<p dir="ltr">The junta leader has announced that King Vajiralongkorn has asked for certain amendments of the constitution about the authorities of the King.</p> <p>On 10 January 2016, Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha, the junta leader and Prime Minister, announced that the King through his privy council requested for certain charges in the constitution, which was approved by the public referendum last year.</p>

<div> <div>New regulations on political parties have sparked debate over whether these will make parties more responsive to voters, or whether they will kill off many of Thailand’s current parties.&nbsp;</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>On 7 December 2016, the Constitution Drafting Committee published the first draft of the Organic Act on Elections, a reform of regulations on political parties that comes under the new junta-backed constitution. </div></div>