Bangkok: “Phradon” has reiterated that the government is not holding the constitution hostage. “Phradon” admitted that if Parliament is dissolved on December 12, the constitutional amendment will be aborted, but he did not violate the MOA, citing political bias. He emphasized that the government is not holding the constitution hostage.

According to Thai News Agency, Mr. Paradorn Prisananantakul, who serves as a Minister to the Prime Minister’s Office, MP for Ang Thong, and a member of the Bhumjaithai Party, raised concerns regarding the impact of a potential House dissolution on the constitutional amendment process. As a member of the parliamentary committee tasked with considering the draft amendment, Mr. Paradorn questioned whether dissolving the House on December 12 would affect the timeline for amendments. He stated that the timeline was already inadequate, noting that while a special session could allow for a second reading, a regulation-mandated 15-day delay for a third reading would make it insufficient. Consequently, if Parliament is dissolved, the draft amendment would vanish, eliminating any opportunity for Parliament to restart the process.

Mr. Paradorn was questioned by reporters on whether dissolving Parliament would violate the MOU with the Prachachon Party. He countered by asking what the MOU stipulated, explaining that it required Parliament to be dissolved within 120 days, push for constitutional amendments, and hold a referendum. He stated that he believed he was already in compliance with the MOU, though the political situation was still developing. He noted that since the situation had not yet occurred, it remains to be seen whether the Prime Minister will dissolve Parliament. He urged people not to dwell on the matter at this moment. When asked if constitutional amendments were being used as hostages, Mr. Paradorn replied, “No, it’s a different matter.”