Thread: One senator disqualified, another acquitted

Mysterious figure 'dominating' senator selection: Chumpol

By Prapasri Osathanon
The Nation

Chart Thai Pattana leader Chumpol Silapaarcha Friday said an unnamed figure had control over the seven members of the senator selection committee.

However, he would not reveal who the person was.

"Society should figure out who can be that influential," he said, adding that he would take responsibility for what he said.

Repeating something he has said many times recently, Chumpol claimed elites dominate Thai politics.

The members of the senator selection committee are: Constitution Court president Chut Chonlavorn, Election Commission chairman Apichart Sukhagganond, Chief Ombudsman Pramote Chotemongkol, National AntiCorruption Commission chairman Panthep Klanarongran, State Audit Commission chairman Pisit Leelavachiropas, Supreme Court Judge Montri Sriiamsaard, and Supreme Administrative Court Judge Kasem Komsattham.

Pramote yesterday declined to comment on the issue, saying the committee had agreed that only Chut and EC secretarygeneral Suthiphon Thaveechaiygarn would give media interviews about the selections.

Chumpol's statement followed reports of irregularities in the senator selection process a few days ago.

Originally Posted by sabang

Is there any source from which we can find which Senators are elected, and which appointed?

Yes - The Senate of Thailand

Full list (breaking down elected v. appointed) is identified as "List of Senators (2)". Other lists there group appointed senators by "sector".

BTW, their bio's make interesting reading.....

Thanks Steve.

Originally Posted by sabang

Why do you think it was set up this way- with a majority appointed, as opposed to the Senate being elected under Thailands actual, legal, 1997 Constitution?

There is not appointed majority, 76 out of 150 senators are elected and 74 are appointed.

^ cheers for the correction lom. But obviously the same thing stands- the 76 elected senators will have differing political leanings/affiliations according to the Province that elects them- some provinces are safe Democrat, others safely not. The appointment of 49% of Senate seats gives clear de facto control to an element, which is not necessarily reflected by the public voice- obviously in Thailand, it most certainly is not. Hence, as more than one survey has shown, it is not popular with the people of this country, and neither should it be. It was incepted under the illegitimate military 'constitution' to subvert democracy. Following, as it did, an illegal rebellion and military coup, it is quite symptomatic and quite blatant.

From the blog world.....


Who is the mystery figure dominating the Thai Senate selection? | Asian Correspondent

By Bangkok Pundit
Apr 04, 2011 9:00AM UTC

Under the 2007 Constitution, Thailand has a 150-seat Senate. Until recently there were 76 elected Senators representing each of Thailand’s provinces and the remaining 74 senators would be appointed/selected from candidates nominated from various sectors: academia (15), government (14), the private sector (15), the professional sector (15), and other groups (15) per Section 114, 2007 Constitution. BP has blogged previously on the make-up of the Appointed Senators and the military background of a number of senators.

The Appointed Senator positions are up for selection at the moment. The Nation:

The 2007 Constitution clearly specifies the seven members of the selection committee. With the names of the office-holders involved, they are Constitution Court president Chut Chonlavorn, Election Commission chairman Apichart Sukhagganond, Chief Ombudsman Pramote Chotemongkol, National Anti-Corruption Commission chairman Panthep Glanarongran, State Audit Commission chairman (the auditor-general) Pisit Leelavachiropas, a Supreme Court judge appointed by the Supreme Court judges’ general assembly, Montri Sriiamsa-ard, and a Supreme Administrative Court judge appointed by the Supreme Administrative Court’s general assembly, Kasem Komsattham.

Election Commission secretary-general Suthiphon Thaveechaiygarn recently outlined security measures to ensure the selection process was confidential. Experts from the military and the aeronautical radio agency examined the meeting rooms for eavesdropping devices and mobile signals were cut off during the meetings.

This selection of senators has, in most respects, been difficult. Now that the number of elected senators has been increased after the creation of a 77th province, the number of selected senators has been reduced from 74 to 73.

While 15 selected senators will come from each of the private sector, the professional sector and “other” sectors, 14 will be selected from the nominations of state agencies and a final 14 from the nominations of academic bodies.

In total, 671 organisations have nominated 658 candidates. These include 212 from the private sector, 113 from professional organisations, 161 from “other” sectors, 86 from state agencies and 99 from academic bodies.

BP: Basically, the Senators and the independent agencies choose each other. Now, to the story at hand. The Nation:

Chart Thai Pattana leader Chumpol Silapaarcha Friday said an unnamed figure had control over the seven members of the senator selection committee. However, he would not reveal who the person was.

“Society should figure out who can be that influential ,” he said, adding that he would take responsibility for what he said.

Repeating something he has said many times recently, Chumpol claimed elites dominate Thai politics.

Daily News quotes Chumpol as stating that if re-elected and returned government, the party will amend the constitutional provisions on dissolving political parties and make the entire Senate elected because the current group of Appointed Senators do not work. He said the reason for releasing details over the person who has a ‘lock’ on the senator selection committee was that the person who had influence over all 7 was no ordinary person (สำหรับกรรมการสรรหา ส.ว.นั้น ประกอบด้วย ประธานศาลรัฐธรรมนูญ ประธานกรรมการการเลือกตั้ง ประธานผู้ตรวจการแผ่นดิน เป็นต้น ซึ่งการเปิดเผยครั้งนี้ พร้อมรับผิดชอบหากเกิดอะไรขึ้นในอนาคต เพราะรู้ว่า ผู้มีอิทธิพลเหนือทั้ง 7 คนนี้ไม่ธรรมดา). He also states that he wants society to help find an answer who would have influence over all 7 persons (โดยตนอยากให้สังคมช่วยหาคำตอบว่า ใครจะมีอิทธิพลเหนือทั้ง 7 คนได้).

In response to Chumpol’s comments, INN quotes Puea Thai MP from Chiang Mai Surapong T as stating that he is not surprised that Chumpol’s statement and the party has always disagreed with an Appointed Senate as they were not representatives of the people.

Thai Rath quotes an ex-general who was involved in drafting the 2007 constitution as criticizing Chumpol saying he should keep his mouth quiet and not criticize other processes until the election process was better.

BP: Could he be meaning Thaksin who clearly is able to influence the judiciary not to seize his money and to sentence him to jail… Oh wait, that is not the case. Surely, Chumpol wouldn’t be making a subtle hint at a certain white-haired member of the establishment. It almost seems he is. What does this mean for current Chart Thai Pattana thoughts on the establishment?