Thai legislature approves king’s charter change request

By Arun Saronchai

BANGKOK (AA) - Thailand's military-appointed legislative assembly approved Friday constitutional amendment requests made by the office of the country’s new king.

Among the requests made by the Royal Office was the ability for the monarch to travel abroad without having to appoint a regent to rule in his stead.

King Maha Vajiralongkorn, 64, recently ascended to the Thai throne following the October death of his father -- the highly revered King Bhumibol Adulyadej -- under a military government that seized power in a May 2014 coup and abolished the country’s previous constitution.

He has spent much of his adult life abroad and travels frequently to Germany where he has a home.

The National Legislative Assembly voted 228-0 with three abstentions in favor of the motion Friday.

Additional changes to the draft constitution will have to be made within 30 days by the cabinet.

Analysts have said that the changes would likely push back the first planned election since the 2014 coup from late 2017 to 2018.

The draft charter that was approved in a referendum last August had required that a regent serve whenever the king is absent from Thailand.

If the king did not name a regent, the president of the Privy Council -- an advisory body to the king -- would have automatically become regent pro tempore.