Thai MPs' Failure To Attend Meetings A Key Concern

[webfact]

SALARY RISE FOR MPS

MPs' failure to attend meetings a key concern

By Kornchanok Raksaseri

The Nation

Boonyord

Parliamentary meetings adjourned due to the lack of a quorum - an adequate number of MPs or senators - has been a big problem this year. The situation is such that colleagues and the many members of the public are questioning if MPs deserve a salary rise.

There have been several instances of parliamentary sessions being adjourned this year due to the absence of MPs.

On February 3, only two weeks after the beginning of the first parliamentary session, a House meeting was cancelled. The whips initially postponed the meeting in the hope more MPs would get to the meeting.

At 9.30am, half an hour after the scheduled start, only 171 MPs were present. It was 10.10am before the session finally started, when the number of MPs reached half of the total. However, the meeting had to be adjourned before 4pm, as only 232 MPs remained.

The very next day, the House had to be adjourned for a second time due to the lack of a quorum. A total of 169 MPs attended the meeting but 238 MPs were required to form a quorum.

The problem occurred again during the year. But let's skip to last month. On November 9, a joint session of the House and Senate, to deal with an agreement related to air transport with Asean and China, had just 302 out of 618 parliamentary members in the Chamber - seven under the figure needed for a quorum. So, that session was also adjourned. After half an hour of a bell to alert legislators to come to the chamber, 59 out of 150 senators and 243 out of 468 MPs were there. Only nine out of 189 Pheu Thai MPs registered their presence.

Two days later while laws on parliamentary committees being able to summon people to testify were being considered, House Speaker Chai Chidchob complained that there were only 20 MPs in the Chamber. He later rang the bell for 15 minutes and asked the MPs to swap their ID cards. The result was 205 MPs present, which meant that meeting was also adjourned.

Nevertheless, Chai said he understood many MPs wanted to visit local people in flooded areas. Despite this, the problem arose again the following week on November 16, when a joint session was ended after only 308 MPs and senators fronted, when the quorum was 310.

Before the parliamentary session on changes to the charter from November 23 to 25, fears were aired that the same problem would arise. However, there were enough numbers to ensure the session went ahead as it should.

Above is just about this year. Last December, Democrat MP Boonyod Sooktinthai showed statistics that 159 MPs voted fewer than 50 out of the 100 times the House met in the latter session last year.

This year, Boonyod said it was the opposition's choice not to be present or swap cards in meetings.

The problem of legislators failing to attend meetings has been a worry for government whips. They have to remind MPs that they are legislators and have to pay attention to parliamentary duties as well as work among the public.

Government whip Warong Dechgitvigrom said despite adjourned meetings more laws were passed in the previous House sitting.

-- The Nation 2010-12-15

[SamritT]

Getting paid for not showing up. Only place on earth.

[animatic]

If you don't do the job, you don't deserve a pay raise.

End of story. Oh, wait this is Thailand.

[asiawatcher]

"... Only nine out of 189 Pheu Thai MPs registered their presence."

And these fools want to run Thailand?

[Thailand]

Instead of giving them a pay rise fine those that do not turn up to do the job they are being paid for.

[soundman]

Instead of giving them a pay rise fine those that do not turn up to do the job they are being paid for.

That's what I do with my staff. No show - fined a days pay.

However - some of the ministers who are not showing up are probably attending to "personal business" which is far more profitable than a day's ministers pay.

[Northman061]

I loved the line ...."they have to remind MPs that they are legislators and have to pay attention to parliamentary duties as well as work among the public".

"Work among the public", read making money via their many businesses, deals, contracts and family and friends businesses.

A simple and easy way to get MP's to actually do their job is to drop the the figure needed for a quorum to a very low figure. It is clear not half of the MPs turn up, so drop the quorum by half too.

This would encourage the stay aways and late comers to get in early. And of course, it would be easy for the "terms of contract" for all MP's in that they must attend a minimum "X" number of sessions etc or loose pay.

But in the end, this is about people who are simply "using" their positions as MPs as a tool to make money and gain "Status" and not as a position in which to give 100% of their time and skill with a desire of service to the people and future of Thailand.

[thaihome]

“Only nine out of 189 Pheu Thai MPs registered their presence.”

The problem is the PTP does not want to act like a legitimate opposition party. They prefer promoting street demonstrations and issuing libelous press releases to actually participating in the democratic process, which requires a dedicated opposition party.

TH

[ginjag]

Instead of giving them a pay rise fine those that do not turn up to do the job they are being paid for.

That's what I do with my staff. No show - fined a days pay.

However - some of the ministers who are not showing up are probably attending to "personal business" which is far more profitable than a day's ministers pay.

spot on Thailand--------no work no pay------being absent without good reason---get out the door. ( if its a regular occurance). These people make this land( smell) --------I just replied to the crash hat topic---the person who said about zones---yes he is one of these numsculls----when the law exists-to wear hats. May be he had to have time out to think of this STUPID idea. Just goes to show how much feeling they have for the country------dealing in their own profit making-instead of getting the country to rights.......they discust me.totally. GET THE PRIVATE POLICE FORCE working--and accountable--YES you polititions---have a vote on the subject---tomorrow----OH. I forgot it was one of your days off-prepareing for a photo shoot at the Mandarin --say !!!!!

[SomTumTiger]

"... Only nine out of 189 Pheu Thai MPs registered their presence."

And these fools want to run Thailand?

They don't stand a chance - fragmented, out of money, and leaderless. All of which are good for Thailand.

[SamritT]

Never heard of a boycott? Go ask Dems about boycotting (election).