Thai Charter: Doubts raised over CDC's 'PM list' idea

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NEW CHARTER
Doubts raised over CDC's 'PM list' idea
KASAMAKORN CHANWANPEN
THE NATION

Politicians query real intention, say list quite unnecessary

BANGKOK: -- TWO KEY political parties have raised doubts about the charter drafters' intentions behind the "PM candidate list", saying they don't think this list is necessary as voters know that it is usually the winning party's leader who becomes the premier.

Former Democrat party-list MP Thawil Praisont said this list was unnecessary because a nominated PM candidate had to be approved by the House of Representatives anyway.

The idea was proposed by a sub-panel of the Constitution Drafting Commission (CDC) on Wednesday, in which it said all political parties must present the public with a list of one to five candidates, which will then be proposed to the House. Also, the list has to be submitted to the Election Commission before election campaigning begins, so voters have a clear idea of who will lead the country should the party win.

"It will only complicate matters. Traditionally, it is the party leader who takes the PM's seat if the party wins. Voters fully acknowledge that," Thawil said, adding that he was not sure about the CDC's intent.

"It will only complicate matters. Traditionally, it is the party leader who takes the PM's seat if the party wins. Voters fully acknowledge that," Thawil said, adding that he was not sure about the CDC's intent.

He also suggested that the charter simply stipulate that "the prime minister must be selected by the House of Representatives", adding that this way the PM's post will be open to outsiders as well. He went on to say that he personally had no problem with a non-elected PM as proposed by the drafters, but voiced concern about the single-ballot system, saying it would open the door to heavy vote-buying and fiercer competition.

Meanwhile, another former Democrat MP Issara Somchai said that perhaps the drafters did not want history to repeat itself as Pheu Thai was the only party, to his knowledge, that had proposed non-party leader Yingluck Shinawatra as PM.

On the Pheu Thai side, party executive Phongthep Thepkanchana stood firm that the government head be an elected MP. "I don't know their [CDC's] intention proposing such a system. What is so difficult about running in a poll, when you want to become PM? It's not that complex," he said, adding that those who want to lead a government must run in an election and win at least an MP seat. He reiterated that it was not complicated because the old system already had the party-list MPs whose names could be offered for the top post.

However, he warned drafters to be prudent, asking: "What if those potential PM candidates are later proved to be unqualified?"

Samart Kaewmeechai, a former Pheu Thai MP for Chiang Rai, expressed similar views, adding that it was funny how different parties would be allowed to propose the same candidates. "That's funny. Does this mean you want to see which parties form a government together after an election?" he said.

He also said this deprived a party of its political rights and interfered in its affairs. What's more, it is like the CDC is thinking for the people, he said, insisting that Pheu Thai rooted for an elected PM who can be linked with the people.

Nuttawut Saikuar, a red-shirt leader and Pheu Thai member, agreed, saying "The CDC should tell the truth that its ultimate goal is to pave the way for an outsider PM. I suspect that if the public can accept this [an outsider PM], a provisional clause should be written allowing a non-political party member to become PM if there is a deadlock. If not, the CDC should deny this and clarify itself today."

The CDC panel said this PM-list system was used in Israel, but is slightly different from the one proposed here. Israel uses a closed-list method of party-list proportional representation in elections. Eligible voters can vote for their preferred party, not an individual candidate.

The political parties will have one person in the party-list, usually the party leader, to be chosen as premier should the party win. Basically, only one person will be proposed by the party to take the government's top job, a diplomatic source explained.

After the election, the president then consults with the elected party leaders to choose an MP in the Knesset who has the ability to form the government. Usually, the election winner, who has garnered more than 61 seats in the 120-seat Knesset, will be eligible to form the government and the leader will become the premier. However, it's difficult for political parties to win a majority as the winner usually gets by on a very slim margin and requires a coalition to form a government.

That's when people begin negotiating for the PM's post. In Israel, a premier needs at least 61 votes in parliament to get the position.

Israel previously used to follow the direct-PM election system, but that did not work because the elected PM risked having less support from parliament in case his party won few seats. This way, the government would have been too weak to run the country, the diplomat who declined to be named said.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/politics/Doubts-raised-over-CDCs-PM-list-idea-30272829.html


-- The Nation 2015-11-13

[candide]

Why bother with pm list if it is to end up anyway with an unelected pm at some time?

[Srikcir]

"so voters have a clear idea of who will lead the country should the party win."

Then go to a presidential system for the PM (simple majority wins) while using the MMP for election of Ministers. If no majority (50%) then elected MP's will elect PM from presidential candidate list. Call this electoral system the Kingdom Come system, found only in Thailand.