The Cabinet, led by Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, has approved a new decree on Senate elections, following a proposal from the Election Commission. The decree, which will become effective upon its publication in the Royal Gazette, sets the candidacy registration date for May 13. Elections will then be conducted at three levels: district on June 9, provincial on June 16, and national on June 26, with the announcement of results scheduled for July 2.
The Cabinet also approved the initiation of public referendums focused on amending the national constitution. This approval is based on the recommendations from a government committee tasked with examining the charter amendment process. The committee proposed conducting three separate referendums along with amending a related legislative act.
Commerce Minister Phumtham Wechayachai, who doubles as Deputy Prime Minister and chairs the panel on referendum processes, revealed that the first of these referendums is planned for August. The upcoming referendum will pose a question to the electorate regarding their approval to amend the constitution, with the exception of its first two chapters.
These chapters are considered very crucial as they define Thailand as a single undivided kingdom under a constitutional monarchy, and delineate the prerogatives of the King, respectively. The move to amend the constitution seeks to refine governance while maintaining the fundamental elements of the nation’s monarchy system. (NNT)
