Five new poll commissioners selected

The interim senate voted four judges and a prosecutor as poll commissioners yesterday.

Six of the 10 contenders received more than half of the total votes, or at least 94 of the 181 senators.

The top five are Deputy Attorney-General Prapan Naikowit (ประพันธ์ นัยโกวิท) and four judges, Sumet Upanisakorn (สุเมธ อุปนิสากร), Apichart Sukhakanon (อภิชาต สุขัคคานนท์), Somchai Jungprasert (สมชัย จึงประเสริฐ) and Sodsri Sattayatham (สดศรี สัตยธรรม).

These five people will have to resign from their jobs and then meet internally to select one of them as chairman of the Election Commission (EC) within 15 days.

Their appointment will be legitimate once receiving royal endorsement.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 09 September 2006

No surprise that anyone the government didnt want was not selected.

New EC to convene first session Sept 14

BANGKOK - The new Election Commission of Thailand (EC), finally elected by the Senate in a secret vote here on Friday, is set to convene its first session next Thursday (September 14).

The agenda of the new EC's first meeting includes discussion on whether the next general election, earlier scheduled for October 15, should be postponed, an informed source at the EC told journalists on Saturday.

Many have speculated that the forthcoming election will have to be postponed for about one month to give sufficient time for the new election panel to organise the poll.

A chairman for the new EC will also be elected from its membership.

The official appointment of the new election panel, to be endorsed by His Majesty the King in a Royal Command, is to be announced prior to the new agency's first convening.

The five new election commissioners, from 10 nominees suggested earlier by the Supreme Court, include Prapan Naigowit, deputy attorney-general; Sumet Oupanisakorn, senior judge of the South Bangkok Criminal Court, Apichart Sukhakkanon, chief justice of the Environment Division of the Supreme Court, Somchai Jung-prasert, chief of the Supreme Court judges' quorum; and Sodsri Satayathum, a senior Supreme Court judge and the only female nominee.

They were elected in a marathon four-hour but single-round secret ballot with 124, 120, 106, 105 and 104 votes respectively.

There were 181 senators attending the Senate special session to elect the new election body and the Constitutional Court requires that each election commissioner must be elected by at least half of attending senators in the one-man, one vote system.

The new election commissioners are required to step down from their existing posts within 15 days to take their new offices.

The new election body will begin its first work by organising the forthcoming general election.

- MCOT

No surprise that anyone the government didnt want was not selected.

And it won't be a surprise when the election is contested, again.

I think we should give them a chance now. As most of them are judges and it would seem the courts for the most part hare untainted by Thaksin thus far. However it would be a good idea to keep a watchful eye on them as without a doubt Thaksin will be doing his best to influence them.

Democrat Party suggests the new EC name ex-senator Kaewsan Atipothi as EC secretary-general

The Democrat Party calls on the five newly-designated poll commissioners to appoint ex-senator Kaewsan Atipothi (แก้วสรร อติโพธิ) as secretary-general of the Election Commission.

Mr. Kaewsan was one of the 10 contenders for the five EC posts but came sixth in the interim senate’s vote on Friday. The five that are selected are Deputy Attorney-General Prapan Naikowit (ประพันธ์ นัยโกวิท) and four judges, Sumet Upanisakorn (สุเมธ อุปนิสากร), Apichart Sukhakanon (อภิชาต สุขัคคานนท์), Somchai Jungprasert (สมชัย จึงประเสริฐ) and Sodsri Sattayatham (สดศรี สัตยธรรม).

Democrat deputy spokesman Sathit Pitutecha (สาธิต ปิตุเตชะ) said Mr. Kaewsan’s huge political experience will be useful for the EC which must always ensure clean and fair elections.

Mr. Sathit said the Democrats believed the five new poll commissioners have great potential and can serve public demand for transparency.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 11 September 2006

Democrat Party demands the government seek EC approval for its military reshuffle list

The Democrat Party asks the caretaker government to respect the constitution by seeking endorsement of the Election Commission (EC) for its annual military reshuffle list.

Democrat spokesman Ong-art Klampaiboon (องอาจ คล้ามไพบูลย์) said the charter requires appointments and promotions of high-level officials by any caretaker government to have to be approved by the EC.

Mr. Ong-art said that requirement is set to prevent the caretaker government transfer military or other government officials to particularly posts for its own political gain.

There is no need to reshuffle the military or remove or promote any government officials during this time, he added.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 11 September 2006