BANGKOK – Thailand’s parliament failed to pass a bill that allows changes to a military-backed constitution enacted after a 2014 coup.
The bill was far short of the votes in a joint session late on Wednesday of the elected lower house and the junta-appointed Senate.
The government agreed to consider amending the constitution after a youth-led protest movement started in July to demand changes to the 2017 charter.
In November, lawmakers considered seven options for changing the constitution but adopted only two, which would allow for discussion of constitutional change without affecting the monarchy.
Thailand’s Constitutional Court last week ruled that parliament can form a committee to rewrite the constitution, but two referendums must be held: one to ask the public if it wants a re-write, then another to approve the draft once completed.(Reuters)
