New charter returned from King for amendment

The Constitution Drafting Committee has received the new constitution, which was returned by His Majesty the King, for amendment by a special 11-member committee in line with observations from the Office of His Majesty's Principal Private Secretary, CDC chairman Meechai Ruchupan said on Monday.

Mr Meechai said the special committee, which he chairs, would meet this afternoon.

"This afternoon, the committee is likely to reach a conclusion on an exact timeframe.  We have to finish the amendment as soon as possible, probably in about half a month because we have to give some time for the scribes to go through the amendment to see if there are any corrections to be made.

"After that the work will be forwarded to the prime minister to see whether the amendment made by the committee is agreeable," Mr Meechai said.

The amended version of the new constitution must be returned to His Majesty the King within one month for royal endorsement.

Mr Meechai said the government and the special committee would cooperate in the drafting and scrutiny of the amendment. 

As for the observations from the Office of His Majesty's Principal Private Secretary, the new charter amendment committee agreed they could not yet be disclosed publicly, he said.

The new constitution, which was drafted by the CDC, was approved by referendum on Aug 7 last year.

The CDC is still drafting the organic laws which will support the charter.

The National Legislative Assembly this month passed an urgent amendment to the interim constitution giving His Majesty the King sole right to name a regent should the monarch be absent or indisposed. The change took effect on Jan 16.  Previously, the president of the Privy Council fulfilled the role. 

The amendment was made following observations from the Office of His Majesty's Principal Private Secretary.