CDC decides to keep mixed Thai Senate composition

[webfact]

CDC decides to keep mixed Senate composition
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- CHARTER DRAFTERS Tuesday finalised their decision to maintain a mixed system for the composition of the Senate, with some directly elected members and others selected from various groups through a selection committee.

Constitution Drafting Committee (CDC) spokesman Gen Lertrat Ratanavanich said the 200 senators under the new charter draft would be made up of 77 directly elected by the voters, or one senator per province, and the remaining 123 would be selected through a selection committee.

But, the CDC said in a provisional clause that the first set of 200 senators must be endorsed within 150 days of the constitution taking effect and their term would last only three years, he said.

The Election Commission would hold a ballot for the 77 elected senators, while the other 123 would be selected by the government, he said.

The government would set up a selection committee to choose the senators, Lertrat said.

The provisional clause also stipulated that after the first set of senators completes their three-year term, a new set of senators would be elected and selected through a selection panel and would remain for six years. The first set of senators would be qualified to take a seat in the following Senate.

Meanwhile, a group of 200 citizens calling themselves the "Network of Subjects of the Monarchy" submitted a letter to the Constitution Drafting Committee calling for the 200 members of the Senate to be selected by His Majesty the King and 100 by various professional groups. The group wanted to explain the idea to the CDC, but were prevented from doing so.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/breakingnews/CDC-decides-to-keep-mixed-Senate-composition-30266383.html


-- The Nation 2015-08-12

[Mango Bob]

I still don't understand why the hell Thailand needs 200 senators and only a third of them elected by the people. This new constitution is doing it's best to take the voice of the people out of the government.

[Chang_paarp]

I still don't understand why the hell Thailand needs 200 senators and only a third of them elected by the people. This new constitution is doing it's best to take the voice of the people out of the government.

Bob, you have grasped the first idea. The other idea is to maintain the position of certain members of the ruling class.

[oneday]

I still don't understand why the hell Thailand needs 200 senators and only a third of them elected by the people. This new constitution is doing it's best to take the voice of the people out of the government.

That is correct. This is not Democracy. It is right back to the same old nepotism and cronyism it has always been and it will fail again. We will be right back into the same old cycle of "elected government", "coup", "illegal appointed government", "elected government", "coup", etc. and round and round we go.

I want to know who those 123 selected senators will represent, because it sure won't be the people.

[jayboy]

Isn't the key question what powers the Senate will have? I don't think one should be prescriptive about the Senate's composition because each democracy must find its own way on this - dependent on national culture and traditions.Nevertheless it seems right that a majority of Senators should be directly elected by the people.

What is non negotiable is that the lower house should be directly elected by the people and that it should have the final word.The Senate should be able to delay but not block legislation.

[pisico]

Farang can't understand Thainess.... Tsk Tsk Tsk!!!

As soon as the purge reform takes place, the appointed senators will appoint elect a new PM.

Hint: rewind to 2006 and you will understand this aspect of Thainess.

Same, same but different appointed players.. to be continued in next coup.