2014 interim constitution of Thailand | |
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Constitution of the Kingdom of Thailand (Interim) 2014 | |
Territorial extent | Thailand |
Enacted by | National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) |
Date enacted | 22 July 2014 |
Date of Royal Assent | 22 July 2014 |
Date signed | 22 July 2014 |
Signed by | Bhumibol Adulyadej |
Date commenced | 22 July 2014 |
Status: In force |
The Constitution of the Kingdom of Thailand (Interim) 2014 (Thai: รัฐธรรมนูญแห่งราชอาณาจักรไทย (ฉบับชั่วคราว) พุทธศักราช ๒๕๕๗) is the current supreme law of Thailand.
Drafted by law lecturers from Chulalongkorn University (CU), the constitution was enacted by the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), a military junta led by General Prayut Chan-o-cha which staged a coup d'état against the caretaker government on 22 May 2014. Without public consultation, King Bhumibol Adulyadej assented to and signed the constitution on 22 July 2014. The constitution came into force on that day and replaced the 2007 constitution.
The interim constitution paves the way for the establishment of a national legislature to exercise the legislative power, a provisional cabinet to take charge of public administration, a reform council to execute extensive national reforms and approve a draft new constitution, and a constituent committee to draft the new constitution. The constitution does specify fixed dates for the completion of these works.
Although the constitution recognises Thailand as a democratic state and the Thai people as sovereign, the constitution grants amnesty to those involved for all past and future military actions concerning the coup and invests the NCPO with vast powers, including the power by which the NCPO leader can issue any order at will for the sake of the reforms or security. All orders so issued are considered lawful and final.
Public discussions about the interim constitution are prohibited by the NCPO.
After months of political crisis in which former Democrat Party secretary general Suthep Thaugsuban led a street protest against the government of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, the Royal Thai Armed Forces staged a coup d'état unseating the government on 22 May 2014. On that day, the military formed the NCPO to rule the nation and partially repealed the 2007 constitution, keeping intact chapter 2 (concerning the monarchical institution).