Govt Whip: Urge National Crisis Fix; Cabinet Not Confirm Draft Charter Amendment

Matichon•Politics•19d ago

Reader Briefing

Government whips emphasize the need to address pressing national crises, with the Cabinet opting not to proceed with a stalled constitutional amendment.

•The Cabinet has decided not to reaffirm the draft constitutional amendment of Article 256, which was pending from the previous parliamentary session.
•Government whips acknowledge the need to prioritize urgent national issues, such as the energy crisis, over the constitutional amendment.
•Revisiting the constitutional amendment requires restarting the entire legislative process.
•Discussions with various stakeholders, including the Senate and the public, are deemed necessary before proceeding with any charter changes.

Overview

•Government Whip Krawi Priksananuntakul stated that the Cabinet's decision on pending bills would be presented to Parliament for a vote next week.
•Nikhon Jamnong explained the Cabinet's non-affirmation of the constitutional amendment is due to the need to first address urgent issues like the energy crisis.
•Nikhon Jamnong believes the government has time to pursue constitutional amendments, despite not reaffirming the previous draft.
•The process for amending the constitution, as per the revised referendum law, will require two more referendums, with a potential cost reduction to 1 billion THB from 3.5 billion THB via mail.
•Nikhon Jamnong indicated that the constitutional amendment process, specifically for Article 256, must restart from the proposal stage in Parliament.
•Nikhon Jamnong stressed the importance of discussing with all parties, including senators, to reach a common understanding before proceeding with constitutional amendments.
•Divergent opinions, particularly regarding Chapters 1 and 2 of the constitution, were noted during public consultation for the referendum, necessitating clear definitions.
•Nikhon Jamnong estimated that amending Article 256 would not exceed two years.

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Key Quotes

Nikhon Jamnong

"I understand it's because the government wants to solve urgent problems first, namely the energy crisis affecting the economy and the people."

ตนเข้าใจว่าเป็นเพราะรัฐบาลต้องการแก้ไขปัญหาที่มีความเร่งด่วนก่อน คือ ปัญหาวิกฤตพลังงานที่ส่งผลกระทบต่อเศรษฐกิจและประชาชน

Nikhon Jamnong

"When the Cabinet does not reaffirm the content, amending the constitution must return to the new process."

เมื่อครม.ไม่ยืนยันเนื้อหากลับมา การแก้รัฐธรรมนูญต้องกลับไปเริ่มกระบวนการใหม่

Nikhon Jamnong

"I believe what should be done before moving forward is to talk to all parties to have a common understanding."

ผมมองว่าสิ่งที่ควรทำก่อนที่จะเดินหน้าคือการพูดคุยกับทุกฝ่ายให้มีความเข้าใจที่ตรงกัน

Key Entities

Person

Krawi Priksananuntakul(นายกรวีร์ ปริศนานันทกุล)

Member of Parliament for Ang Thong, a key figure in the coalition government's coordination committee (Government Whip).

Nikhon Jamnong(นายนิกร จำนง)

List-MP for Bhumjaithai Party and Deputy Government Whip, providing commentary on the constitutional amendment and national issues.

Prime Minister(นายกรัฐมนตรี)

The head of the Thai government.

Minister of Interior(รัฐมนตรีว่าการกระทรวงมหาดไทย)

The minister responsible for internal affairs in the Thai government.

Anutin Charnvirakul(นายอนุทิน ชาญวีรกูล)ℹ️

Thai Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, previously commenting on constitutional amendment plans.

Senator(ส.ว.)

A member of the Thai Senate, whose input is deemed crucial for constitutional amendments.

Organization

Bhumjaithai Party(พรรคภูมิใจไทย)ℹ️

A political party within the Thai coalition government.

Cabinet(คณะรัฐมนตรี (ครม.))ℹ️

The executive branch of the Thai government, responsible for policy decisions.

Parliament(รัฐสภา)ℹ️

The legislative body of Thailand, composed of the House of Representatives and the Senate.

Election Commission (EC)(คณะกรรมการการเลือกตั้ง (กกต.))ℹ️

The independent body responsible for overseeing elections and referendums in Thailand.

Government of Srettha Thavisin(รัฐบาลนายเศรษฐา ทวีสิน)

The previous Thai government administration led by Srettha Thavisin.

Law

Draft Royal Decree(ร่างพระราชบัญญัติ (พ.ร.บ.))

Proposed legislation awaiting parliamentary approval.

Draft Amendment to Constitution Article 256(ร่างแก้ไขเพิ่มเติมรัฐธรรมนูญมาตรา 256)

A proposed change to Article 256 of the Thai Constitution, which deals with constitutional amendment procedures.

Amended Referendum Law(กฎหมายประชามติฉบับแก้ไข)

The revised legislation governing national referendums in Thailand.