Despite a Constitutional Court ruling prohibiting direct election of a Constituent Assembly and an ad-hoc committee proposal to have the drafting committee be appointed by parliament, a network of civil society groups continues to push for an elected Constituent Assembly.

Parliament on Wednesday (15 October) passed in the first readings two bills out of three proposing amendments to the Constitution to set up a Constituent Assembly, kickstarting the process of drafting a new Constitution.

This week, the Thai Parliament will deliberate three bills proposing amendments to the Constitution to kickstart constitutional amendments by adding sections on a drafting assembly. With the Constitutional Court's ruling prohibiting a direct election of Constituent Assembly members, three parties have proposed different methods of forming the Assembly.