The Lower House has overwhelmingly voted in favour of a one-tier referendum to amend the Constitution, while the Bhumjaithai party voted against, signalling a widening rift between coalition partners.
At the Pheu Thai party’s seminar, held in Hua Hin last week, former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra had harshly criticised ministers from the Bhumjaithai and United Thai Nation parties, without naming names, for being absent from an important cabinet meeting.
He suggested the two parties quit the government if they are not happy to be in the same “ship of state.”
During the debate in the Lower House last night, Pheu Thai party-list MP Adisorn Piengket slammed the Bhumjaithai party as a burden on the advancement of democracy in Thailand.
He said that, because of the conflicting positions between the House and the Senate over the referendum, the draft bill will be put on hold for six months, which means that there is no chance for the charter to be amended during this parliamentary session.
The best that the Lower House can now do is to submit a draft bill for the creation of a Constitution Drafting Assembly, he said.
Adisorn said that he is very disappointed that a coalition party chose not to support the draft referendum bill which, he noted, contradicted its earlier pledge. He also said that he wonders how the party can still sail in the same vessel with the other coalition parties.
Responding to Adisorn’s criticism, Bhumjaithai Secretary-General Chaichanok Chidchob explained that the party is standing by its version of the draft bill, which requires a two-tire referendum.
Noting the importance of the charter, he said the party found it necessary for two referenda to approve an amended charter, to ensure that the majority of the eligible voters exercise their voting rights.
He dismissed the concern that a two-tier referendum would discourage voters from turning out.
The Lower House voted in favour of one-tier referendum by 326:61 votes, with one abstention. All votes against came from Bhumjaithai MPs.
