PUBLISHED: 4 Nov 2024 at 04: 30
The Pheu Thai Party ( PTP ) is attempting to reduce the size of the majority needed to pass a constitutional referendum.
The committee may join on Wednesday to discuss distinctions regarding the so-called dual majority rule between the two chambers, according to Prayut Siripanich, an MP of the ruling party and deputy president of the mutual House-Senate commission considering the election costs.
The House has approved the referendum bill, which makes changes to the double-majority concept to make it simpler for referendums to go.
But, when the bill reached the Senate, the Upper House decided to succumb to the initial requirements. At least quarter of eligible voters had cast their ballots in order for a vote result to be true, and at least half of the voter turnout must back a winning outcome.
The Senate’s drive to restore the dual majority rule was defeated by a vote of 348 to zero on October 9. Following that ruling, a shared House-Senate committee was established to resolve differences between the two Properties.
If they cannot reach an agreement, the election costs may remain suspended for 180 days. After that, if the House stands its surface on a simple lot condition, the bill is complete.
Mr. Prayut stated yesterday that he will ask the committee to consider reducing the size of the majority needed for a referendum to pass from about 20 to 30 %.
” The requirement of at least 50 % of the number is excessive, especially when it comes to issues that do n’t get much voter interest.” The threshold should be lowered to about 20–30 %”, Mr Prayut said.
Prayut: Common ground needed
When asked if his proposal would face opposition from committee members, he said they would need to find a solution and move on.
According to Mr. Prayut, the details of the proposed 180-day suspension of Pheu Thai’s charter rewrite bid should become known after Wednesday’s meeting.
Pheu Thai had previously stated that it has not ruled out the possibility of postponing the charter amendment until the following election, as long as some compromises can be reached.
The charter referendum bill’s secretary, Nikorn Chamnong, also stated last week that it was becoming more and more likely that the amendment might not be finished before the 2027 general election.
In response to Mr Nikorn’s remarks, Prime Minister’s Office Minister Chousak Sirinil, who is also the party’s chief legal expert, said there are three possible ways to pass the revised constitution– by waiting 180 days for parliamentarians to settle their differences, by agreeing on a compromise that would allow the process to continue without delay, or by using the original referendum requirement to pass the amendment.
The United Thai Nation ( UTN) Party’s spokesman Akkaradet Wongpitakrote claimed the organization is opposed to Pheu Thai’s new proposal to reduce the number of constitutional amendment referendums from three to two.
Under the government’s current plan, a referendum will be held to ask voters if they agree with the push to write a new charter. A second hearing will be held to ask the public if Section 256 should be amended to allow for the creation of a new charter if the majority of voters are in favor.
The government will hold a third vote to determine whether or not the proposed changes to the constitution should be put to vote on.