Forward Party (MFP), have put forth two separate draft bills proposing modifications to the Referendum Act. These were presented to House Speaker Wan Muhamad Noor Matha yesterday. The drafts are now up for parliamentary debate and are expected to be consolidated into a single bill during the review process.

 

Wan Muhamad Noor Matha anticipates a speedy resolution to the revamp of the Referendum Act, given that the current ordinary House term is due to break in two months.

Chusak Sirinil, a list MP from Pheu Thai and legal authority, indicated that 129 members of his party have endorsed the bill initiated by the coalition government. He pointed out three main issues within the act making constitutional changes nearly unachievable.

 

by Mitch Connor

Photo courtesy of iStock

 

Full story: The Thaiger 2024-02-02

 

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[Callmeishmael]

According to the recent Constitutional Court ruling, they cannot touch article 112.  So tinkering with the rest of the constitution is like cleaning the carbs of an engine with a cracked block!

[mfd101]

8 minutes ago, Callmeishmael said:

According to the recent Constitutional Court ruling, they cannot touch article 112.  So tinkering with the rest of the constitution is like cleaning the carbs of an engine with a cracked block!

Every inch forward is better than no inch forward.

[ikke1959]

no need to amend, just write a totally new  one..With a military coup they destroy the existing one every time, so now time to write a new good one, that can't be destroyed, as in the US, and many other countries..

[lordgrinz]

First objective should be to consider anything done after the last illegal coup, as null and void. Then reinstate the previous constitution, arrest and imprison the coup leaders, and give lifetime bans to any coup supporters or Junta installed lackeys in government positions (e.g. Senators/MP's/Courts/Etc.)

 

I know, wishful thinking, but really it's the only solution to move forward.

[hotchilli]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

Thailand’s leading political parties, Pheu Thai and Move Forward, are joining forces to amend the country’s Referendum Act. The Act’s existing flaws are viewed as hurdles to modifying the constitution, a critical move supported by many parties who see the current charter as a legacy of the National Council for Peace and Order, the orchestrator of the last coup

Prayuts chains he put around the countries freedom.

[mfd101]

1 hour ago, lordgrinz said:

First objective should be to consider anything done after the last illegal coup, as null and void. Then reinstate the previous constitution, arrest and imprison the coup leaders, and give lifetime bans to any coup supporters or Junta installed lackeys in government positions (e.g. Senators/MP's/Courts/Etc.)

 

I know, wishful thinking, but really it's the only solution to move forward.

Well, there are 2 ways to do it.

 

The first is at the point of a gun. Lots of them. And unfortunately - think Cuba 1958 - taking power with guns generally leads nowhere good.

 

The alternative is millions of Thai people in the streets of BKK. For weeks on end or however long it takes, with the army changing sides as the conscripts and corporals abandon ship. I live for the day.

[Enoon]

45 minutes ago, mfd101 said:

Well, there are 2 ways to do it.

 

The first is at the point of a gun. Lots of them. And unfortunately - think Cuba 1958 - taking power with guns generally leads nowhere good.

 

The alternative is millions of Thai people in the streets of BKK. For weeks on end or however long it takes, with the army changing sides as the conscripts and corporals abandon ship. I live for the day.

 

See next door in Burma for what happens when the people get on the streets in a country where the Army is boss.

 

Street protests are just a further step along the road to the inevitable.

 

There is no civil solution.

 

 

 

 

Edited February 2 by Enoon

[Purdey]

10 hours ago, webfact said:

He pointed out three main issues within the act making constitutional changes nearly unachievable.

The article should have mentioned the three issues.

What I am puzzling with is, if a law says, perhaps indirectly. "you cannot change this law" and you try to change it so that it says instead, "you can change this law" are you breaking the law by trying to change it?