The four factions vying in Thailand’s Senate race
Competition for a seat in the upper House is hotting up, with ‘Ban Yai’ candidates leading the way
All eyes in Thailand are on the provincial-level vote in the ongoing Senate election this Sunday (June 16). The historic election will select a new 200-member Senate to replace the 250 senators appointed by the junta after the 2014 military coup, whose term ended on May 10.
This time, candidates will vote among themselves at three levels – district, provincial, and national. The national-level election is due on June 26, with the results expected a week later.
Last Sunday’s district-level vote saw 23,645 candidates from a field of 45,753 advance to the next round, the Election Commission (EC) said on Monday.
According to analysts, the candidates can be loosely categorised into four groups.
The Nation here offers an overview of each group to give you an idea of what Thailand’s new Senate will look like.
‘Big House’ candidates
The first group are dubbed the “Ban Yai” (Big House) candidates by political analysts. These candidates have close ties with sitting politicians both at local and national levels. This group is the largest among the Senate hopefuls.
Among well-known names in the Ban Yai camp are former prime minister Somchai Wongsawat, who is married to the sister of ex- PM Thaksin Shinawatra, patriarch of the ruling Pheu Thai Party.
Veteran officials
The second group is former government officials, especially those who still have influence in key areas regarding national security and the economy. These candidates also have close ties with public organisations that work in collaboration with government agencies.
Private sector
The third group is business leaders at the national and provincial levels. They will serve in the Senate as representatives of the private sector with a focus on deliberating economic policies.
‘People’s senators’
The fourth group consists of members of political movements and civil societies. Political analysts call these candidates the “people’s senators”.
Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, chief of the Progressive Movement and ex-leader of the disbanded Future Forward Party, says he expects to see at least 70 candidates elected as “people’s senators”.
Thanathorn, a reformist, points out that at least 67 senator votes are needed to initiate amendments to the Constitution, which also requires joint deliberation by the upper and lower houses.
Political pundits however predict a slim chance that 70 people’s senators will be elected, pointing out that this group is the smallest among the four.
In contrast, Ban Yai candidates will have no trouble advancing to the national-level elections thanks to the strong support they enjoy, analysts reckon.
Along with ex-PM Somchai, other Ban Yai candidates with ties to Pheu Thai include Srimuang Charoensiri, former education minister in Somchai’s government, and Niwatthamrong Boonsongpaisan, former deputy PM in Yingluck Shinawatra’s administration, who briefly served as acting PM after she was removed by court order in 2014.
