In a previous ISEAS Perspective, I have argued that Thailand's pro-coup entrenched royalists. distrust electoral democracy, politicians and rural-voters. The anti-rural voter discourse was. in fact central to the Yellow Shirt campaigns led by the People's Democratic Reform Council. (PDRC) and its predecessor the People's Alliance for Democracy. The coup is an opportunity for them to put construct a new political game where the electoral power of majority voters is. reduced. In late December 2014, members of the military-appointed Constitution Drafting. Committee (CDC) revealed that the new charter will allow for a non-elected Member of. Parliament to become prime minister. "We will not require the PM to be an MP or a member. of any political party ", said CDC spokesperson and a staunch anti-Thaksin royalist, Kamnoon. Sidhisaman. 2 The change, if it happens, will be a step backwards for Thai politics. According to the so-called People's Constitution of 1997, a prime minister must be an elected MP. It was one of the major demands made by democratic movements in the 1980s and 1990s, and. was aimed at preventing military interference in politics. The inclusion of this requirement in the 1997 constitution was considered a major advance of Thailand's democratization