Parliamentary Secretary Clarifies Rejection of 6 October Legacy Bill
The House of Representatives Secretary-General has clarified that the rejection of a public-led bill regarding the 6 October legacy was decided by the Second Deputy Speaker, not the Speaker, citing procedural non-compliance.
On November 9, 2026, Siroj Phaetphan, Secretary-General of the House of Representatives, addressed reports concerning the rejection of a draft bill aimed at repealing the National Administrative Reform Council Order No. 41. The bill, which gathered nearly 60,000 signatures from eligible voters, was not accepted for parliamentary consideration. Siroj clarified that the decision was made by the Second Deputy Speaker of the House, rather than the Speaker, based on a determination that the bill did not meet constitutional requirements. According to the Secretary-General, public-led legislative proposals are restricted to matters concerning rights, liberties, and state duties under the Constitution. Upon review, the Secretariat found that the draft bill focused on amending criminal code penalties, which conflicted with its stated title and principles, and failed to adhere to the required legal formatting for criminal code amendments. The Secretariat has reportedly coordinated with the 26 initial representatives who proposed the bill to address these issues. For residents and visitors, this development highlights the strict procedural requirements for public legislative initiatives in Thailand. While the current draft was rejected, the Secretariat indicated that the public remains free to resubmit a corrected version. Further developments regarding a potential resubmission or adjustments to the proposal remain to be confirmed.
