Five coalition parties announce go-ahead to amend Thai constitution

Key figures from the Bhumjaithai, Chart Thai Pattana, Ruam Jai Thai Chart Pattana, Puea Pandin and Social Action parties agreed to file the motion yesterday at a Bangkok hotel.

They want to amend Section 190, which requires the government to receive parliamentary approval for international agreements, and Section 94, to change the voting system from multi-seat to single-seat constituencies.

Chavarat Charnvirakul (Bhumjaithai), Suwit Khunkitti (Social Action Party), Wannarat Channukul (Ruam Jai Thai Chart Pattana), Charnchai Chairungruang (Puea Pandin) and Chumpol Silpa-archa (Chart Thai Pattana) attended a news conference after the meeting to announce their plans.

The five coalition parties say their 95 MPs support the motion, but at least half of the 614 members of both chambers are required to pass the motion at its first reading.

Mr Chumpol, the Chart Thai Pattana Party leader, said the five parties were only at the stage of filing the motion. He would not comment on whether they would seek support from the opposition Puea Thai Party and senators after the Democrat Party, the biggest party in the government coalition, refused to back the proposed amendments.

To be successful, the motion would have to be passed before the end of the present session of the House, he said.