In August 2023, a network of civil society organizations launched the #ConforAll campaign for a referendum on constitutional amendments. After the network was told by the Election Commission that all signatures must be collected on paper, volunteers across the country launched their own campaigns to get people to sign the petition, gaining the ConforAll campaign 212,139 signatures within three days. For their effort in the campaign, Prachatai names these citizen volunteers our 2023 Persons of the Year.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Phumtham Wechayachai announced yesterday (25 December) that the Cabinet’s Constitutional Amendment Committee will propose 3 referendums on constitutional amendments and that the first will ask whether people want to amend the Constitution without amending chapters relating to the monarchy.

The People’s Movement for a Just Society (P-Move) has declared that it will be occupying the street in front of Government House to demand a fairer policy for land rights, community rights, welfare, freedom, and democracy. They have vowed not to leave until the cabinet passes resolutions guaranteeing their demands.

Following a cabinet decision to set up a committee to study approaches to constitutional amendment, a civil society network campaigning for a new constitution has voiced concerns about the government’s policy, noting that it remains unclear how the amendments will be made.

After being informed by the Election Commission of Thailand (ECT) that online signatures would not be accepted, the campaign to petition for a constitutional referendum obtained 212,139 signatures on paper in the space of just 3 days.

The campaign to petition for a constitutional amendment referendum faces potential delay as the Election Commission of Thailand (ECT) told the the People’s Constitution Drafting Group, just hours after the petition gained the required number of signatures, that online forms will not be accepted and all 50,000 must be collected on paper.

The ultra-royalist Thai Pakdee Party, known for its staunch opposition to amending the lese majeste law, has released a statement urging conservative parties joining the Pheu Thai coalition to resist a total rewrite of the constitution on the grounds that it would lead to greater discord in the society.

A network of civil society organizations has launched a campaign to collect 50,000 signatures within 7 days to propose a referendum on whether a new Constitution should be drafted by an elected Constituent Assembly.

<p>Protesters gathering on the streets in front of the parliament building to demand constitutional amendments on 17 November were met with blockades and riot police, as well as water cannon and tear gas.</p>