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Ministers will be elected following reform
By Digital Content



BANGKOK, Dec 8 -- As a new Constitution is being written, its drafting committee members have debated and concluded that cabinet ministers should be elected directly because it would be easier to investigate while it is also difficult to buy votes as in past administrations, according to Sombat Thamrongthanyawong, chairman of the National Reform Council (NRC) committee charged with political reform.

Realising that previous Constitutions contained many loopholes and problems, Mr Sombat said the constitution drafting committee unanimously agreed after several rounds of debate that cabinet ministers should in future be directly elected.

In the past, members of the House of Representatives were elected while the prime minister is appointed by them, causing vote buying. Once appointed the prime minister must repay them, sometimes in terms of budget, Mr Sombat said.

A proposal is now made in such a way that the administrative branch must be totally separate from the legislative branch, he said, adding that the constitution drafting committee will have to take this issue into consideration.

After the administrative branch is strengthened, its members could be impeached and stripped of power by the legislators, Mr Sombat said, noting that under this procedure, close scrutiny would be seen.

He said senators should be elected both directly and indirectly from various occupations and elected senators should also be empowered to impeach powerful politicians.

The National Statistical Office will later survey the needs of the people. (MCOT online news)


-- TNA 2014-12-08

[Stradavarius37]

The other ways didn't work - sure why not?

[Boxclever]

...said the minority Chinese elite on Monday

[Thailand]

Still open to the usual corruption when elections are involved.

I see from the last sentence the needs of the people will be addressed, well, sometime later!

[Stradavarius37]

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...said the minority Chinese elite on Monday

The tired "Chinese conspiracy" - always a welcome addition to any thread...

[Bakseeda]

...said the minority Chinese elite on Monday

Thai-Chinese... and thank God Thailand has Thai Chinese or NOTHING would ever get done.... and remember Thaksin is Thai Chinese..

[deckape]

Yup. Reform before elections. Rings a bell...did I hear that somewhere before?

[chotthee]

Election is the source of vote buying.

To eliminate vote buying, all election must be abolished.

No one can buy vote in an appointment system.

[binjalin]

it's absurd - the electorate will vote for the Transport Minister (for example) and for the PM? and what if they don't get on? what of the conflict between any PM and the MP's? how to discipline any 'elected' Minister between elections?

[whybother]

How does an elected government implement its policy if it doesn't control the ministries?

[yimlitnoy]

What if the people vote for a very charming person but completely ignorant of Finance matters as Finance minister? The same for any other ministry, It is more logic for a prime minister to select his own cabinet and proceed for a reorganisation later if need be. A prime minister is inseparable from his cabinet, as such the prime minister should be allowed to select his team as is done in most democracy.

[MobileContent]

He said senators should be elected both directly and indirectly from various occupations and elected senators should also be empowered to impeach powerful politicians.

MP's should be elected but Senators still can be elected indirectly. Why doesn't he say appointed.

On another fact if every cabinet member will be elected, we will have actors, singers soon joining the ranks in the cabinet because voters in Isaan and the North will remember them from the past.

What are they trying to do? Follow the German system. 5% minimum hurdle or no MP's so all those rubbish MP's will be out including the pimp from Rachada.

Oh wait a minute. Will the Thai army, navy and Air Force accept a Civilian and take their orders from a civilian and not push for another coup?

I have heard no reforms about the army for the past 24 years in Thailand, so will they also be start doing some reforms?

[Krataiboy]

Yep, and let Premier Divisions soccer fans pick their teams, not the managers. Same logic and same probable result. Disaster.

[rametindallas]

...said the minority Chinese elite on Monday

I thought all you Thaksin suck-ups wanted democracy; government of the people. Oh, I see, only when it benefits Thaksin's puppet governments. LoL

[rickirs]

The NRC apparently has no understanding of the role of a prime minister in a constitutional monarchy despite having had a PM system for many decades. The PM is the HEAD OF GOVERNMENT. The PM is responsible for the planning, budgeting, and execution of laws and government policies and relies on the cabinet to CARRY OUT such responsibilities through delegation of duties.

By directly electing each of the thirty-plus cabinet ministers the NRC will create essentially a constant shifting coalition of cabinet minsters who will CONTROL the head of government while the PM essentially has no authority as head of government. The PM cannot change cabinet ministers except through an impreachment process and it would be more likely a coalition of cabinet members will have the PM impeached first. What a mess for effective government. Is this reform?

You might as well not directly elect the PM all but have the cabinet ministers themselves elect the PM. At least that would lock into place the PM as head of govenrment. And how is that any better than elected parliament ministers electing the PM? it's not. Direct election of cabinet members is an absurb idea that will only exerbate another military coup-appointed PM and government.