The 45-member panel tasked to examine the charter amendment bills on Wednesday convened its first meeting and elected the ruling Pheu Thai Party MP Samart Kaewmechai as the chairman.

The panel consists of 10 senators and 35 members of lower house from both ruling and opposition parties and would complete its work within 30 days before the second and third readings to pave the way for the formation of the Constitution Drafting Assembly ( CDA).

There were three different bills submitted by the government, the ruling Pheu Thai Party and its coalition partner Chartthaipattana Party.

All three bills proposed the amendment to Section 291 of the 2007 constitution, each seeking to set up CDA, but with different number of members and different selection process.

The 2007 constitution was drafted after a 2006 coup that ousted Thaksin Shinawatra from power.

The Pheu Thai Party headed by Thaksin's sister Yingluck came to power last year.