Thai Parliament Stalls Charter Decision, Angering Protesters
- Lawmakers voted for one-month delay to study charter proposals
- Protesters call for greater democracy, less power for monarchy
Anti-government protesters rally in front of The Grand Palace in Bangkok, Thailand, on Sept. 20.
Photographer: Lauren DeCicca/Getty Images
Thai lawmakers delayed a vote on various proposals to set a pathway to amend the constitution, further angering anti-government demonstrators calling for more democracy and reform of the monarchy.
The parliament instead overwhelmingly backed a new proposal to set up a panel that would vet the six plans submitted earlier for changing the charter written by a military-appointed panel after a 2014 coup. The vote, mostly supported by royalist allies of the army, means the process to start rewriting the constitution will be pushed back by at least one month. Opposition parties said they won’t join the new committee.