Deputy prime minister in charge of legal affairs, Dr. Borwornsak Uwanno, unveiled the tentative timeline today for the dissolution of the House, the passage of a new Constitution, the general election and the referendum to seek public approval of the new charter.
He said he proposed two tentative timelines. One in the case that the existing Referendum Act is enforced and the other if a new Referendum Act, which is yet receive royal assent, is enforced.
In either case, he said that the government will keep its promise, under the Memorandum of Agreement with the opposition People’s party, that the House must be dissolved after the government completes four months in office.
The government officially took office on October 1st. This means that the House must be dissolved by January 31st, after which a general election must be held within 60 days, which means that the appropriate date for the election should fall on March 29th, said Borwornsak.
For the election to be held on March 29th, he said that the new charter must pass its final reading by December 20th, leaving 10 days for the parliament president, the prime minister and the Election Commission to set the date for the referendum, which should fall on March 29th as well, in order to save an estimated six billion baht for holding a separate referendum.
In case the new Referendum Act is in force, Borwornsak said the time line for the House dissolution is still January 31st and the general election on March 29th. The timeframe for the holding of the referendum would be shortened from 90 days to 60 days.
Regarding the new Constitution, Borwornsak said that it must pass its final reading in parliament by December 20th.
