Thai PM promises inclusive charter on Constitution Day

She said the survey covered 240 respondents in focus groups across the nation, including ethnic people in the North, labourers in the Central region, farmers in the Northeast and Muslims in the South.

Radklao said the survey results showed that at least 75% of eligible voters want to join the charter drafting referendum.

The survey’s questions and responses are as follows:

• Do you agree with drafting a new constitution?

Yes: 194

No: 46

• Do you agree with retaining Chapter 1 on general descriptions and Chapter 2 on the monarchy?

Yes: 167

No: 70

• Will you participate if a referendum is held on drafting a new charter?

Yes: 230

No: 5

Radklao said when the new parliamentary session starts, the subcommittee will compile opinions from 250 senators and 500 MPs based on the questionnaire sent to them earlier.

She said the subcommittee chaired by Nikorn will also compile the views of representatives of 15 career groups and young people. These groups were invited to Government House recently to air their opinions.

The panel will also sound out the opinions of the Move Forward Party, which refused to send representatives to join Nikorn’s subcommittee.

Once all opinions are compiled, the committee on studying the feasibility of a new charter, chaired by Deputy PM Phumtham Wechayachai, will hold a meeting later this year to hear reports from two subcommittees. Apart from Nikorn’s panel, another subpanel is studying how to hold a referendum so it does not violate the current charter.