CHAPTER II. THE KING
Section 6
The King shall be enthroned in a position of revered worship and shall not be violated.
No person shall expose the King to any sort of accusation or action.
Section 7
The King is a Buddhist and Upholder of religions.
Section 8
The King holds the position of Head of the Thai Armed Forces.
Section 9
The King has the Royal Prerogative to create and remove titles, and confer and revoke decorations.
Section 10
The King selects and appoints qualified persons to be the President of the Privy Council and not more than eighteen Privy Councillors to constitute the Privy Council.
The Privy Council has the duty to render advice to the King on all matters pertaining to His functions as He may consult, and has other duties as provided by the Constitution.
Section 11
The selection and appointment or the removal of a Privy Councillor shall be at 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 12
A Privy Councillor shall not be a Member of the House of Representatives, a Senator, a person holding any other political position, a judge of the Constitutional Court, a person holding a position in an Independent Organ, an official of a State enterprise, another State official or a member or official of a political party or a government official other than an official of the Royal Household holding a position of Privy Councillor, and shall not manifest loyalty to any political party.
Section 13
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 14
A Privy Councillor vacates office upon death, resignation or removal by Royal Command.
Section 15
The appointment and removal of officials of the Royal Household shall be at the King’s pleasure.
The organisation and personnel administration of the Royal Household shall be at the King’s pleasure, as provided by Royal Decree.
Section 16
Whenever the King is absent from the Kingdom or unable to perform His functions for any reason whatsoever, the King may or may not appoint one person or several persons forming a council as Regent. In the case where a Regent is appointed, the President of the National Assembly shall countersign the Royal Command therefor.
Section 17
In the case where the King does not appoint a Regent under section 16 or is unable to appoint a Regent owing to His not being sui juris or any other reason whatsoever, but the Privy Council is of the opinion that it is necessary to appoint a Regent and is unable to inform the King to make an appointment in due course, the Privy Council shall propose the name of one person or several persons forming a council sequentially from those determined in advance by the King to be Regent and notify the President of the National Assembly to make an announcement, in the name of the King, to appoint such person as Regent.
Section 18
While there is no Regent under section 16 or section 17, the President of the Privy Council shall be Regent pro tempore.
In the case where the Regent appointed under section 16 or section 17 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 elect one Privy Councillor to act as President of the Privy Council pro tempore.
Section 19
Before taking office, the Regent appointed under section 16 or section 17 shall make a solemn declaration before the National Assembly in the following words:
“I, (name of the declarer), do solemnly declare that I will be loyal to His Majesty the King (name of the King) and will faithfully perform my duties in the interests of the State and the people. I will also uphold and observe the Constitution of the Kingdom of Thailand in every respect.”
A Regent who has previously been appointed and made the solemn declaration need not make the solemn declaration again.
Section 20
Subject to section 21, the succession to the Throne shall be in accordance with the Palace Law on Succession, B.E. 2467 (1924).
The Amendment to the Palace Law on Succession, B.E. 2467 (1924) shall specifically be the Royal Prerogative of the King. At the initiative of the King, the Privy Council shall prepare the draft Palace Law Amendment to the existing Palace Law and shall present it to the King for His consideration. When the King has already approved the draft Palace Law Amendment and bestowed His signature thereon, the President of the Privy Council shall notify the President of the National Assembly who shall inform the National Assembly. The President of the National Assembly shall countersign the Royal Command. The Palace Law Amendment shall have force of law upon its publication in the Government Gazette.
Section 21
In the case where the Throne becomes vacant and the King has already appointed an Heir to the Throne under the Palace Law on Succession, B.E. 2467(1924), the Council of Ministers shall notify the President of the National Assembly. The President of the National Assembly shall convoke the National Assembly for acknowledgement thereof, and shall invite such Heir to ascend the Throne and proclaim such Heir as King.
In the case where the Throne becomes vacant and the King has not appointed an Heir under paragraph one, the Privy Council shall submit the name of the Successor to the Throne under section 20 to the Council of Ministers for further submission to the National Assembly for approval. In this regard, 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 as King.
Section 22
Pending the proclamation of the name of the Heir or the Successor to the Throne under section 21, the President of the Privy Council shall be Regent pro tempore. However, if the Throne becomes vacant while the Regent has been appointed under section 16 or section 17 or while the President of the Privy Council is the Regent under section 18 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 the Regent pro tempore under paragraph two, the provisions of section 18 paragraph three shall apply.
Section 23
In the case where the Privy Council has to perform its duties under section 17 or section 21 paragraph two, or the President of the Privy Council has to be or act as Regent under section 18 paragraph one or paragraph two or section 22 paragraph two, and there is, during that period, no President of the Privy Council or the President of the Privy Council is unable to perform duties, the remaining Privy Councillors shall elect one among themselves to act as the President of the Privy Council or to be or to act as Regent under section 18 paragraph one or paragraph two or section 22 paragraph two, as the case may be.
Section 24
The making of a solemn declaration before the King under the Constitution or law may, by the King’s assent, be made before the Heir to the Throne who is sui juris or before a representative of the King.
While a solemn declaration has not yet been made under paragraph one, the King may allow the person who has to make such solemn declaration to perform duties for the time being.
