Thailand's Prime Minister has said he will submit two constitutional amendment bills passed into law by the parliament earlier this month for the royal sanction by King Bhumibol Adulyadej on Thursday. Mr. Abhisit Vejjajiva made the comment after the Constitution Court refused to accept for its consideration a motion on the constitutionality of the two bills approved by the parliament in its final reading on February 11 to amend the current charter. The motion was filed by a group of opposition MPs and senators, who had challenged that the two bills sponsored by the Abhisit government were against the parliament's procedural rules, and hence, could be unconstitutional. The court said it would not accept the motion as the 2007 constitution contains specific provisions on the charter amendments, and the two bills were not ordinary draft bills. One of the bills is to change the electoral system of House members, while the other will make it easier for the Thai government to enter into agreements with foreign nations. The Thai Prime Minister has reiterated that completion of the constitutional amendments is a precondition for him to dissolve the House of Representatives and call a new election before his government finishes its term by the end of this year.
News On AIR | February 23, 2011 7:38 PM
Thailand PM to submit amendment bills for royal sanction