Village Head Men

[yellow1red1]

Village head men are often mentioned, what are they?

Are they elected or hereditary?

Are they like mayors?

do they have elected councils, or one man show?

are there any village head women? [not back joke on this plzz]

what is population to be called a village?

are there town head men? or are they mayors or governors in bigger populations than villages?

any just facts on village headmen? not wax political plz

any stories on what they do, what there 'job' is

oh do they get paid? by who?

[canuckamuck]

Others will know more than I, but what I know is:

They are elected, there can be head women but I have never met one, they function as a mayor but have more control as there is usually no oversight. As villages get bigger there is another level up from head man but I forget the word for it. The head man is frequently an influential businessman or farmer from the village.

[katabeachbum]

Each Tambor is divided into Moo Baan, often called only Moo. Each Moo has a Pujaj Baan (headman). Elected by the registered residents of this Moo for 5? years. Payed 6-8k month by government. All the Pujaj Baans in one Tambor have one boss, Kamnan.

They can be female, I know one,

In addition there are Majors and leaders of Tessabaan

Pujaj baans job is to solve local conflicts, present populations needs for government.

[jubby]

Others will know more than I, but what I know is:

They are elected, there can be head women but I have never met one, they function as a mayor but have more control as there is usually no oversight. As villages get bigger there is another level up from head man but I forget the word for it. The head man is frequently an influential businessman or farmer from the village.

or they can just be a young layabout from the biggest family in the Village. Don't you just love proportional representation .

Our headman is elected but will probably be elected several times as his family are half the Village.

He gets paid , roughly about 9000 baht a month I think. But thats just probably the Iceing on the cake. I think its a 4 year term unless the village wants shut of him.

His main function seems to be to distribute information from local goverment via his 'morning Call' or 'sweet songs' at 5am.

He does act as referee in most disputes in the Village. But I think you are free to ignore him

[Jimbo]

Our village has a lady as chief of the village. From what I understood, the rules have now changed (last year) and once elected they will keep the position until they get to a certain retirement age. Salary I was told is 12.000 THB and they get other benefits such as that their kids get priority placement in some of the more desirable government schools and universities and that tuition is free.

[yellow1red1]

Each Tambor is divided into Moo Baan, often called only Moo. Each Moo has a Pujaj Baan (headman). Elected by the registered residents of this Moo for 5? years. Payed 6-8k month by government. All the Pujaj Baans in one Tambor have one boss, Kamnan.

They can be female, I know one,

In addition there are Majors and leaders of Tessabaan

Pujaj baans job is to solve local conflicts, present populations needs for government.

tnks . is a Tambor a province or a district?

who selects the Kamnan? all of the Pujaj Baans,, an election, or appointed by the Govt?

Does BKK have Kamnan or Pujaj Baans for neighbour hoods?

[yellow1red1]

Others will know more than I, but what I know is:

They are elected, there can be head women but I have never met one, they function as a mayor but have more control as there is usually no oversight. As villages get bigger there is another level up from head man but I forget the word for it. The head man is frequently an influential businessman or farmer from the village.

or they can just be a young layabout from the biggest family in the Village. Don't you just love proportional representation .

Our headman is elected but will probably be elected several times as his family are half the Village.

He gets paid , roughly about 9000 baht a month I think. But thats just probably the Iceing on the cake. I think its a 4 year term unless the village wants shut of him.

His main function seems to be to distribute information from local goverment via his 'morning Call' or 'sweet songs' at 5am.

He does act as referee in most disputes in the Village. But I think you are free to ignore him

shut of him? so there's like recall? probably never use tho?

icing on the cake? are these the guys who get paid by candidates to tell people how to vote?

[canuckamuck]

are these the guys who get paid by candidates to tell people how to vote?

Yes they are, it is an important part of the current Thai democratic system.

[jubby]

Others will know more than I, but what I know is:

They are elected, there can be head women but I have never met one, they function as a mayor but have more control as there is usually no oversight. As villages get bigger there is another level up from head man but I forget the word for it. The head man is frequently an influential businessman or farmer from the village.

or they can just be a young layabout from the biggest family in the Village. Don't you just love proportional representation .

Our headman is elected but will probably be elected several times as his family are half the Village.

He gets paid , roughly about 9000 baht a month I think. But thats just probably the Iceing on the cake. I think its a 4 year term unless the village wants shut of him.

His main function seems to be to distribute information from local goverment via his 'morning Call' or 'sweet songs' at 5am.

