Parliament passes two-ballot electoral system by overwhelming majority

[webfact]

 

A joint parliamentary session on Friday passed the proposed two-ballot electoral system, by an overwhelming 472 votes to 33, in the third and final reading of the only constitutional amendment draft accepted out of 13 submitted.

 

23 MPs and 149 Senators voted in favour, with 23 MPs and 10 senators voting against. 121 MPs and 66 senators abstained.

 

The newly accepted amendment, pending royal endorsement, seeks to change the 350 constituency MPs and 150 Party List MPs ratio to 400:100.

 

Full story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/parliament-passes-two-ballot-electoral-system-by-overwhelming-majority/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2021-09-10

 

- Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you

- Follow ASEAN NOW on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

[chickenslegs]

Am I reading this right?

The majority of elected MPs abstained but the amendment was passed by a majority of unelected senators (mostly appointed by the unelected PM - who was appointed by a majority of unelected senators).

 

[jacko45k]

1 minute ago, chickenslegs said:

Am I reading this right?

The majority of elected MPs abstained but the amendment was passed by a majority of unelected senators (mostly appointed by the unelected PM - who was appointed by a majority of unelected senators).

 

I guess had they voted against it would not have passed.....presumably how they wanted it.

Do all votes count equal?

[jacko45k]

32 minutes ago, webfact said:

, by an overwhelming 472 votes to 33,

I make it 23+149 for and 23/10 against (MPs,+ Senators)  ie 172 for and 33 against....how does that make a 472/33 result? Abstentions count as what?

I suspect a typo... 149 should be 449 or I demand a recount.

Edited September 10, 2021 by jacko45k

[Upnotover]

8 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

I make it 23+149 for and 23/10 against (MPs,+ Senators)  ie 182 for and 33 against....how does that make a 472/33 result? Abstentions count as what?

I suspect a typo... 149 should be 449 or I demand a recount.

Well I make 23+149 = 172.  You got that calculator from TAT?

[jacko45k]

4 minutes ago, Upnotover said:

Well I make 23+149 = 172.  You got that calculator from TAT?

No I got my head from a TxAT... corrected..... still doesn't make 472.

[samtam]

Two ballot, single ballot doesn't really make any difference to the outcome; the existing government will continue to rule ad nauseam.

[ubonjoe]

1 hour ago, jacko45k said:

I make it 23+149 for and 23/10 against (MPs,+ Senators)  ie 172 for and 33 against....how does that make a 472/33 result? Abstentions count as what?

I suspect a typo... 149 should be 449 or I demand a recount.

It should be 323 MPs and 149 senators according to another news source.

[Eric Loh]

42 minutes ago, samtam said:

Two ballot, single ballot doesn't really make any difference to the outcome; the existing government will continue to rule ad nauseam.

It make ton of difference. Single ballot voters will vote for the candidates and simultaneously the votes for that candidate party will get the party-list seats. The junta used this system to get many small size parties as party-list winners and they are allies to junta’s party and won them the last election. 
 

The dual ballot permit voter to cast 2 separate votes for candidate and party list. More democratic and big disadvantage to the PPRP election chances. 
 

The upper house voting for this bill is a surprise. Only 10 senators voted against the bill. The junta appointed 194 senators out of 250 and most were military personnel. 6 senators were reserved for the military top brass. Seem the lopsided voting for the bill is an endorsement of military senators against Prayut. His days are numbered. 

 

[hotchilli]

The outcome will still be the same... no change at the ballot.

[zzaa09]

25 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

The outcome will still be the same... no change at the ballot.

Indeed.

Why should we bother with an election when it's all a bit of a sham anyway. 

[1duckyboy]

It took weeks after the last general election until results were announced and I thought then the process couldn't more undecipherable, until now.

[candide]

22 hours ago, Eric Loh said:

It make ton of difference. Single ballot voters will vote for the candidates and simultaneously the votes for that candidate party will get the party-list seats. The junta used this system to get many small size parties as party-list winners and they are allies to junta’s party and won them the last election. 
 

The dual ballot permit voter to cast 2 separate votes for candidate and party list. More democratic and big disadvantage to the PPRP election chances. 
 

The upper house voting for this bill is a surprise. Only 10 senators voted against the bill. The junta appointed 194 senators out of 250 and most were military personnel. 6 senators were reserved for the military top brass. Seem the lopsided voting for the bill is an endorsement of military senators against Prayut. His days are numbered. 

 

There's another way to look at it. It's not only about two ballots. The number of constituency based MP has also been increased, so the new system favours big parties with local footprint, and PPP is now one of the two big parties. For me, the obvious victim is the move forward party, which has no significant local footprint.

 

Not to mention that the higher the number of ballots, the easier it is to cheat.

Edited September 11, 2021 by candide

[crazykopite]

That’s no surprise it was always going to be passed more brown envelopes I presume 

[zzaa09]

7 hours ago, 1duckyboy said:

It took weeks after the last general election until results were announced and I thought then the process couldn't more undecipherable, until now.

You'll be remembering, the process of dissolving and outlawing opposition parties is not what it use to be. Requires a little more diligence and criminal manipulation.

This next so called election should be a breeze -