Senate 2024 can be risky, Senate, political party line Connect with local influencers

Entering the countdown preparation period, close to waving goodbye. End of duty senator The current set of 250 people will expire on May 10, but will have to continue performing their duties until a new set of senators takes over.

As for the calendar for acquiring a new set of senators, the broad framework is that after 10 May, you will have to wait for a Royal Decree to select senators to be issued within 15 days, that is, no later than 25 May. And then it will open for applicants for Senate within 5 days, which will be between 25-30 May.

and followed by the announcement of the names of applicants during 31 May – 4 June and entering the selection. Senator at the district level Followed by the provincial and national levels.

The broad framework is that it is likely that there will be a list of names of 200 new senators within July, but it is believed that after that there will probably be a complaint process – filing various lawsuits. Followed by many more from people who lost hope. To complain about the selection process Senators at both the district-provincial and national levels that there has been a violation of the law Many violations followed. In particular, complaints against applicants who made it to the final 200 rounds said they lacked legal qualifications.

that might cause The current set of senators may have to act for a period of time to wait for the ECT to announce the certification of the results of the selection of senators. And once the ECT has certified the new set of senators to be able to perform their duties, it will cause the current set of senators to be removed from duty. Become a senator immediately

for Salary-remuneration income Of the senators who will perform main duties, for example, if they are Senate President You will receive compensation. Position salary is 74,420 baht per month and receives an additional 45,500 baht per month, for a total of 119,920 baht per month.

Vice President of the Senate will receive a position salary of 73,240 baht per month and receive an additional 42,500 baht per month, for a total of 115,740 baht per month. For those who are ordinary senators, they will receive a position salary of 71,230 baht per month and receive an additional monthly salary. 42,330 baht per month, total 113,560 baht per month

One senator will have 8 assistants with the following expenses: 1 personal expert, salary 24,000 baht, 2 personal experts, salary 15,000 baht, total 30,000 baht, 5 personal assistants, salary 15,000 baht, total 75,000 baht.

At the same time, the selection of senators is taking place next month. Many people began to come out and express various opinions.

Many of them expressed analytical and critical opinions about the selection process. Senate that will take place and facial assessment The new set of senators who will take on duties

such as Chermsak Pinthong, former Bangkok senator 2000 gave his opinion through his personal Facebook recently, stating at one point that this Senate election was a choice to get representatives from various professional groups. available in Thailand But it appears that the rules stipulate that occupational groups will be divided into 20 groups. Each occupational group will be chosen as a representative, 10 people per group, for a total of 200 people.

If considering the principle that Which occupation has a large population? There should be a proportion of Many senators representing that profession

Farmers and laborers They are the majority of people who have a higher proportion of the population than all other occupations combined. But by dividing occupational groups into 20 groups, each group has 10 senators equally, as required by law. Make representatives of farmers, whether farming, farming, gardening, livestock or fishing, and all types of laborers together. There will be representatives of not more than 5 occupational groups, which means that there are Senators who represent the professions of most people are less than 50 out of a total of 200 people.

The rules that determine the number of senators in each profession are therefore unfair. and is discriminatory make a picture of Senator who will be considered a representative of the upper class professional group in Thai society.

in addition Chermsak – former senator It is also viewed that the election method allows candidates from each occupational group in each district to choose among themselves. One candidate gets 2 votes (you can also choose 1 yourself) and the votes are counted to bring out the top 5 vote-getters as representatives. The rest is discarded. This means that all remaining applicants will be disqualified. Senators and no longer have the right to choose Senators.

…If the influential person or the so-called big house or big political party Send a sufficient number of applicants to each occupational group. and set up to select 5 designated candidates Their candidates would probably get a lot of votes. As for the other candidates who are independent, choosing among themselves, the votes will split. The chance of getting it is very small.

When a party or influential person sends candidates from every occupational group and does the same. They will get their top 5 people from all 20 occupational groups. In the next round, however they choose across occupational groups, they will get all their own applicants. and when submitting all applicants to every district One province may have 4-5 districts when selecting among themselves at the provincial level. will have all their own people There will be some that will escape, probably a small number. If the influencer Political parties divide up work. to be carried out separately in each province When bringing together representatives from each province and choose among themselves at the national level You will get people from the same group to be senators and you will get a number. Their senators are the majority of the 200 people. It is not difficult and the cost is cheaper than buying votes that has occurred in the past.

which Chermsak – former senator Keep in mind that this is all called voting blocking. The block will take only the same people. Others were cut off. Cross-selection of career groups is hoped to make block voting difficult. There is a weak point in having applicants choose among themselves in the first round in their respective career groups until the first 5 are left before allowing cross-selection.

“It is interesting that the election was carried out using a strange method that has never happened in Thailand or anywhere else in the world. But it’s about to happen with the election. Senate this time, we will have a Senate that is tied to political parties or influential people at the regional and local level. without a doubt Jermsak concluded.

while Dr. Nirun Phitakwatchara, former member of the Senate from the first election in 2000 – former member of the National Human Rights Commission There is a view that the selection of Senators that will take place It is believed that there will be a network of political parties – large groups and large houses in each province. Try to send your own people in. Senator with support to apply Senators in order to pass the selection from the district to the provincial level and to compete at the national level.

“There will be a lot of people in the network of big houses in each province. Even more, the Ban Yai group lost a lot of face and dignity from the results of the recent 2023 MP elections, where the people of the Big House failed the exams and failed. who lost in the party list score system Including the district system, so I think he must take it. Because of this management It is no more difficult than the election of MPs. This time, the selection of Senators will definitely not make a mistake. Dr. Nirunnanayat

Also Dr. Niran It is also emphasized that from the above various elements What he said made me believe that A new set of senators will come out. If the people are indifferent Do not participate in monitoring Including if the media doesn’t follow up and report on the selection of senators or doesn’t campaign to make people aware of the importance of Senator who will enter Both about amending the constitution scrutinizing the law This will cause the atmosphere for selecting senators to be quiet. When it is quiet, there is a chance that senators will be dominated and interfered with by the political side.

The above views are opinions and analysis from two former elected senators. Looking at the face of the new Senate 2024.