Martial law will not be abolished even if a referendum on the new constitution is held, Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam said on Wednesday.
Responding to questions at Government House about when the government would be able to announce a referendum, he said it would not know until the initial draft of the charter is completed in April.
He said martial law would not be revoked if a referendum is held because it had nothing to do with staging political rallies, disorder or movements.
What was more important than the martial law issue, he said, was that the people involved in creating an understanding in the new constitution be neutral and avoid favourism.
He said it was too soon to ask if the people would "like or dislike” the new charter as drafting was not finished.
Last month Mr Wissanu said that after the initial draft was released in April, the pople would have an opportunity to let the government know if they wanted take a vote. However, he said a referendum would mean added delays and costs.
Although the existing interim charter does not prevent a referendum, if there was to be one then it would take time, cost more than three billion baht and lead to possible conflict, Mr Wissanu said.
The government has given a commitment to having a draft ready in September, with a further three months allowed to issue relevant laws and seek royal endorsement. That would see elections called as early as February next year.