A constitutional referendum was held in Thailand on 7 August 2016. The charter offered semi-democracy and was seen to tighten military rule in Thailand. It was approved by 61% of voters with a 59% turnout. A second proposal for the next prime minister to be jointly elected by senators and MPs was also approved. The opposition groups to the constitution were barred from formally campaigning against it by the military government, while the military government actively campaigned for its adoption.

Constitutional drafting The primary difference between the 2016 constitution and the 2007 document was that the Senate would become a fully appointed chamber rather than a partially elected one during the 5-year "transitional period" stipulated in the charter. This was seen as an effort by the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) to retain influence once it has left office, as it will have the right to appoint the 250 members. The Senate would also be granted veto power over the House of Representatives on amending the constitution, and a Prime Minister will be allowed to be appointed from outside either house.

Conduct The NCPO banned criticism of the draft constitution and prohibited monitoring of the referendum. Activists against the document were arrested, detained, and prosecuted in military courts, whilst voters who expressed their intention to vote against the draft were also arrested and prosecuted by the military regime.

350,000 canvassers were scheduled to be trained by the Constitutional Drafting Committee to campaign for the constitution, approximately four per village.

Opinion polls

Draft constitution Fieldwork date(s)Polling firmSampleForAgainstUndecidedLead25-26 April 2016NIDA1,50035.87%11.93%52.20%10-11 May 2016NIDA1,50028.33%8.87%62.80%23-24 May 2016NIDA1,50032.07%8.67%59.26%6-7 June 2016NIDA1,50128.71%7.13%64.16%20-21 June 2016NIDA1,50025.40%6.33%68.27%28-29 June 2016NIDA1,50027.33%6.80%65.87%5-6 July 2016NIDA1,50026.33%6.20%67.47%12-13 July 2016NIDA1,50030.41%6.79%62.80%20-21 July 2016NIDA1,50032.27%5.93%61.80%25-26 July 2016NIDA1,50033.07%6.27%60.66%2-6 August 2016NIDA5,84976.87%18.68%4.45%

Election of the prime minister Fieldwork date(s)Polling firmSampleForAgainstUndecidedLead25-26 April 2016NIDA1,50038.20%26.27%35.53%10-11 May 2016NIDA1,50031.93%27.33%40.74%23-24 May 2016NIDA1,50029.20%21.93%48.87%6-7 June 2016NIDA1,50127.38%18.92%53.70%20-21 June 2016NIDA1,50026.40%17.27%56.33%28-29 June 2016NIDA1,50027.80%20.20%52.00%5-6 July 2016NIDA1,50024.87%17.60%57.53%12-13 July 2016NIDA1,50029.01%19.16%51.83%20-21 July 2016NIDA1,50029.40%21.13%49.47%25-26 July 2016NIDA1,50028.13%19.73%52.14%2-6 August 2016NIDA5,84958.35%38.26%3.39%

Results Turnout for the vote was at 59%. The vote was rejected in the pro-Thaksin Isan provinces and even more firmly in the three Muslim majority southern provinces.Thailand votes for a new constitution The Economist, 8 August 2016 The 'Yes' camp accounted for 61.4 per cent of the voter turn-out, while the 'No' faction garnered 38.6 per cent, with 94 per cent of the votes counted on the day after.

BBC reported that there are many cited reasons for the result, including repression on campaigning and criticizing the charter with only a few people that actually saw a copy. The drafters argued that it will address political corruption and help reform the country. Some trusted the military junta. Many voters were tired of endless political crisis and saw the charter as a way back to normality.

QuestionForAgainstInvalid/blankTotalRegisteredvotersTurnoutOutcomeVotes%Votes%Draft constitution16,820,40261.3510,598,03738.652,322,23829,740,67750,071,58959.40Election of the Prime Minister15,132,05058.0710,926,64841.933,681,979Source: Bangkok Post

