Thailand

Constitution of the Kingdom of Thailand (2017)

Updated: June 2018

Table of Contents:




Back to Top

Section 50 states

 A person shall have the following duties:

(7) to freely exercise his or her right to vote in an election or referendum, taking into account the common interests of the country as a prime concern

Excerpt from the Constitution of the King of Thailand (2017)  

Back to Top

Section 16 states:

Whenever the King is absent from the Kingdom or unable to perform His functions for any reason whatsoever, the King may or may not appoint one person or several persons forming a council as Regent. In the case where a Regent is appointed, the President of the National Assembly shall countersign the Royal Command therefor.

Section 17 states: 

In the case where the King does not appoint a Regent under section 16 or is unable to appoint a Regent owing to His not being sui juris or any other reason, but the Privy Council is of the opinion that it is necessary to appoint a Regent and is unable to inform the King to make an appointment in due course, the Privy Council shall propose the name of one person or several persons forming a council sequentially from those determined in advance by the King to be Regent and notify the President of the National Assembly to make an announcement, in the name of the King, to appoint such person as Regent.

Section 18 states: 

While there is no Regent under section 17, the President of the Privy Council shall be Regent pro tempore. In the case where the Regent appointed under section 16 or section 17 is unable to perform his or her duties, the President of the Privy Council shall act as Regent pro tempore. While being Regent under paragraph one or acting as Regent under paragraph two, the President of the Privy Council shall not perform his or her duties as President of the Privy Council. In such case, the Privy Council. 

Section 22 states:

Pending the proclamation of the name of the Heir or the Successor to the Throne under section 21, the President of the Privy Council shall be Regent pro tempore. However, if the Throne becomes vacant while the Regent has been appointed under section 16 or section 17 or while the President of the Privy Council is the Regent under section18 paragraph one, such Regent, as the case may be, shall continue to be the Regent until the proclamation of the name of the Heir or the Successor to ascend the Throne as King. In the case where the Regent who has been appointed and continues to be the Regent under paragraph one is unable to perform his or her duties, the President of the Privy Council shall act as Regent pro tempore.

Section 23 states:

In the case where the Privy Council has to perform its duties under section 17 or section 21 paragraph two, or the President of the Privy Council has to be or act as Regent under section 18 paragraph one or paragraph two or section 22 paragraph two, and there is, during that period, no President of the Privy Council or the President of the Privy Council is unable to perform duties, the remaining Privy Councillors shall elect one among themselves to act as the President of the Privy Council or to be or to act as Regent under section 18 paragraph one or paragraph two or section 22 paragraph two, as the case may be.

Section 80 states: 

The President of the House of Representatives is President of the National Assembly. The President of the Senate is Vice-President of the National Assembly. In the case where there is no President of the House of Representatives, or the President of the House of Representatives is not present or is unable to perform his or her duties, the President of the Senate shall act as President of the National Assembly in his or her place. In the period where the President of the Senate has to act as the President of the National Assembly under paragraph two but there is no President of the Senate, and where such a case occurs when there is no House of Representatives, the Vice-President of the Senate shall act as the President of the National Assembly. If there is no Vice-President of the Senate, the Senator who is the oldest at the time shall act as the President of the National Assembly, and the President of the Senate shall expeditiously be elected. The President of the National Assembly shall have the duties and powers in accordance with the Constitution and shall conduct the proceedings of the National Assembly at joint sittings in accordance with the rules of procedure. The President of the National Assembly and the person who acts as President of the National Assembly in his or her place shall be impartial in the performance of duties. The Vice-President of the National Assembly shall have the duties and powers in accordance with the Constitution and as entrusted by the President of the National Assembly.

Section 96 states: 

A person under any of the following prohibitions on the election day shall be the person who is prohibited from exercising the right to vote:

(4) being of unsound mind or of mental infirmity 

Section 119 states: 

The President of the House of Representatives and the President of the Senate shall have the powers and duties to carry out the business of each House in accordance with its rules of procedure. The Vice-presidents have the powers and duties as entrusted by the President and act on behalf of the President when the President is not present or unable to perform his duties. The President of the House of Representatives, the President of the Senate and the persons who act on behalf of the President shall be impartial in the performance of duties. When the President and the Vice-Presidents of the House of Representatives or the President and the Vice-Presidents of the Senate are not present at any sitting, the members of each House shall elect one among themselves to preside over such sitting.

