Section 8. The King shall be enthroned in a position of revered worship and shall.No person shall expose the King to any sort of accusation or action.
Section 9. The King is a Buddhist and Upholder of religions.
Section 10. The King holds the position of Head of the Thai Armed Forces.
Section 11. The King has the prerogative to create titles and confer decorations.
Section 12. The King selects and appoints qualified persons to be the President of the Privy Council and not more than eighteen eighteen Privy Councillors to constitute the Privy Council. The Privy Council has a duty to render such advice to the King on all matters pertaining to His functions as He may consult, and has other duties as provided in this Constitution.
Section 13. The selection and appointment or the removal of a Privy Councillor shall depend entirely upon the King's pleasure. The President of the National Assembly shall countersign the Royal Command appointing or removing the President of the Privy Council. The President of the Privy council shall countersign the Royal Command appointing or removing other Privy Councillors.
Section 14. A Privy Councillor shall not be a member of the House of Representatives, senator, Election Commissioner, Ombudsman, member of the National Human Rights Commission, judge of the Constitutional Court, judge of an Administrative Court, member of the National Counter Corruption Commission, member of the State Audit Council,Government official holding Government official holding a permanent position or receiving a salary, official of a State enterprise, other State of ficialor holder of other position of member or official of a political party, and must not manifest loyalty to any political party.
Section 15. Before
taking office, a Privy Councillor shall make a solemn declaration
before the King in the following words I, (name of the declarer), do solemnly
declare that I will be loyal to His Majesty the King and will faithfully perform
my duties in the interests of the country and of the people.
I will also uphold
and observe the Constitution of the Kingdom of Thailand in every respect.
Section 16. A Privy Councillor vacates office upon death, resignation or removal by a Royal Command.
Section 17. The appointment and removal of officials of the Royal Household and of the Royal Chief Aide-de-Camp shall depend entirely upon the King's pleasure.
Section 18. Whenever the King is absent from the Kingdom unable to perform His functions for any reason whatsoever, the King will appoint a person Regent, and the President of the National Assembly shall countersign the Royal Command therefor.
Section 19.
In the case where the King does not appoint a Regent
under section 18, or the King is unable to appoint a Regent owing to His not
being sui juris or any other reason whatsoever, the Privy Council shall submit
the name of a person suitable to hold the office of Regent to the National Assembly
for approval.
Upon approval by the National Assembly, the President of National
Assembly shall make an announcement, in the name of the King, to appoint such
person as Regent.
During the expiration the term of the House of
Representatives or the dissolution thereof, the Senate shall act as the National
Assembly in giving an approval under paragraph one.
Section 20. While there is no Regent under section 18 or section
19, the President of the Privy Council shall be Regent
In the case where the Regent appointed under section
18 or section 19 is unable to perform his or her duties, the President of the
Privy Council shall act as Regent pro tempore.
While being Regent under paragraph one or acting
as Regent under paragraph two, the President of the Privy Council shall not
perform his or her duties as President of the Privy Council.
In such case,the Privy Council shall select a Privy Councillor
to act as President of the Privy Council pro tempore.
Section 21.
Before taking office, the Regent appointed undersection 18
or section 19 shall make a solemn declaration before the National Assembly in
the following words:
quot;I, (name of the declarer), do solemnly declare
that I will be to His Majesty the King (name of the King) and will faithfully
perform my duties in the interests of the country and of the people. I will
also uphold and observe the Constitution of the Kingdom of Thailand in every
respect.
During the expiration of the term of the House of
Representatives or the dissolution thereof, the Senate shall act as the National
Assembly under this section.
Section 22. Subject to section 23, the succession to the Throne
shall be in accordance with the Palace Law on Succession, B.E. 2467.
The Amendment of the Palace Law on Succession, B.E. 2467 shall
be the prerogative of the King. At the initiative of the King,the Privy Council
shall draft the Palace Law Amendment and shall present it to the King for his
consideration. When the King has already approved the draft Palace Law Amendment
and put His signature thereon, the President of the Privy Council shall notify
the President of the National Assembly for informing the National Assembly.
