The government would submit the completed constitution for royal endorsement by November 9, Wissanu said.

Following the Constitution Drafting Commission’s submission of the charter to the government on Tuesday, Wissanu said the government had 30 days to review the draft before seeking royal endorsement, which could take place within 90 days to enact the constitution.

Wissanu said there would be solutions to any problems that arose, although he did not provide any details as to what those solutions would be, and asked people not to make assumptions about the process.

The road map remained unchanged and an election could still be anticipated next year, he added.

People should not be pessimistic because everything was following the government’s plan, Wissanu said. However, when asked if there was a chance the road map could be changed, the deputy prime minister declined to answer, saying he did not want any more trouble.

The constitution will be written down in three ancient palm-leaf books, which will be gilded and stamped with the Garuda emblem, Wissanu said. The books will then be signed by officials from the Bureau of Royal Scribe and Royal Decorations and the Secretariat of the Cabinet before being submitted for royal endorsement.

In a related development, Pornpetch Vichitcholchai, president of the National Legislative Assembly (NLA), said the arrival of the new 33 NLA members was good timing because the assembly needed to expedite several laws following the promulgation of the new charter.

He added that NLA members would not sit in the next Senate during the transitional period of five years, although its members would be appointed to support the Parliament including in the selection of a prime minister if there is a deadlock.

NLA members who want to sit in the next Senate must resign from their current posts 90 days before the constitution is enacted, according to the new charter.

In response to criticism that there are now more military officers than civilians in the NLA, Pornpetch said the members are specialists who work for the people’s interests and could help raise their problems for the assembly’s consideration.

The NLA’s role also involves reform plans and security, so military officers could contribute, he added.

The 33 new NLA members will start working today, Pornpetch said. For people who view the body as undemocratic, he responded that the assembly was asking for only one more year before a general election takes place.