Charter Referendum Scheduled for February 2
PUBLISHED: October 5, 2024
The House is poised to meet on Wednesday to reaffirm its commitment that a charter amendment referendum will be determined by a simple majority vote.
Nikorn Chamnong, the secretary of the ad hoc House panel addressing the referendum bill, emphasized that MPs are united in their belief that a simple majority is sufficient for passing charter amendments.
This meeting is a response to the Senate’s previous decision to uphold two key conditions for a charter referendum: a minimum voter turnout and majority support from those who participate. This stipulates that over 50% of voters must engage in the referendum, with a majority of those favoring the amendments.
During the upcoming session, the House plans to nominate 10 representatives to a joint committee with the Senate, which is set to appoint its members on October 15.
The committee will convene from October 16 to 23 to evaluate the referendum bill and establish the majority needed for passing a referendum to revise the 2017 constitution.
If both chambers can come to an agreement by October 28 and finalize it by October 30, the bill will be presented to the prime minister for royal approval.
If the timeline proceeds as planned, the charter amendment referendum is likely to take place on February 2, coinciding with elections for provincial administrative organizations nationwide.
However, the Senate’s decision to maintain its two conditions may potentially delay the referendum on the charter revision.
Nikorn expressed hope that the Senate and the House will find common ground, ensuring a smooth progression for the charter amendment process.
He noted that the charter amendment proposal requires support from one-third of the Upper House, equating to 72 votes, and achieving consensus on the referendum bill will help prevent unnecessary delays or complications.
In response to comments from Bhumjaithai leader Anutin Charnvirakul regarding more pressing issues than charter amendments, Nikorn asserted that while the matter may not be urgent, there’s no justification for postponing it.
Nikorn also conveyed that the Chartthaipattana Party is in favor of rewriting the charter, aligning with coalition policy, and advocates for the establishment of a charter drafting assembly to create a new charter that is more inclusive and widely accepted.