The President of the National Assembly shall countersign the
Royal Command,and the Palace Law Amendment shall have the force of law upon
its publication in the Government Gazette.
During the expiration of the term of the House
of Representatives or the dissolution thereof, the Senate shall act as the National
Assembly in acknowledging the matter under paragraph two.
Section 23.
In the case where the Throne becomes vacant and the King has
already appointed His Heir to the Throne under the Palace Law on Succession,
B.E. 2467, the Council of Ministers shall notify the President of the National
Assembly. The President of the National Assembly shall convoke the National
Assembly for the acknowledgement thereof, and the President of the National
Assembly shall invite such Heir to ascend the Throne and proclaim such Heir
King.
In the case where the Throne becomes vacant and
the King has not appointed His Heir under paragraph one, the Privy Council shall
submit the name of the Successor to the Throne under section 22 to the Council
of Ministers for further submission to the National Assembly for approval. For
this purpose, the name of a Princess may be submitted. Upon the approval of
the National Assembly, the President of the National Assembly shall invite such
Successor to ascend the Throne and proclaim such Successor King.
During the expiration of the term of the House
of Representatives or the dissolution thereof, the Senate shall act as the National
Assembly in acknowledging the matter under paragraph one or in giving an approval
under paragraph two.
Section 24.
Pending the proclamation of the name of the Heir or
the Successor to the Throne under section 23, the President of the Privy Council
shall be Regent pro tempore.In the case where the Throne becomes vacant while
the Regent has been appointed under section 18 or section 19 or while the President
of the Privy Council is acting as Regent under section 20 paragraph one, such
Regent, as the case may be, shall continue to be the Regent until the proclamation
of the name of the Heir or the Successor to ascend the Throne as King.In the
case where the Regent who has been appointed and continues to be the Regent
under paragraph one is unable to perform his or her duties, the President of
the Privy council shall act as Regent pro tempore.
In the case where the President of the Privy Council
is the Regent under paragraph one or acts as Regent pro tempore under paragraph
two, the provisions of section 20 paragraph three shall apply.
Section 25. In the case where the Privy Council will have to performits duties under section 19 or section 23 paragraph two, or the President of the Privy Council will have to perform his or her duties under section 20 paragraph one or paragraph two or section 24 paragraph two, and during that time there is no President of the Privy Council or the President of the Privy Council is unable to perform his or her duties, the remaining Privy Councillors shall elect one among themselves to act as President of the Privy Council or to perform the duties under section 20 paragraph one or paragraph two or section 24 paragraph three, as the case may be.
1. More on Constitution of the kingdom of Thailand, B.E. 2540 :CHAPTER I - General Provisions 1-7
CHAPTER II - Amendment of the Constitution 8-25
CHAPTER III - Rights and Liberties of the Thai People 26-65
CHAPTER IV - Duties of the Thai People 66-70
CHAPTER V - Directive Principles of Fundamental State Policies 71-89
CHAPTER VI - The National Assembly
Part 1 General Provisions 90-97
Part 2 The House of Representatives 98-120
Part 3 The Senate 121-135
Part 4 Election Commission 136-148
Part 5 Provisions Applicable to both Houses 149-192
Part 6 Joint Sittings of the National Assembly 193-195
Part 7 Ombudsmen 196-198
Part 8 The National Human Rights Commission 199-200
CHAPTER VII - The Council of Ministers 201-212
CHAPTER VIII The Courts
Part 1 General Provisions 233-254
Part 2 Constitutional Court 255-270
Part 3 Courts of Justice 271-275
Part 4 Administrative Courts 276-280
Part 5 Military Courts 281
CHAPTER IX Local Government 282-290
CHAPTER X Inspection of the Exercise of State Power
Part 1 Declaration of Accounts Showing Particulars of Assets and Liabilities 291-296
Part 2 The National Counter Corruption Commission 297-302
Part 3 The Removal from Office 303-307
Part 4 Criminal Proceedings Against Persons Holding Political Positions 308-311
CHAPTER XII Amendment of the Constitution Transitory Provisions 313