New Senate Election Date Set For March 2

[sriracha john]

Election Commission ready for Senate poll on March 2

The Election Commission (EC) is ready to hold a Senate election on March 2. EC chairman Apichart Sukhagganond said the new government will be asked to issue a royal decree for the Senate selection and election. The new constitution calls for 150 senators, 76 elected and 74 selected by a seven-member committee. The 74 appointed senators will come from various sectors including academia, government and business. Mr Apichart said the EC will today hold a meeting of the senate selection committee to work out a plan. Because the post of Constitution Court President was vacant, the Supreme Court President would chair the committee instead, he said.

Continued here:

http://www.bangkokpost.net/News/26Dec2007_news12.php

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Poll Panel Sets March 2nd for Senate Election

The Election Commission (EC) announced yesterday to organize a Senate election on March 2, 2008.

According to EC chairman Apichart Sukhagganond, the commission would ask the new government to issue a royal decree for the selection and election of Senators.

Apichart said the seven-member “Senate-selection” committee would choose 74 senators, as the remaining 76 would be elected by the public, given the fact that the interim constitution only allows 150 senators for the Upper House.

As governed by the Constitution, the committee consists of the Constitution Court President, who serves as the Committee Chairman, the EC Chairman, Chairman of the Office of the Auditor General, ombudsman, National Counter Corruption Commission (NCCC) President and representatives from the Supreme Court and Supreme Administrative Court.

The committee would select qualified individuals for the 74 appointed Senate posts from several sectors including, government, academics and business.

The EC Chief confirmed that the commission will hold a meeting today with the senate selection committee to discuss its overall plan for the selection process.

The committee would be chaired by the Supreme Court President instead since the post of Constitution Court President is currently vacant, said Apichart.

- Thailand Outlook

[sriracha john]

The senatorial race scheduled for March 2

The Election Commission has set March 2 for the senatorial election and the selection process for appointed senators is to commence on Wednesday.

Under the new electoral system for 150 seats in the upper chamber, 76 will be elected via direct voting. Each elected senator would represent one province.

For the remaining 74 seats, a panel, comprising representatives from the courts and independent organisations set up by organic laws, will select candidates nominated by various professional groups. The Election Commission is in charge of soliciting the nominations as well as drawing up the panel's list of successful candidates for appointed seats.

- The Nation

Edited December 26, 2007 by sriracha john

[sriracha john]

Next job: the Senate

The process of selecting 74 senators will begin on January 2 and the results will be announced by February 21. This was the outcome of a meeting yesterday of the selection committee, as stipulated by the new constitution.

The selection committee is made up of representatives from seven organisations. It includes Election Commission head Apichart Sukhagganond; Teeradej Meepian, Chief of the Ombudsman's Office; Virat Limvichai, President of Supreme Court and Acting President of the Constitution Court; Panthep Klanarongran, Chairman of the National Counter Corruption Commission; Khunying Jaruwan Maintaka, on behalf of the Asset Examination Commission.

Virat was elected chairman of the selection committee.

Nominations for the 74 appointed senators will be accepted from January 3 to 17.

Suthiphol Thaweechaikarn, Secretary of the Election Commission (EC), reiterated that only organisations with legally recognised status could endorse a candidate for consideration. These include professional organisations, NGOs, state organisations and more, but they all must have been registered for no less than three years and must not be profit-making.

Each organisation could only submit one name as a candidate and the seven-person selection committee would consider various expertise, experience, gender and age balance. They would also ensure that the socially underprivileged would be considered.

Five subcommittees would be set up, said Suthiphol, and would include a public relations subcommittee to inform the public about the process.

The system differs from those under the 1997 charter, whereby all senators were elected. Under the 2007 constitution, 74 will be selected and appointed, while 76 - one from each province - would be elected.

There were concerns about the large pool of candidates likely to be submitted but Suthiphol said he was not too worried.

Bona fide candidates must, under Article 128 of Election of MPs and Selection and Election of Senators Law, have a record of working for the organisation that nominates them.

Anyone opposed to any selection after the announcement can petition the Supreme Court, which will have a year to consider such cases.

The Election Commission has set March 2 for the Senate election. Under the new system, 76 of the 150 seats in the upper chamber will be elected via direct voting. Each elected senator will represent one province.

For the remaining 74 seats, a panel, made up of representatives from the courts and independent organisations set up by organic laws, will select candidates nominated by various professional groups.

- The Nation

[sriracha john]

Big money for polls

The Election Commission (EC) has earmarked Bt1.8 billion to organise the election of 76 senators and to select the 74 who are to be appointed.

"The preparations will focus on publicity to raise awareness about the new electoral system and the nomination process for senatorial candidates," EC secretary-general Suthiphon Thaveechaigarn said yesterday.

For the appointed senators, professional groups will be invited to submit the names of candidates on January 13 to 17 at the EC's headquarters.

An EC panel will vet candidates credentials before forwarding the names to a selection panel led by Supreme Court President Virat Limvichai. The panel will then appoint the 74 senators. For the elected seats, the poll has been scheduled for March 6.

- The Nation

[HobbsTheFerociousTiger]

The new constitution calls for 150 senators, 76 elected and 74 selected by a seven-member committee.

What a wonderful new constitution the military and aristocracy gave the nation, eh?

Quote: "Vote for it suckers, or you will get the other constitution that I hold behind my back.....!"

Edited December 28, 2007 by HobbsTheFerociousTiger

[sriracha john]

More than 700 senatorial candidates vying for 74 appointed seats

Some 100 organisations rushed to submit the names of their senatorial candidates on Wednesday, the last day for the nominations of appointed seats, bringing up the total of candidates to more than 700.

The seven-member selection panel will shortlist about 148 candidates before finalising the list of 74 nominees for appointment.

For the 76 elected senators, the Election Commission will start the candidacy registration between Monday and Friday for the March 3 race.

[Jai Dee]

This topic continues here in the News Forum.

/Closed.