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Senate Committee to Seek Clarification from Constitutional Court on Constituent Assembly Election Ballot Box

Senate Committee to Seek Clarification from Constitutional Court on Constituent Assembly Election Ballot Box

MGR Online•Politics•2d ago

Reader Briefing

A Senate committee is seeking to consult the Constitutional Court on the legality of having direct ballot boxes for electing a Constituent Assembly, aiming to boost public acceptance of a new constitution.

  • •A Senate committee is requesting a meeting with the President of the Constitutional Court.
  • •The committee seeks to clarify whether a direct ballot box can be used for electing members of a Constituent Assembly (SST) to draft a new constitution.
  • •The committee plans to propose constitutional amendments that include public hearings and supplementary referendum questions to ensure public participation.
  • •The initiative aims to address concerns about limited public involvement and ensure the legitimacy of a new constitution.

Overview

  • •May 28, Senate President Naraseth Pratchakorn announced the committee's plan to seek consultation.
  • •The Committee on Political Development, Participation of the People, Human Rights, Liberties, and Consumer Protection of the Senate has written a letter to request a meeting with the President of the Constitutional Court.
  • •The committee aims to clarify the Constitutional Court's ruling 18/2025, which presents a condition that may prevent the public from directly electing constitution drafters.
  • •Senate President Naraseth Pratchakorn stated the committee wants to find answers regarding whether a ballot box can be used for electing the SST.
  • •The committee is drafting proposed constitutional amendments to increase public participation, including referendums and supplementary questions.
  • •Senate President Naraseth Pratchakorn warned that if a decision is made without ballot boxes for the public, the amended constitution might not be accepted, impacting its legitimacy.
  • •The committee intends to consult with the President and Justices of the Constitutional Court to understand the scope of the existing ruling.
  • •The committee is considering submitting a draft amendment to the parliament, requiring support from 140 Senators and Members of Parliament for its proposal.

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Key Quotes

Naraseth Pratchakorn
"“I and the political development committee want to find answers, so we have written a letter to request a meeting with the President and Justices of the Constitutional Court to further consult on how comprehensive the accompanying ruling is."
“ผมและกมธ.พัฒนาการเมือง ต้องการหาคำตอบจึงทำหนังสือขอเข้าพบประธานศาลรัฐรรมนุญ และตุลาการศาลรัฐธรรมนูญ เพื่อปรึกษาหารือต่อ คำวินิจฉัยที่แถมมานั้น ครอบคลุมแค่ไหน
Naraseth Pratchakorn
"“If it is decided on our own that there will be no ballot boxes for the people, the amended constitution may not be accepted by the public."
“หากตัดสินกันเอง ว่าไม่มีคูหาให้ประชาชน เมื่อรัฐธรรมนูญฉบับแก้ไขออกไป อาจไม่ได้รับการยอมรับจากประชาน

Key Entities

Organization

Political Committee of the Senate(กมธ.การเมือง วุฒิฯ)
A committee of the Thai Senate tasked with political development and public participation.
Constitutional Court(ศาลรธน.)ℹ️
The court responsible for ruling on constitutional matters in Thailand.
Constituent Assembly(สสร.)
A proposed assembly to draft a new constitution for Thailand.
Bhumjaithai Party(พรรคภูมิใจไทย)ℹ️
A political party in Thailand whose proposed constitutional amendments differ from the Senate committee's views.
People's Party(พรรคประชาชน)
A political party in Thailand whose proposed constitutional amendments differ from the Senate committee's views.

Person

Naraseth Pratchakorn(นายนรเศรษฐ ปรัชญากร)
Senator and President of the Senate Committee on Political Development, Public Participation, Human Rights, Liberties, and Consumer Protection.
Nakarin Metharattana(นายนครินทร์ เมฆไตรรัตน์)ℹ️
President of the Constitutional Court of Thailand.

Law

Constitutional Court Ruling 18/2025(คำวินิจฉัยศาลรัฐธรรมนูญ ที่ 18/2025)
A specific ruling by the Thai Constitutional Court that is currently a point of contention regarding the election of a constituent assembly.