Possible crisis brewing over electoral reform bills as Minister says July 6th change cannot work

[webfact]

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Health Anutin Charnvirakul responded on Thursday to questions about the voting process for the next General Election raised by Minister of Justice Somsak Thepsutin (inset) who says the change to the proposed bills made on July 6th in a surprise move in parliament is not viable.

 

by Joseph O' Connor

 

On Thursday, in response to Minister Somsak’s warning about the viability of electoral reforms being put into practice, the Bhumjaithai Party leader Anutin Charnvirakul did not dismiss the concerns raised but suggested that he would win his seat as a constituency MP and that his party would work with whatever electoral system is being used. Mr Somsak had said that Mr Anutin’s party may be critical in finding a resolution to the present conundrum which has the potential to derail forthcoming elections if not clarified.

 

As the Thai government enters into its final months in office with an election due to be called in the next 6 months in any event, the basis for calculating the result of that poll has been thrown into doubt as electoral reform bills have yet to be finalised and enacted by parliament. It is a situation that could lead to a constitutional crisis.

 

On Thursday, a senior cabinet minister raised questions about the vote in parliament on July 6th to change the formula for the allocation of party list seats in the forthcoming General Election. Minister of Justice, Somsak Thepsutin, said that the only solution may be to revert to the original proposal as agreed before the surprise vote and use a forum based on the number of party-list seats at 100 or to scrap the electoral reform process altogether.

 

Full story: https://www.thaiexaminer.com/thai-news-foreigners/2022/07/22/possible-crisis-brewing-over-election-count/

 

-- © Copyright Thai Examiner 2022-07-23

 

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[mania]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

 Mr Somsak had said that Mr Anutin’s party may be critical in finding a resolution to the present conundrum which has the potential to derail forthcoming elections if not clarified.,,, Minister of Justice, Somsak Thepsutin, said that the only solution may be to revert to the original proposal as agreed before the surprise vote and use a forum based on the number of party-list seats at 100 or to scrap the electoral reform process altogether.

 

Anyone with a brain not see this coming?

Next Anutin will declare covid has gotten so out of control voting in person will be seen as too high risk

[RichardColeman]

2 hours ago, mania said:

Next Anutin will declare covid has gotten so out of control voting in person will be seen as too high risk

No, I think it will be more to do with the Nigerian Monkeypox fugitive !

[edwinchester]

After being hammered at the last couple of voting opportunities the Govt is desperate to put in place any new system that stands a chance of skewing the result in their favour.

[ikke1959]

They must stay in power in one or another way.......Make things difficult non understandable, change and delay, deny, and vote for it and against it.....until nobody knows it anymore and than replace it with the old regime and stay in power......

[hotchilli]

9 hours ago, webfact said:

As the Thai government enters into its final months in office with an election due to be called in the next 6 months in any event, the basis for calculating the result of that poll has been thrown into doubt as electoral reform bills have yet to be finalised and enacted by parliament. It is a situation that could lead to a constitutional crisis.

A bit like the last one then.... how long did that take?