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Thailand's Opposition Parties Aim to Amend Pro-Military Constitution

Zsombor Peter

   BANGKOK - Having trounced the military's proxy at the polls in March,
   Thailand's pro-democracy parties may very well have formed the
   country's next government by now were it not for the new Constitution
   the military drafted after seizing power in 2014.

   Instead, coup-leader Prayuth Chan-ocha secured a second term as prime
   minister thanks to a Senate wholly appointed by the junta and empowered
   for the first time by the new charter to join the popularly elected
   lower house in voting for the premier.

   Now relegated to the opposition, those anti-junta parties have made
   amending the Constitution their top priority.

   "We are talking about restoration of democracy here. Without amending
   the Constitution, there will be no full restoration to democracy in
   this country," said Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, leader of the Future
   Forward party.

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