The Pheu Thai Party is revising its constitutional amendment bill after the Bhumjaithai Party withdrew its support, with Pheu Thai leaders insisting the move will not undermine relations within the government coalition led by Bhumjaithai.
Pheu Thai leader Julapun Amornvivat said the party would reassess its proposed amendment to Section 256 of the constitution, which would also pave the way for constitutional drafting assembly (CDA) to be set up, after Bhumjaithai lawmakers removed their signatures from the Pheu Thai-sponsored bill.
Mr Julapun said Pheu Thai's proposal had originally been backed by seven political parties and was ready for submission to parliament.
However, after Bhumjaithai members decided to withdraw their support over legal concerns, Pheu Thai decided to review the proposal and hold further discussions with its coalition partner, he said.
“We must listen to and respect one another. It is the right of members to withdraw their support, and such situations are not unusual in parliament,” he said.
He stressed that the issue concerns parliamentary procedure and constitutional reform rather than coalition politics, adding that Bhumjaithai had informed Pheu Thai about its concerns in advance.
Constitutional amendment bills submitted by several parties are expected to be discussed during a joint sitting of parliament on July 7 and 8.
Court ruling clarity
Nikorn Chamnong, a party-list MP from Bhumjaithai, explained that the party believes Pheu Thai’s proposal may conflict with a Constitutional Court ruling.
The Pheu Thai draft would create a 300-member CDA elected directly by the public, with parliament selecting 100 members from that pool. The court has ruled that picking a drafting assembly is restricted to lawmakers who already represent the people, prompting fears a direct election could contradict such ruling.
Mr Nikorn argued that the model could create legal and constitutional issues concerning the relationship between parliament and popular sovereignty.
Bhumjaithai’s own amendment proposal, he said, adheres more closely to the court’s interpretation and seeks to avoid legal challenges that could delay the reform process.
“Submitting an amendment that is vulnerable to legal disputes could ultimately derail constitutional reform altogether,” Mr Nikorn said.
He insisted Bhumjaithai remains committed to drafting a new constitution and believes public participation can be ensured through three separate referendums: one to approve the drafting of a new constitution, another after amending Section 256, and a final vote on the completed draft.
Mr Nikorn also defended Bhumjaithai’s proposal against criticism that it could centralise power, saying it includes mechanisms that let voices and senators be heard, as well as a year-long nationwide public consultation process.
Consensus essential
Mr Julapun, meanwhile, said Pheu Thai would spend the coming days consulting internally and with Bhumjaithai to determine whether and how to proceed with the amendment effort.
He noted that constitutional amendments require not only a majority vote in parliament but also support from at least one-third of senators, making broad political consensus essential.
Despite the setback, Mr Julapun rejected suggestions that Pheu Thai was abandoning its principles.
“We only have 74 MPs. We cannot push through constitutional amendments alone,” he said. “This is not about compromising principles but about political realities and securing sufficient support to achieve constitutional reform.”
