MPs to propose PM nominees under new constitution, reiterates Meechai

[rooster59]

MPs to propose PM nominees under new constitution, reiterates Meechai

 

Thammarat Thadaphrom

 

 

BANGKOK, 27 August 2016 (NNT) – Members of parliament (MPs) will be able to nominate candidates for prime minister while members of the senate will only be allowed to vote, under circumstances where both houses fail to select a premier. 

Constitution Drafting Commission (CDC) chairperson, Meechai Ruchupan, reiterated the CDC’s stance on its revision of the draft charter, saying the drafting team had decided to ‘not allow’ members of the upper house to propose names for premiership, adding that only members of parliament will have the power to nominate prime minister candidates. However, senators will be allowed in the voting process. 

If the parliament fails to select a prime minister among names proposed by political parties, at least two thirds of members of both houses must support the move for members of the lower house to propose new candidates. Once new names have been submitted to the speaker, senators and MPs will cast ballots to elect a prime minister. 

The chairperson went on to say that a non-MP prime minister can only be in office for a five-year term. 

 

 

-- nnt 2016-08-28

[jamesbrock]

Meanwhile, in today's least surprising news: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/politics/Prayut-offers-to-serve-again-after-election-30293895.html

[Eligius]

24 minutes ago, jamesbrock said:

Meanwhile, in today's least surprising news: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/politics/Prayut-offers-to-serve-again-after-election-30293895.html

So despite the present article,  Prayut says (according to the other article helpfully linked to by Jamesbrock) that he (Prayut) is willing to stay on as P.M. - and that he currently only receives 75,000 baht per month for the job at present and will be paid nothing at all for the post of P.M. if he continues to hold it in the future. Of course: who would ever doubt his word?

 

 I believe that the moon is made of a lovely mass of silvery-yellow cheese.

 I believe that there are unicorns running around in the gardens of Bangkok.

I believe that fairies live on the roof of my condo block.

I believe that Hitler was a super-kind man who loved all Jews dearly.

 

I believe what the great General tells us. Of course I do! - I do, I do!

[baboon]

"Nobody invited me to be here so they have no right to give me the door."

Now there's logic for you.

 

"It is his [the new Army chief's] duty to support the government. Today, I am the government, so he has to support me," Prayut said."

You have to dig the way he delivers such shameless comments without blushing...
 

[NongKhaiKid]

"   I will stay through democratic means and in a dignified way although I don't know now how that will come   "

 

Really   ?   I would suggest almost everybody else does.

[Hawk]

"If the parliament fails to select a prime minister among names proposed by political parties, at least two thirds of members of both houses must support the move for members of the lower house to propose new candidates. Once new names have been submitted to the speaker, senators and MPs will cast ballots to elect a prime minister. "

 

 

So the senate can override all candidates selected by the political parties indefinitely causing even more political chaos in the years to come. Only when the political parties are forced to chose a non elected army supported candidate, will the senate agree to vote for him to be PM.

[candide]

46 minutes ago, Hawk said:

"If the parliament fails to select a prime minister among names proposed by political parties, at least two thirds of members of both houses must support the move for members of the lower house to propose new candidates. Once new names have been submitted to the speaker, senators and MPs will cast ballots to elect a prime minister. "

 

 

So the senate can override all candidates selected by the political parties indefinitely causing even more political chaos in the years to come. Only when the political parties are forced to chose a non elected army supported candidate, will the senate agree to vote for him to be PM.

Right. 

Alternatively they only need additional votes from 126 MPs to get a majority. They will just need to vote for the candidate of the new "reformist" party.

[waldroj]

6 hours ago, Eligius said:

So despite the present article,  Prayut says (according to the other article helpfully linked to by Jamesbrock) that he (Prayut) is willing to stay on as P.M. - and that he currently only receives 75,000 baht per month for the job at present and will be paid nothing at all for the post of P.M. if he continues to hold it in the future. Of course: who would ever doubt his word?

 

I suspect that salary is immaterial to many politicians around the world, and to those people currently controlling this country. What is more important though, would be their tax-free allowances and perks of office!

As for the nominations for the PM position, I suggest that on this occasion, Prayut has formulated a more cunning plan (to get what he wants) than Colonel John "Hannibal" Smith of the A-Team!

 

 

While the NNT headline tells us that "...The Members of parliament (MPs) will be able to nominate candidates for prime minister while members of the senate will only be allowed to vote, under circumstances where both houses fail to select a premier...", I believe this is the most likely scenario - given that the NCPO (the junta) and its cronies have deliberately set the stage for a weak multi-party coalition as the only outcome of the elections.

 

It is also highly likely that there will be many minor parties submitting names of likely candidates they want for the PM position, as is their right under Section 88 of the "people's" Constitution, which states:

 

Each political party nominating candidates in a general election shall present, to the Election Commission before the closing date of application, a list of not more than three persons nominated by such party to be considered by the House of Representatives for appointment as the Prime Minister, and the Election Commission shall announce the names therein to the public...

 

As per the NCPO's plan, with so many minor parties, and so many nominations for the PM position, it is almost inevitable that there will be no popular choice that meets the requirements of the amendment currently being drafted by the CDC. Ironically, this situation was previously addressed under Section 272 of the Constitution, but that has now been invalidated by the "majority" of Thais who voted at the referendum to allow the Senate to get involved in selecting the initial PM after the elections.

 

The only way this impasse will be resolved now (surprise, surprise) will be by the Senate exercising some "yet to be defined" overriding power that the CDC will have to include in the amendment!

 

"Hannibal" Smith would have loved it!

 

 

[Srikcir]

8 hours ago, jamesbrock said:

Meanwhile, in today's least surprising news: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/politics/Prayut-offers-to-serve-again-after-election-30293895.html

"He [Prayut] was currently making Bt75,000 a month as head of the government."

This is on top of his salary as NCPO Chief at 125,590 baht per month and flag officer retirement.

[waldroj]

In jamesbrock's great link to The Nation article above, Prayut is quoted as saying "...I am not going now...".

 

Well, maybe there are others that have a different idea?

 

 

Edited August 28, 2016 by waldroj
too much information