Election Commission To Work On New Seats

EC to work on new seats.

By Prapasri Osathanon.

The Election Commission will ask its officials in 23 provinces to draw up new constituencies according to the amended Constitution, an EC source who asked not to be named said yesterday.

Provincial election officials will be asked to propose three models for the restructure of constituencies and to hold public hearings within three weeks to one month, the source said.

The amended Constitution, which reduces the number of constituency MPs from 400 to 375, received royal endorsement on Friday.

Calculated from a population of 63.8 million, each constituency will cover about 170,000 people. Bangkok and 22 provinces will be affected by the change; Bangkok will have three fewer MPs than the present constituency allocation and each of the provinces one fewer.

The new number of MPs for affected provinces will be as follows:

Kamphaeng Phet will have four MPs, Khon Kaen 10 MPs, Chiang Rai seven MPs, Chiang Mai 10 MPs, Nakhon Nayok one MP, Nakhon Ratchasima 15 MPs, Nakhon Si Thammarat nine, and Nakhon Sawan 6 MPs.

Narathiwat will have four MPs, Buri Ram nine MPs, Phang Nga one MP, Phichit three MPs, Maha Sarakham five MPs, Mae Hong Son one MP, Yasothon three MPs, and Lop Buri four MPs.

Lampang will have 4 MPs, Lamphun two MPs, Si Sa Ket eight MPs, Surin eight MPs, Nong Khai five MPs, and Udon Thani nine MPs.

The number of MPs from Bangkok will be reduced from 36 to 33.

The source said the EC would this week discuss changes to the draft for organic laws related to the ways in which MPs and senators are elected or appointed, before putting a proposal to the House of Representa-tives, as per the process for passing laws.

-- The Nation 2011-03-06