Excerpt from the Constitution of the King of Thailand (2017) 

Back to Top

Section 27 states:

All persons are equal before the law, and shall have rights and liberties and be protected equally under the law. Men and women shall enjoy equal rights. Unjust discrimination against a person on the grounds of differences in origin, race, language, sex, age, disability, physical or health condition, personal status, economic and social standing, religious belief, education, or political view which is not contrary to the provisions of the Constitution or on any other grounds, shall not be permitted. Measures determined by the State in order to eliminate an obstacle to or to promote a person’s ability to exercise their rights or liberties on the same basis as other persons or to protect or facilitate children, women, the elderly, persons with disabilities or underprivileged persons shall not be deemed as unjust discrimination under paragraph three. Members of the armed forces, police force, government officials, other officials of the State, and officers or employees of State organisations shall enjoy the same rights and liberties as those enjoyed by other persons, except those restricted by law specifically in relation to politics, capacities, disciplines or ethics.

Excerpt from the Constitution of the King of Thailand (2017) 

Back to Top

Section 16 states:

Whenever the King is absent from the Kingdom or unable to perform His functions for any reason whatsoever, the King may or may not appoint one person or several persons forming a council as Regent. In the case where a Regent is appointed, the President of the National Assembly shall countersign the Royal Command therefor.

Section 17 states: 

In the case where the King does not appoint a Regent under section 16 or is unable to appoint a Regent owing to His not being sui juris or any other reason, but the Privy Council is of the opinion that it is necessary to appoint a Regent and is unable to inform the King to make an appointment in due course, the Privy Council shall propose the name of one person or several persons forming a council sequentially from those determined in advance by the King to be Regent and notify the President of the National Assembly to make an announcement, in the name of the King, to appoint such person as Regent.

Section 18 states: 

While there is no Regent under section 17, the President of the Privy Council shall be Regent pro tempore. In the case where the Regent appointed under section 16 or section 17 is unable to perform his or her duties, the President of the Privy Council shall act as Regent pro tempore. While being Regent under paragraph one or acting as Regent under paragraph two, the President of the Privy Council shall not perform his or her duties as President of the Privy Council. In such case, the Privy Council. 

Section 22 states:

Pending the proclamation of the name of the Heir or the Successor to the Throne under section 21, the President of the Privy Council shall be Regent pro tempore. However, if the Throne becomes vacant while the Regent has been appointed under section 16 or section 17 or while the President of the Privy Council is the Regent under section18 paragraph one, such Regent, as the case may be, shall continue to be the Regent until the proclamation of the name of the Heir or the Successor to ascend the Throne as King. In the case where the Regent who has been appointed and continues to be the Regent under paragraph one is unable to perform his or her duties, the President of the Privy Council shall act as Regent pro tempore.

Section 23 states:

In the case where the Privy Council has to perform its duties under section 17 or section 21 paragraph two, or the President of the Privy Council has to be or act as Regent under section 18 paragraph one or paragraph two or section 22 paragraph two, and there is, during that period, no President of the Privy Council or the President of the Privy Council is unable to perform duties, the remaining Privy Councillors shall elect one among themselves to act as the President of the Privy Council or to be or to act as Regent under section 18 paragraph one or paragraph two or section 22 paragraph two, as the case may be.

Section 80 states: 

The President of the House of Representatives is President of the National Assembly. The President of the Senate is Vice-President of the National Assembly. In the case where there is no President of the House of Representatives, or the President of the House of Representatives is not present or is unable to perform his or her duties, the President of the Senate shall act as President of the National Assembly in his or her place. In the period where the President of the Senate has to act as the President of the National Assembly under paragraph two but there is no President of the Senate, and where such a case occurs when there is no House of Representatives, the Vice-President of the Senate shall act as the President of the National Assembly. If there is no Vice-President of
the Senate, the Senator who is the oldest at the time shall act as the President of the National Assembly, and the President of the Senate shall expeditiously be elected. The President of the National Assembly shall have the duties and powers in accordance with the Constitution and shall conduct the proceedings of the National Assembly at joint sittings in accordance with the rules of procedure. The President of the National Assembly and the person who acts as President of the National Assembly in his or her place shall be impartial in the performance of duties. The Vice-President of the National Assembly shall have the duties and powers in accordance with the Constitution and as entrusted by the President of the National Assembly.

Section 119 states: 

The President of the House of Representatives and the President of the Senate shall have the powers and duties to carry out the business of each House in accordance with its rules of procedure. The Vice-presidents have the powers and duties as entrusted by the President and act on behalf of the President when the President is not present or unable to perform his duties. The President of the House of Representatives, the President of the Senate and the persons who act on behalf of the President shall be impartial in the performance of duties. When the President and the Vice-Presidents of the House of Representatives or the President and the Vice-Presidents of the Senate are not present at any sitting, the members of each House shall elect one among themselves to preside over such sitting.

Excerpt from the Constitution of the King of Thailand (2017)