Nikorn calls on iLaw to expedite submitting the people's draft constitutional amendment, warning against playing complex political games by waiting for a strategic moment to submit. He reaffirms Bhumjaithai Party's stance that a completely new constitution must be drafted rather than focusing on piecemeal article amendments. Tags: [constitutional amendment, iLaw, Bhumjaithai Party, political strategy]
At 10:00 a.m. on 22 September 2026 GMT+7.Tags: [date, time] Nikorn Jamnong, party-list MP of Bhumjaithai Party and deputy chairman of the party's law drafting and screening committee.Tags: [Nikorn Jamnong, Bhumjaithai Party, parliament] He spoke at the parliament regarding calls for Bhumjaithai Party to expedite drafting a new constitution according to the referendum results, stating that the party has been ready since before the last parliamentary session ended. The party's constitutional amendment draft is already on the parliamentary agenda, but the opposition and government whip chairs want to wait for the people's draft, which is still gathering signatures, so all drafts can be considered simultaneously.Tags: [parliament, constitutional amendment, referendum, Bhumjaithai Party]
Currently, the people's draft has gathered over 100,000 signatures.Tags: [people's draft, signature collection] The people's constitutional draft, managed by the Internet Law Reform Dialogue (iLaw), has all required signatures and should be submitted to parliament immediately. However, submission has not occurred, yet the government is blamed for inaction, even though it is waiting along with opposition drafts. Waiting to submit for strategic advantage is unacceptable; they should act promptly and not play complex political games while invoking the people's interest. They should also be mindful of the limited remaining time.Tags: [iLaw, people's draft, government, political strategy]
Calculating the timeline, there is barely enough time to have a new constitution ready before the next general election. Hence, urgent action is needed. Drafts from other political parties like the Prachachon Party, Pheu Thai Party, and Democrat Party have not yet been submitted to the parliamentary speaker. Only Bhumjaithai's draft is on the agenda. It is unfair to blame Bhumjaithai for ignoring the 21 million referendum votes since the party has acted in line with the people's mandate.Tags: [timeline, election, political parties, Bhumjaithai Party]
Nikorn further explained that originally, a new constitution was expected by 2029. However, the time to start is only until 22 December before the parliamentary session closes. If the principle cannot be approved and a committee formed by then, there will be a three-month wait until the 2027 session opens. He hopes the committee can work during the recess and submit to parliament for a vote when sessions resume. Upon parliamentary approval, a 100-day referendum period follows, along with selecting a constituent assembly and public consultations for a year before a final referendum lasting three months.Tags: [constitution drafting, timeline, parliament, referendum]
Thus, the timeline is extremely tight, especially since amending supporting constitutional laws requires another six months. While some minor article amendments could be proposed in the meantime, Bhumjaithai's main goal remains drafting a completely new constitution. Otherwise, accusations of delay tactics will arise. The referendum shows the public does not want piecemeal amendments but a new document. Meanwhile, Bhumjaithai may propose minor amendments on decentralization, local governance, or aligning district MP candidate numbers with party lists, though these are minor issues. If electoral system changes are considered, public consultation should precede.Tags: [constitutional drafting, minor amendments, decentralization, electoral system]
Regarding calls to amend the Senate election system, Nikorn reaffirmed his long-held view that the current self-election system is problematic and that the constitution is at fault. However, the solution is not to abolish the Election Commission or directly intervene in the Senate, which only addresses symptoms. The root cause lies in the constitution and related laws, which must align. To fix Senate issues properly, a new constitution must be drafted addressing the core problems rather than partial fixes based on self-interest.Tags: [Senate election, Election Commission, constitutional reform, root cause]