The military junta on Thursday said it would make “minor changes” to the content of a provisional constitution before submitting it for royal endorsement later this month.
The resolution was made at the National Council for Peace and Order 's meeting to deliberate the interim charter drawn up by the junta's legal advisory panel. Details of the alterations could not be disclosed, NCPO spokesman Col Winthai Suvaree said.
NCPO sources, who have seen the draft, told the Bangkok Post early this week that the interim charter contains 44-45 sections and authorises the junta to appoint a 200-member national legislative assembly responsible for enacting legislation, and choosing an interim prime minister. it also gives the junta special powers over the interim government to deal with security issues.
Under the interim charter, the speaker of the national legislative assembly, not the NCPO chief, is authorised to submit the name of the interim prime minister for royal endorsement.
The interim charter also details the establishment of a 250-member reform council tasked with outlining the framework for reforms and drafting the new and permanent constitution.
The permanent constitution, which will be drawn up by a 35-member charter-drafting committee, will not be put to a referendum as the previous 2007 charter was, the sources added.