Proposal to directly elect PM in Thailand rejected

A proposal to directly elect the prime minister and cabinet members in Thailand was rejected by the country's Constitution Drafting Committee (CDC) Tuesday.

The CDC decided to maintain the parliamentary system in Thailand, in which the prime minister is chosen by the elected members of parliament (MPs), according to CDC Vice Chairman, Suchit Bunbongkarn, Xinhua reported, citing the Bangkok Post.

It is not yet necessary to shift to an unfamiliar system, as the long-established parliamentary system could still help in solving election-related problems, Suchit said.

The proposal was earlier endorsed by the Political Reform Committee under the National Reform Council.

In a related development, Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam said Tuesday that Thailand would have a general election in February 2016, at the earliest.

However, if a referendum is to be held on the new constitution, the election would likely be delayed to May 2016, Wissanu added.