Abstract
Subject Constitutional reform. Significance The military government on March 29 released the final draft of the new constitution; the junta-picked National Legislative Assembly (NLA) subsequently scheduled a national referendum on the charter on August 7. The NLA has also added a question to the referendum, on whether the fully appointed Senate would join the House of Representatives in selecting a new prime minister. This addition would strengthen the military's role in governance even further than that proposed in the draft charter. Impacts The prospect of open-ended military rule will widen the rift between Bangkok and the West, creating scope for deeper Thailand-China ties. For both security and economic reasons Japan will deepen ties with Thailand; Washington will not object. New restrictions on foreign media, and the economy's lacklustre performance, will erode Thailand's standing as a regional hub.
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