Bangkok: Jurin Laksanawisit, MP for the party list and former leader of the Democrat Party, has voiced his expectations regarding the constitutional amendment discussions scheduled for February 13-14. He anticipates a serious debate on whether a referendum should precede the amendment process, emphasizing the importance of allowing each political party the freedom to vote independently.
According to Thai News Agency, Jurin highlighted that the draft amendment of the constitution by the Prachachon Party and the Pheu Thai Party will likely spark discussions about whether the parliament can proceed with the draft amendment to cancel the current constitution without first holding a referendum. This stems from the belief held by some parties that a referendum is necessary to gauge public opinion, as dictated by a ruling of the Constitutional Court. The concern lies in whether bypassing a referendum could potentially violate the constitution and the court's ruling.
Jurin further noted that while the constitutional amendment is a government policy announced to parliament, the drafts in question originate from political parties rather than the Cabinet. As such, he insists that all political parties should have the autonomy to make decisions in line with their respective views.