He does act as referee in most disputes in the Village. But I think you are free to ignore him

shut of him? so there's like recall? probably never use tho?

icing on the cake? are these the guys who get paid by candidates to tell people how to vote?

The first one I can remember , probably going back 15 years was shot. fingers and Pies ; So they had another election ;-)

I can also remember one who was completely useless so the village got together and voted him out, or maybe he just resigned.

The next one I can remember was always fair with us and fair with disputes, he was a pleasant enough guy.

The current one is learning

[katabeachbum]

Each Tambor is divided into Moo Baan, often called only Moo. Each Moo has a Pujaj Baan (headman). Elected by the registered residents of this Moo for 5? years. Payed 6-8k month by government. All the Pujaj Baans in one Tambor have one boss, Kamnan.

They can be female, I know one,

In addition there are Majors and leaders of Tessabaan

Pujaj baans job is to solve local conflicts, present populations needs for government.

tnks . is a Tambor a province or a district?

who selects the Kamnan? all of the Pujaj Baans,, an election, or appointed by the Govt?

Does BKK have Kamnan or Pujaj Baans for neighbour hoods?

each Changwat (province) is divided into Tambor (districts)

Kamnan is elected by all registered residents in Tambor, Pujai Baan only by the residents in his Moo Baan

Bangkok, dont know, but would assume the local organisation is similar

On the upper level, Governor is not elected, but appointed by bkk government/PM.

[yellow1red1]

thanks for all the great info.

maybe some interfesting stories, eh?

got any

could be a book in there. Village Headmen

None of them are, like, descendants of the historic feudal lords?

edit

or "How to Marry a Headman's Daughter"

[thaihome]

The power and influence of both the kamnan and phuyaiban postions have been downgraded by the Tamboon Administration Organization (TAO) that was resurrected in the 1997 constitution and continues to this day.

Now days the kamnan and phuyaiban function more as just communication outlets from the Amphoe and Provincial governments, while the TAO members, elected from each village set the policy, spend the money and function more as the collective representative of the people.

TH

[yellow1red1]

The power and influence of both the kamnan and phuyaiban postions have been downgraded by the Tamboon Administration Organization (TAO) that was resurrected in the 1997 constitution and continues to this day.

Now days the kamnan and phuyaiban function more as just communication outlets from the Amphoe and Provincial governments, while the TAO members, elected from each village set the policy, spend the money and function more as the collective representative of the people.

TH

ok... that's good to know.

the HM went ungrudging? isn't that loss of face or something?

or wait,,, did they just change careers get elected as TAO's?

it's just hard to imagine how a village with a traditional elected officials, from a certain family as one Poster said could be the case, could be 'supplanted' by a different set of elected officials

er ... what is the TAO pay, please? same/same HM

[sbk]

As far as I am aware, Puyaibans and kamnans do have a term limit, which was instituted some years ago. The old system allowed them to hold the position to retirement should they be re-elected but no longer.

Puyaibans are an integral part of village life, at least as far as my experience goes, and a good puyaiban will help keep relations among neighbors cordial, mediate disputes, and keep an eye on whats going on in his village. Our puyaiban is a very good one and stopped a resort from deep well drilling in the area (deep well drilling on a small island out in the Gulf is a very bad idea) much to the villagers relief. (and just as an FYI-- our village headman is not local altho his wife is and no, her family didn't have a previous puyaiban or kamnan)

Frankly, the orbortor or TAO is just another level of corruption and one instituted by Chavalit when he was PM.

Once their term limit has been reached they are welcome to run for a higher office.

District officer or Nai Amphur are appointed as are Governors.

[katabeachbum]

As far as I am aware, Puyaibans and kamnans do have a term limit, which was instituted some years ago. The old system allowed them to hold the position to retirement should they be re-elected but no longer.

Puyaibans are an integral part of village life, at least as far as my experience goes, and a good puyaiban will help keep relations among neighbors cordial, mediate disputes, and keep an eye on whats going on in his village. Our puyaiban is a very good one and stopped a resort from deep well drilling in the area (deep well drilling on a small island out in the Gulf is a very bad idea) much to the villagers relief. (and just as an FYI-- our village headman is not local altho his wife is and no, her family didn't have a previous puyaiban or kamnan)

Frankly, the orbortor or TAO is just another level of corruption and one instituted by Chavalit when he was PM.

Once their term limit has been reached they are welcome to run for a higher office.

District officer or Nai Amphur are appointed as are Governors.

Pujai Baan and Kamnan are both elected for 5 years, just talked with Kamnan today. Yeeez time passes, he s up for election again, not long ago my GF talked people into electing him record young at 35