The Cabinet has approved the draft Royal Decree to convene the Parliament in 2026, though the date for the parliamentary session has not yet been specified.
On 10 Mar 2026, Ms. Airin Panrit, Deputy Spokesperson of the Prime Minister's Office, announced that the Cabinet approved the draft Royal Decree to convene Parliament in 2026 as proposed by the Secretariat of the Cabinet (SCoC), without specifying the meeting date. The Secretariat of the Cabinet was assigned to coordinate with the Election Commission, the Secretariat of the House of Representatives, and the Privy Council. Once 95% of the House members (475 members) have been elected, the draft Royal Decree will be submitted to His Majesty the King for royal endorsement.
Ms. Airin explained that the Constitution of the Kingdom of Thailand and its amendments stipulate in Section 83 that the House of Representatives shall consist of 500 members: 400 elected from constituencies and 100 from party lists. Section 84 provides that once 95% of the members (475 members) have been elected in a general election, if necessary, Parliament may be convened. Section 85, paragraph four, mandates that the Election Commission must announce the election results after preliminary verification, provided there is reasonable belief the election was honest and fair and that at least 95% of constituencies have results.
The Election Commission must complete the preliminary verification and announce the results promptly, but no later than 60 days after the election day (by 8 Apr 2026). Additionally, Section 121, paragraph one, requires Parliament to be convened within 15 days of the election results announcement (by 22 Apr 2026) for members to meet for the first time. Sections 122, paragraphs one, two, and four, provide that the King shall summon, open, and close the parliamentary sessions. The King may perform the opening ceremony personally or appoint the Crown Prince of legal age or another representative. The convening of Parliament must be done by Royal Decree.
Therefore, to ensure the first parliamentary session proceeds smoothly and in accordance with the Constitution of the Kingdom of Thailand, the Secretariat of the Cabinet drafted the Royal Decree to convene Parliament in 2026 (without specifying the date). It coordinated with the Election Commission, the Secretariat of the House of Representatives, and the Privy Council to submit the draft Royal Decree for royal endorsement once 95% of the House members have been elected.