The House Committee, formed to study problems with and ways to amend Thailand’s Constitution, has resolved to change Section 256 of the charter, to clear the way for broader constitutional amendments.

The committee’s Chairman, Mr. Peeraphan Saleeratthavipak, said today that, without amending Section 256, it will be impossible to amend other clauses. 

He added that the committee also considered proposed amendments, suggested by various sectors of Thai society, including the establishment of a Constitution Drafting Assembly (CDA), in case a new charter is to be written.

Mr. Peeraphan said that, in the end, it will depend on the Government, which has the final say over whether the charter is to be amended.

“If not, we (the House committee) can do nothing, because our duty is to propose the amendments,” said the committee Chairman.

Meanwhile, Kao Klai MP, and a member of the House committee, Mr. Rome Rangsiman, said that there are several sections of the current Constitution which are problematic and need amending.

If a new Constitution is to be written, he said that a CDA, modelled after the one which crafted the 1997 charter, dubbed the People’s Constitution, will be required.

He pointed out, however, that forming a CDA might take time so, the decision to amend Section 256 is intended to pave the way for the amendment of other sections.