The Constitution Drafting Committee (CDC) has finalised the draft charter's 17 provisional clauses.
This also paves the way for the military government to remain in power for another 15 months if the new constitution is promulgated as expected in August.
The referendum for the draft charter has been scheduled for July and, if passed, is expected to receive royal endorsement in another month, CDC spokesman Chartchai Na Chiang Mai said.
Speaking after a CDC meeting Wednesday, the charter drafter spokesman said that a provisional clause under the draft charter allows the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) and the cabinet to stay on until the first sitting of parliament following the general election expected between July and November next year.
Another provisional section sets an eight-month time frame for drawing up the new constitution's 10 organic laws after the new charter is promulgated, said Mr Chartchai following the meeting.
According to the schedule, if the draft charter passes the July referendum and the new charter is enacted, another task for the CDC will be to draw up the 10 draft organic laws within eight months.
The draft laws will then be submitted to the National Legislative Assembly (NLA) for deliberation, a process which will take two months. When the 10 draft organic laws are enacted, a general election will be called within 150 days, or five months, Mr Chartchai said.
This means that if the draft charter passes the referendum in July and the document receives royal endorsement and is enacted in August, it will take another 10 months before the 10 organic laws are enacted in about June of next year.
As a result, the MP and Senate elections can then be held between July and November of next year, Mr Chartchai said.
"It is no easy task to draw up 10 laws within eight months. We may have to work almost without sleep. It is more difficult than writing the constitution," Mr Chartchai said.
Of the new charter's 10 draft organic laws, he said the CDC will give urgent priority to drawing up key bills which cover the Election Commission (EC), political parties, and the election of the House of Representatives and the Senate.
Another important bill that needs urgent attention is a bill governing the state's fiscal and monetary discipline, which is a new bill aimed at preventing poll candidates from abusing populism to win votes, which could result in long-term economic damage to the country, Mr Chartchai said.
He also said the draft charter's provisional clauses will allow the National Reform Steering Assembly (NRSA) to remain in office for one more year after the new constitution's promulgation so it can continue implementing reform proposals initiated by the now-defunct National Reform Council (NRC).
The reform proposals range from politics and the economy to education, public health and morality.
The NRSA replaced the NRC, which was dissolved after it voted to reject the previous draft charter on Sept 6 last year.
Mr Chartchai also said the CDC will be officially disbanded after the NLA approves the 10 draft organic laws to the new charter. CDC members will also be banned from holding political office for two years, he added.
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha admitted Wednesday that he was concerned about the fate of the draft charter in the referendum.
He also said he was considering a back-up plan in the event the draft charter is shot down in the July referendum.
The prime minister also brushed aside a proposal for tax cuts as an incentive to attract more voters, and for tax hikes for those who fail to turn up to vote.
"I don't know. I only want many voters to come out. Why do you want the country to go backwards. Paying taxes is a duty. Voting is also a duty. Why mix them all up? Do we now have to hire them to vote?" Gen Prayut said.
Tanith Sriprateth, a specialist at the EC, said that an announcement detailing the draft regulations on the referendum has been signed by EC chairman Supachai Somcharoen and forwarded to the NLA for consideration.
The potential obstacles for the referendum include the minimum number of votes required for the draft charter to pass, which is not clearly specified by the current interim charter, and the lack of legal punishment for referendum regulation violations, Mr Tanith said.
The EC also discussed preparations for the draft charter referendum, including a plan to set up a centre to coordinate the work of the commission and its provincial branches nationwide, Mr Tanith said.
He said the EC has launched a three-stage campaign to encourage voters to vote in the referendum.
