"Bowonsak" points out that holding a referendum to amend the constitution is not something the government can do alone. It must consult with the Election Commission, all political parties, and the Senate.

"Bowonsak" pointed out that the government cannot carry out a referendum on constitutional amendments alone; it must consult with the Election Commission, all political parties, and the Senate. He also emphasized that the election timeline after the dissolution of Parliament on January 31, 2026, must be clear, and proposed combining the four ballots into one single ballot.

September 30, 2568 Mr. Bowornsak Uwanno, Deputy Prime Minister He said that the government cannot carry out a referendum on constitutional amendments alone, as it must consult with the Election Commission (EC), which has the authority and responsibility to implement the Referendum Act. Furthermore, as it involves amending the constitution, the government must consult with all political parties, including members of the Senate.

As for the timeline, The Prime Minister announced that Parliament would be dissolved on January 31, 2026. Therefore, an election must be held no earlier than 45 days and no later than 60 days, as required by the Constitution. The Organic Act on Referendum stipulates that if the Constitution is amended to add Chapter 15/1 on drafting a new constitution, a referendum must be held. The Constitutional Court has mandated that this be done twice: the first to ask whether a new constitution will be drafted, and the second to ask whether the committee agrees with the methods and content of the draft constitution submitted.

However, the current referendum law states that the referendum can be held no earlier than 90 days and no later than 120 days from the date the Speaker of the House submits the matter to the Prime Minister. Further complications arise because a draft bill amending the Organic Act has already been passed by the House.

which is currently under consideration. There has been an adjustment to the timeframe, so that the referendum can be held no earlier than 60 days and no later than 150 days. This is where the timeline must be carefully drawn up. Therefore, we cannot say anything for sure yet. It depends on the draft Referendum Act that the House has amended before it is passed down to His Majesty.

"This is the government's intention, and the government must consult with all relevant sectors to ensure the Thai people don't get confused by the four-card system. It's easy to remember. For example, we consulted with political parties, the Senate, and the Election Commission. We recommended that the ballot paper be a regular one, without any color. However, for the referendum, a yellow one should be used. If you approve, mark the green box. If you disapprove, mark the red box. Everyone knows the concept of green and red lights. A red light means stop, no action needed. A green light means go. The same applies to the MOU with Cambodia. A different color of paper, such as blue, might be used. If you want to cancel, mark the green box. If you don't want to cancel, mark the red box." Mr. Bowornsak said

Yesterday, a member of parliament suggested that there should be a dialogue to allow for a full expression of opinions. Therefore, I would like to inform the Prime Minister and the Cabinet that we should request cooperation from the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) and have MCOT Public Company Limited and Channel 11 allocate equal time every day.

The first step is to clarify the content of the constitutional amendment, and give those in favor and those opposed equal time to express their opinions. Similarly, regarding the MOU, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and relevant agencies must first clarify the content of the MOU being submitted for a referendum, and give those in favor and those opposed equal time to express their opinions. This is something the government can do.

As for social media, the government can't touch it because it's an individual's freedom. But I believe Thai people are smart. If you can explain it clearly and help them distinguish between the two-ballot voting issue, the constitutional issue, and the MOU, there shouldn't be any problems.

Mr. Bowornsak stated that the government's reason for thinking this way is because the Election Commission (EC) has stated that separate arrangements are possible. It must be said that they are possible, but they will cost 6 billion baht per arrangement: 6 billion baht for the elections, 6 billion baht for the constitutional amendments, and 6 billion baht for the MOU. That adds up to 18,000 billion baht. So, are we going to accept a 6 billion baht all-in-one arrangement? Therefore, we must rely on the clarity of the EC's balloting process, the government's clear clarification through the media, and the equal opportunity for both sides to express themselves.

In the case of discussions about holding a referendum Mr. Bowornsak stated that there are currently three draft constitutional amendments: the Bhumjaithai Party's draft, the Prachachon Party's draft, and the Pheu Thai Party's draft. Discussions are required as quickly as possible, as they require the support of both the government and opposition parties, as well as members of parliament. The constitution clearly stipulates that to pass a third reading, a third of the Senate and at least 20% of the opposition parties are required. Therefore, discussions are warranted.

As for which party's draft will be the primary source, that is a matter for the members of parliament, who cannot yet answer. Naturally, the draft laws will be combined, as all parties want to use their own drafts. However, ultimately, negotiations and compromises will be necessary to reach an acceptable outcome. The referendum question will also require consultation.

Regarding the constitution, the Constitutional Court's ruling clearly states that three questions must be asked, with the first and second questions being combined. This is not the only place in the world to do this. France has previously conducted two questions in a single referendum, but the exact question structure must be discussed. The government cannot act unilaterally.

Mr. Bowornsak stated that while it is the government's responsibility, it must seek the opinions and unanimous consent of members of parliament. Importantly, the Election Commission (EC), which has legal authority, acknowledged that it has a rough idea of ​​the question but is unwilling to elaborate. Once it has the question, it will discuss it internally. The authority to raise the question lies with the EC and the government, who will consult each other. Because the referendum is the government's responsibility, the EC must announce it in the Royal Gazette. However, the EC is the implementing body. The government cannot act alone; it must consult all members of parliament, including the opposition, the government, and the Senate.

refer : www.infoquest

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