PUBLISHED: 6 Dec 2024 at 04: 00
A mandatory” cooling off” period will likely apply before the move to amend the referendum bill resumes, meaning a charter rewrite will not be finished within the tenure of the current government, according to Nikorn Chamnong, secretary of the Senate-MP joint committee.
Mr Nikorn was speaking at a media conference on Wednesday, during which the mutual committee’s decision was announced. The screen was set up to resolve any differences between the two chambers ‘ positions regarding the referendum’s double-majority law.
The Senate is steadfast in keeping the law, while the House wants to see the law changed to a single lot.
The dual lot refers to two conditions that must be met before a referendum result may be deemed bound by Section 13 of the Referendum Act.
First, the majority of eligible citizens must have approved the election, and more than 50 % of eligible citizens must have already participated.
The double-majority condition, but, was criticised by the House as being difficult to implement despite the law having been used to complete the current law.
The House supports a second majority, which means that a vote must only be passed with more than half the casted ballots cast by registered voters.
At Wednesday’s presentation, Mr Nikorn said the mutual board has wrapped up its function and convened its last meet.
The screen, made up of MPs and lawmakers in equal figures, with Senator Chatthawat Saengpet as president, voted to maintain the dual majority rule. Two MPs reportedly cast their votes along the Senate’s series.
The combined panel has produced a statement outlining its decision, which was signed by the president.
According to Mr. Nikorn, the Senate will receive the report on December 17 and the House the following day, respectively, where it will be debated differently.
He stated that he believed both Houses would continue to hold their opposing positions regarding the double-majority rule, which would cause the referendum amendment costs to enter the 180-day” cooling off” time.
The House may then request that the individual majority override the dual majority in order to ratify the bill’s passage.
With the cooling-off time being factored in, according to Mr. Nikorn, it is unlikely that there will be any time left before the latest government’s reign to finish the contract rewrite.
To determine whether a complete overhaul of the contract may be pursued, a election must be held.
Mr Nikorn has maintained that three referendums must be arranged: a second one inquiring if voters agree with a mandate update, a minute on whether Part 256 of the law, which makes way for setting up a charter-drafting system, needs amending, and a third on whether voters support for a new charter may be adopted.
The contract update may be delayed even further by the three-referendum process.
According to Mr. Nikorn, if the election bill amendment is approved, it should be finalized by first 2026 before work can start on the charter rewriting process.
” I don’t believe the mandate changes may be over and done with before the president’s word expires”, he said.