By province ProvinceDraft ConstitutionElection of the Prime MinisterInvalid/blankTotal votesRegisteredvotersTurnoutForAgainstForAgainstVotes%Votes%Votes%Votes%Ang Thong70,95858.8449,64141.1663,37855.7450,32844.264,914131,503225,23158.39Ayutthaya216,27860.57140,80439.43195,62757.40145,17842.6014,380387,429632,90561.22Bangkok1,585,53369.22705,19530.781,482,72365.57778,72434.4336,3622,370,4774,450,22453.27Chai Nat93,96764.0552,73835.9582,99960.5554,07839.456,372161,692265,18360.97Chachoengsao204,13668.7992,61631.21185,92265.8596,44134.1510,494321,981540,44159.58Chanthaburi176,02974.7459,48525.26161,17171.4264,49228.587,918253,531412,68161.44Chonburi430,36176.45132,55423.55401,95773.46145,21526.5414,888595,6841,094,65454.42Kanchanaburi226,82568.71103,28831.29203,49664.98109,68335.0213,171360,497617,72558.36Lopburi205,61964.22114,52835.78183,27461.24116,01438.7613,533350,872593,47959.12Rayong 221,19678.6859,93221.32203,82575.1067,58424.907,569298,788515,66957.94Ratchaburi291,47575.3895,21424.62264,29871.97102,91228.0315,335419,344663,87263.17Nakhon Nayok76,56670.6331,83929.3768,83567.4233,27132.584,179118,267203,24058.19Nakhon Pathom271,39468.64124,01831.36248,40065.40131,41034.6013,869425,499704,73460.37Nonthaburi343,77167.37166,49032.63318,60763.80180,79736.2010,629532,690946,38456.29Pathum Thani278,26562.93163,91837.07256,93059.61174,08640.3911,518467,712845,40355.32Prachuap Khiri Khan186,36182.9338,35517.07174,57580.1843,14119.826,877239,154403,30659.30Prachinburi148,56769.0166,70130.99133,65265.7269,70134.287,140232,939371,22162.75Sa Kaeo156,95571.1663,61728.84140,68967.6967,15532.317,289239,070416,86657.35Saraburi193,68663.2794,22436.73176,08564.4297,24135.5812,012314,015490,05964.08Samut Prakan318,57165.50167,79834.50294,35562.15179,28037.8512,353513,725987,59752.02Samut Sakhon152,46572.0559,15927.95140,90168.8363,80631.177,031226,285405,57155.79Samut Songkhram62,94877.4018,38522.6057,81074.1020,21025.903,27788,744156,06656.86Sing Buri56,44658.6239,84041.3850,51055.5940,35944.4112,012314,015490,05964.08Suphan Buri223,11460.81143,79839.19198,54757.47146,93742.5314,294400,013668,90459.80Trat72,46979.4118,79020.5966,24575.7321,22924.273,01998,585169,00458.33Central Region6,551,37069.432,883,90730.576,017,60866.093,087,16533.91274,80010,050,98217,580,47057.17Chumphon208,06890.0423,0049.96196,29387.5128,02312.495,347244,052388,20362.87Krabi161,52083.9930,78716.01151,72581.1535,24118.855,086205,052330,77161.99Nakhon Sri Thammarat559,68988.0575,92711.95526,12385.9386,15814.0717,192677,4881,181,79357.33Narathiwat109,34836.04194,02063.96103,96935.38189,85864.6224,324342,255517,80366.10Pattani89,95235.02166,90064.9885,97634.33164,44965.6721,654291,370468,17362.24Phang Nga97,95284.2318,34415.7791,88681.4320,95218.573,280123,981197,70962.71Phatthalung213,90084.5539,08715.45199,19581.3845,59118.625,794269,040404,11166.58Phuket125,64388.0317,08111.97118,96985.5920,02214.413,181150,326274,40754.78Ranong64,23487.109,51212.9059,35884.1911,14515.812,24278,856131,37560.02Satun91,83570.2038,98629.8084,23767.1741,17432.834,472141,735224,01063.27Songkhla506,75282.26109,28317.74475,95980.26117,05219.7417,209656,6401,038,90463.21Surat Thani377,62887.2954,98012.71352,55884.2266,04815.7810,593457,921782,82058.50Trang250,64486.1940,17013.81233,94983.5446,08016.467,351310,797481,81964.50Yala81,75939.93122,98860.0777,96339.23120,79260.7715,025229,888351,13565.47Southern Region2,938,92475.75941,04924.252,758,16073.54992,58526.46142,7504,179,4016,773,03361.71Chiang Mai390,04645.92459,39954.08340,57742.63458,38457.3738,165933,4491,275,79873.17Chiang Rai249,68445.02304,97654.98211,33341.08303,06658.9225,524618,734914,75667.64Lampang193,75851.72180,86348.28167,96948.53178,12851.4717,663417,567624,43666.87Lamphun109,49548.08118,25851.9294,06744.87115,55555.1311,133254,511332,82276.47Phrae102,74546.21119,59453.7987,94442.71117,97357.298,027244,567374,77165.26Nan122,14252.83109,05747.17104,02848.32111,28251.689,137255,344385,64166.21Mae Hong Son69,43964.1838,75735.8259,69659.3240,93940.685,105121,282163,09674.36Tak160,67472.6960,37727.31142,08569.3762,73230.633,01998,585169,00458.33Uttaradit 