Critics have slammed charter drafters' proposals for the new constitution as favouring high-ranking state officials and weakening political parties.
Former senator Warin Thiamcharas said the blueprint for the charter is designed to curb the power of politicians, and increase the power of "armed groups". He was referring to the military and police forces.
"The goal of stopping the rise of dictatorship may not be achieved, because the old power groups in the military and police forces will oppose it," Mr Warin said.
Over the past week, the Constitution Drafting Committee has concluded its recommendations on various areas of reform proposed for the new constitution.
Wanwichit Boonprong, a political scientist at Rangsit University, said a proposal to allow ministerial permanent secretaries to take on the duties of cabinet ministers will favour state officials, particularly the military.
Under the proposal, when a royal decree is issued to set the date for a general election, ministerial permanent secretaries would take on the duties of cabinet ministers, acting as part of a caretaker government.
A permanent secretary would also be chosen from among them to assume the duties of a prime minister.
This means that as long as the royal decree is in place, important duties will be handed to the permanent secretaries. Issues of national security, for example, would be handled by the permanent secretary for defence assuming the duty of defence minister, Mr Wanwichit said.
Mr Wanwichit also said the proposed composition of the new Senate will retain appointed members who are former state officials, in addition to elected members.
He said the new charter blueprint gives state officials a key role in determining the country's direction, adding that it would be difficult for members of civic society to become senators.
Mr Wanwichit said smaller political parties would be weakened, while major parties with large finances would be given an advantage under the charter proposals.
He predicted the proposed constitution will result in coalition governments, and the tradition of politicians and state officials sharing the benefits of office would be revived.
However, he also said the charter blueprint includes measures to keep politicians' power in check, which would lead politicians to focus on local political concerns.
More authority and budgets would be delegated to local administrative bodies as part of efforts to promote decentralisation under the new charter, which would underline the trend towards giving local issues more attention, Mr Wanwichit added.
Udom Rathamarit, a law lecturer at Thammasat University, said many civil servants, military personnel and judges have participated in the reform process, but are reluctant to embrace reform in their own organisations.
They cling to old ideas which hinder the reform process, said Mr Udom, who is a member of a judicial reform committee under the National Reform Council.
"Many of those participating in the reform process are from the old system. They try to avoid reforming their own structures, for fear any changes could affect them," Mr Udom said.