The Constitution of the Kingdom of Thailand (Interim), Buddhist Era 2549 (2006) (Thai: รัฐธรรมนูญแห่งราชอาณาจักรไทย (ฉบับชั่วคราว) พุทธศักราช 2549; RTGS: Ratthathammanun Haeng Ratcha-anachak Thai (Chabap Chua Khrao) Phutthasakkarat Song Phan Ha Roi Si Sip Kao) was an interim constitution of Thailand enacted to replace the 1997 Constitution which was repealed by the Council for Democratic Reform (CDR) after it seized power from the government of Thaksin Shinawatra in the 2006 Thailand coup.
The team was led by former Senate speaker Meechai Ruchuphan, and originally included jurists Borwornsak Uwanno and Wissanu Krea-ngam.
Both had played key roles in drafting the 1997 Constitution and had served under the deposed government, although they had resigned several months before the coup.
[3][4] After the draft charter was promulgated, Meechai resigned as chief drafter; the junta appointed Jaran Pakdithanakul, former secretary to the Supreme Court president, as his replacement.
Charoen Khumpeeraparp, of Silpakorn University, criticized the charter for protecting human rights according to commitments made under international treaties, claiming that it would not allow persecution of figures in the deposed government.
[11] However, the draft interim charter did call for one democratic innovation: it required that a permanent constitution would have to be ratified by public referendum.
Nonetheless, the referendum proposal too has been condemned, as if the draft is rejected then under section 32 of the interim charter it is returned to the junta, which will write a constitution of its own in consultation with the Council of Ministers.
The 6 included historian Nidhi Eawseewong, Worawit Charoenlert, Somchai Preecha-silpakul, Chatchawan Boonpan, Kriengsak Chetwattanawanich and Somkiat Tangnamo.
[16] The International Herald Tribune noted that the interim charter "appears to buttress the military's role in Thai politics.
The candidate with the highest number of votes was Okas Tepalakul from Chachoengsao province, a virtually unknown car dealership owner who was a former classmate of junta-head Sonthi Boonyaratglin.
The controversial selection also saw Suwit Pipatwilaikul, a little-known Nong Bua Lamphu construction contractor who received the third highest number of votes.