On Tuesday (18 June), parliament voted to pass at the first reading 4 bills proposing amendments to the Public Referendum Act so that referendums will no longer require a double majority.

After the cabinet announced on Tuesday (23 April) that it will require three referendums on amending the constitution, concerns have been raised that a provision prohibiting amendments on monarchy-related chapters in the Constitution will lead to a dead end and raise questions about the role of the monarchy.

The parliament has voted against a Move Forward Party (MFP) proposal to hold a referendum on whether a Constitution Drafting Assembly (CDA) should be elected to draft a new constitution.

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.

<p>Election Commissioner Somchai Srisuthiyakorn has attempted to put the kibosh on plans by the UDD to monitor the upcoming referendum.&nbsp; That much was entirely predictable.&nbsp; What was more surprising was the legal justification that he gave for saying that they couldn’t do it.</p> <p>He is reported to have said that the Referendum Act did not expressly permit it.&nbsp;</p> <p>But saying so you can’t do something if the law doesn’t explicitly permit you to do it – that’s complete bullshit.&nbsp;</p>

<div> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-87e3ad9a-f4e6-7f03-2884-764a2a1d9dc9">The junta-appointed lawmakers have voted to include a motion on the right of senators to vote to approve PM.&nbsp;</span></p> </div>

<p><em>Election? Another coup? People’s uprising? Where is Thailand heading? Academics have said that if the military decides to prolong its regime, a people’s uprising is inevitable.&nbsp;</em></p> <p></p>

<div>In an attempt to censor voices against the draft constitution, the junta threatened the Pheu Thai Party after it issued a statement denouncing the draft constitution as undemocratic.&nbsp;</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>On Wednesday, 30 March 2016, the Pheu Thai Party issued a statement condemning the final draft of the constitution and urging people to turn it down in the referendum, scheduled in August.</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>In response to Pheu Thai’s move, Col Piyapong Klinphan, a spokesperson for the junta, said the junta thanks Pheu Thai for having a clear stance on the draft, but t </div>

<div>The draft referendum bill sets heavy sentences for denouncing the referendum or publishing polls predicting the result too close to voting day on August 7. </div>

<div>The anti-Thaksin civil society has condemned the junta government for issuing orders that intentionally benefit big construction projects which affect locals, and has urged people to use the upcoming referendum as a bargaining chip against the junta.</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>Academics and civil society state that NCPO Orders 3/2016, 4/2016 and 9/2016, which were issued using the power of Article 44 of 2014 interim charter, are turning Thailand into a capitalists’ paradise. </div>

<div>Can the expected referendum on whether to allow the military regime of General Prayut Chan-o-cha to stay for two more years "legitimise" the government?</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>Some say yes, as they argue that this time, unlike in the coup Prayut forced on people last year, the electorate will have a say through a plebiscite instead of obeying the guns and orders of coup makers.</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>Many have already decided to give a blank cheque to the military strongman and leader of the National Council for Peace and Order - who later chose himself to become prime minister fo </div>

<p>Trial lawyers, so I am told, are warned to be careful about what questions to ask witnesses.&nbsp; They are advised never to ask a question unless they are confident about what the answer will be.</p> <p>Not so journalists, so I don’t suppose we can berate the reporter who decided to ask Prime Minister and junta leader Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha if there was enough money for a referendum on the draft constitution.</p>