124,35660.2781,98239.73108,94656.6583,36043.357,051225,105367,75261.21Phitsanulok 265,13668.96119,34831.04238,20765.02128,15634.9812,731415,539681,35860.99Kamphaeng Phet217,92671.8485,35428.14194,40068.2490,46531.7612,662334,102508,75865.67Nakhon Sawan289,39367.01142,47132.99258,56463.68147,48236.3216,970475,347836,01456.86Sukhothai188,60870.2579,59829.75166,41766.3284,51533.689,719294,051457,83764.23Phetchabun286,16369.20127,34230.80252,77165.70131,98134.3016,819457,013740,44361.72Phichit141,33065.3375,00034.67124,33561.6177,49038.397,910236,738429,91255.07Uthai Thani106,88474.7436,12325.2696,09671.3238,64828.684,954155,472256,68560.57Phayao109,40847.15122,64952.8593,65143.63121,00156.379,095258,004394,59565.38Northern Region3,020,30357.582,225,28542.422,644,99054.012,252,50945.99218,9445,788,0458,840,04865.48Amnat Charoen87,31454.6972,34645.3174,97649.8875,34450.124,811174,416291,11859.91Buriram365,04160.22241,10139.78317,34756.29246,43343.7122,846670,3001,199,59055.88Chaiyaphum204,05545.63243,14454.37174,99442.29238,82657.7116.867497,591885,07056.22Loei 158,39454.19133,89045.81135,05949.91135,52050.0911,185324,607492,94465.85Kalasin180,46545.03220,31754.97152,04740.81220,50159.1912,693441,164771,85157.16Khon Kaen333,80744.91409,45355.09291,65741.74407,01158.2625,062815,1911,419,10657.44Maha Sarakham172,39242.41234,14057.59147,29838.42236,10761.5812,706443,811764,98258.02Mukdahan56,54437.9992,28262.0147,84034.6390,31565.375,257165,547265,08862.45Nakhon Ratchasima730,98564.39404,26135.61649,05260.78418,78939.2217,192677,4881,181,79357.33Nakhon Phanom139,49747.23155,83052.77114,92041.96158,94958.048,326317,047542,91058.40Nong Bua Lamphu77,16739.75116,95860.2566,88336.70115,35063.306,202214,347390,37154.91Nong Khai86,55744.29108,87455.7174,92440.96108,00559.046,980215,259395,90254.37Roi Et 186,93135.98332,58764.02157,58732.12333,02367.8815,360564,7291,035,03654.56Sakhon Nakhon217,37247.89236,49752.11183,39142.74245,69957.2612,574495,262869,58156.95Sisaket244,49942.46331,31457.54205,00138.22331,35961.7823,297640,6661,116,54557.38Surin259,66849.22267,91750.78225,36445.09274,41154.9120,197580,2931,055,96454.95Ubon Ratchathani413,90154.77341,84845.23353,49349.83355,88550.1724,980832,2951,399,51859.47Udon Thani248,09240.66362,02359.34215,08437.51358,33862.4920,414669,9431,202,87855.70Yasothon81,27236.35142,28463.6569,32932.58143,45467.426,130243,093426,22457.03North Eastern Region 4,309,80548.664,547,77651.343,711,29244.684,594,38955.32299,7159,722,24916,878,00257.60Source: ECT

Aftermath The next task of the Constitutional Drafting Committee was to draw up organic laws governing the new political system. The military continued to stay in power past the royal succession, following the death of king Bhumibol. The draft constitution would undergo six changes at the request of the new king, Maha Vajiralongkorn, which expanded his powers, before being ratified on 6 April 2017.Thai King Signs Military-Backed Constitution, National Public Radio, April 6, 2017

Political parties were expected to dissolve themselves and reform, possibly ending up as smaller parties, as the new voting system made it harder for larger parties to win an overall majority and more likely for a coalition government to be formed.

Elections were eventually held in 2019, with the Phalang Pracharat Party, a pro-junta party, forming a coalition government. Prayut Chan-o-cha, prime minister and leader of the military government, was elected prime minister of the new government, with his nomination being possible because the new constitution allowed non-members of parliament to become prime minister.

The new government will be subject to supervision by the appointed Senate as well as other constitutional bodies. Impeachment of politicians has also become easier. Future governments are also required to adhere to the 20-year plan by the military.

The military is expected to remain a significant actor in Thai politics for many years.

See also August 2016 Thailand bombings

References