Over 210,000 Thais have applied to fill 200 Senate seats: EC

With 250 members of the Senate approaching the end of their term in May 2024, the Election Commission (EC) is required to proceed with the selection of a new set of 200 members of the Senate.

The selection process is scheduled to commence within 15 days from the issuance of the royal decree calling for the election. The EC, in compliance with the effective regulations, has set a period for receiving applications, ranging from a minimum of five days and a maximum of seven days.

The EC has reported that currently, more than 210,000 individuals nationwide have expressed their intention to apply for Senate membership. The EC has compiled a list of these individuals and has assigned provincial EC offices to provide information on the election process, categorised by occupational groups to the public. This is aimed at disseminating general information regarding the legal criteria for Senate candidacy to the public.

The EC has called a press conference on March 4, at the Election Commission office. Itthiporn Boonpracong, the chairman of the EC, signed the regulation on the election of Senators for 2024, on February 5. The regulation has been officially announced in the Royal Gazette. The content of this regulation encompasses a total of 9 sections and 172 articles.

The election day at the district level must not exceed 20 days from the end of the candidate registration period. The election day at the provincial level must not exceed seven days from the district-level election day, and the election day at the national level must not exceed 10 days from the provincial-level election day. When determining the election day at each level, it must be the same throughout the entire kingdom.

Eligible candidates for Senate membership are divided into 20 groups:

- Government administration and security

- Law and justice procedures

- Education

- Public health

- Agricultural and crop cultivation,

- Gardening, forestry, fisheries

- Employees or workers not affiliated with government agencies, labourers

- Environmental, urban planning, real estate, public utilities, natural resources, energy

- Medium and small-scale business owners

- Business owners

- Tourism-related business or professions

- Industrialists

- Science, technology, communication, innovation development

- Women

- Elderly, disabled, or impaired individuals, ethnic groups

- Arts, culture, music, performing arts, entertainment, athletes

- Social affairs, non-profit organisations

- Mass communication, literary creators

- Independent professionals

- Other groups

Each candidate is allowed to apply for only one group, and one district only. After the eligible candidates for Senate membership pass the qualification verification, they will enter the self-selection process within the 20 groups. Once representatives are chosen at the district level, they will proceed to self-select at the provincial level. Afterwards, the selected representatives will go through a self-selection process at the national level.

After going through the selection process at all three levels (district, provincial, and national), the top 10 candidates with the highest scores from each of the 20 groups will be appointed to serve as senators, totalling 200 individuals.

The drafters of the constitution designed the selection process to ensure the Senate comprises individuals with diverse knowledge and come from various professions. The process aims to prevent political influence from political parties, whether through elections or appointments, as traditionally practised.