(VOVworld) - The office of the new Thai King has requested changes to a draft constitution regarding royal powers, Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha said on Tuesday.

Thailand's King Maha Vajiralongkorn (Source: AP/VNA)

The request states that there are three or four issues that need fixing to ensure the King’s royal powers, the Prime Minister told reporters following a weekly cabinet meeting. The requested changes have nothing to do with the rights and freedom of the people, he added, without revealing which constitutional clauses are at issue. Mr. Prayuth said the government and military have agreed to make the requested changes. The Prime Minister said the process of changing the constitution will take up to three months because the government first needs to make changes to the current interim constitution before it can change the draft constitution.

Thailand's military-backed constitution is central to the junta's plan to hold a general election to return the country to democratic rule. It was approved in a referendum last year and has been awaiting the endorsement of King Maha Vajiralongkorn. Thailand’s military says the general election will be held at the end of this year, and Prime Minister Prayuth confirmed on Tuesday that this plan remains unchanged.