A bid to amend the 2017 constitution is likely when parliament meets next month.

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha told a special meeting on Monday that the scrutiny process should be completed by December.

Speaking before a joint session of MPs and senators to discuss a solution to the political conflict, Prayut said the government had been trying to solve it as quickly as possible.


He reminded MPs that his government had held talks on charter amendments with the leaders of the coalition parties on Oct 6. He said the study was likely to be completed by the end of the year and the government would present a bill on a national referendum to parliament next week.

"This proves that I support charter amendments," he declared. "The government isn't being idle. We are trying to solve as much as we can, as fast as we can."


Regarding calls for the PM to step down, Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam said if Prayut resigned, it might lead to a stalemate due to the rules involving the vote for a new premier. The successful candidate must receive at least 366 votes from parliament.

Mr Wissanu said if the military-appointed Senate didn't vote -- as demanded by the protesters -- candidates for prime minister might not receive enough votes to be elected.

The leader of the opposition Pheu Thai Party said Prayut must resign and accept responsibility for all his past mistakes and failures.