Bangkok: The Constitutional Amendment Committee engaged in extended discussions, aiming to finalize proceedings before the dissolution of Parliament.
According to Thai News Agency, the session, which spanned from morning to evening, saw full attendance from the opposition and the Senate, while many members of the government’s committee were noticeably absent.
The meeting, presided over by Mr. Nattawut Buapratum, a party-list MP from the Prachachon Party, was part of the agenda for section-by-section consideration of the Constitution Drafting Assembly (CDA) of the National Assembly. The chairman had scheduled the meeting from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., emphasizing the need for expedited consideration ahead of Parliament’s dissolution.
As proceedings commenced, Prachachon, Pheu Thai, and Senate members arrived promptly, whereas government members from parties such as Bhumjaithai, Kla Tham, and Ruam Thai Sang Chart were largely absent. Notable absentees included Pradorn Prisananantakul, Minister to the Prime Minister’s Office, Chaiampawan Manphienchit, MP for Bangkok of the Thai Kao Na Party, and Thipanan Sirichana, a party-list MP for the Ruam Thai Sang Chart Party. This absence led Prayut Siripanich, a Pheu Thai party-list MP, to question the chairperson about recording these absences and whether alternative terminology could be employed to avoid misinterpretation, suggesting that those on official missions have legitimate reasons for their non-attendance.