Senate of Thailand
Senate of Thailand วุฒิสภา Wutthisapha | |
|---|---|
| 12th Senate of Thailand | |
National Assembly of Thailand | |
| Leadership | |
Pornpetch Wichitcholchai since 28 May 2019 | |
First Vice-President | Singsuk Singpai since 28 May 2019 |
Second Vice-President | Suphachai Somcharoen since 28 May 2019 |
| Structure | |
| Seats | 250 |
.svg) | |
Political groups |
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Length of term | 5 years, non-renewable |
| Elections | |
| Appointed Indirect Limited voting with self-nomination (for next elections) | |
Last election | 30 March 2014 |
Next election | 26 June 2024 |
| Meeting place | |
 | |
| Chandra Chamber Sappaya-Sapasathan Dusit District Bangkok, Thailand | |
| Website | |
| www.senate.go.th | |
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|---|
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Vajiralongkorn (Rama X)
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Phumtham Wechayachai (PTP) BTP )Patcharawat Wongsuwan (PPRP) Pirapan Salirathavibhaga (UTN)
|
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Legislature 
Singsuk Singpai
Padipat Suntiphada (FA)
|
President: Anocha Chevitsophon President: Vorapot Visrutpich President: Worawit Kangsasitiam |
 Thailand portal |
The Senate of Thailand (
Both the Senate and the House of Representatives were abolished as a result of the 2014 Thai coup d'état. These were replaced with the unicameral National Legislative Assembly, a body of 250 members, selected by the National Council for Peace and Order. The 2017 constitution, which was approved by a referendum in 2016, provided for a 250-members Senate, which was not elected but rather appointed by a special committee, which was itself appointed by the military. As such, it has been often considered as a rubber stamp for decisions already taken by the higher-ups of the military junta.[4][5]
History
The idea of
- 1947 – First Thai Senate established with 100 members, all royally appointed.
- 1952 – Establishment of a unicameralNational Assembly with 123 members.
- 1968 – Re-establishment of the Senate with 164 royally-appointed members.
- 1972 – The Thai Legislature is banned by Thanom Kittikachorn.
- 1974 – Return of the royally-appointed Senate.
- 1976 – Re-establishment of a unicameralNational Assembly with 360 members, all royally appointed.
- 1978 – Return of a Senate with 225 royally-appointed members.
- 1991 – Establishment of a unicameral National Assembly with 292 royally-appointed members.
- 1997 – Establishment for the first time of a fully and directly elected Senate with 200 members for a 6-year term.
- 2006 – Following the military coup, an interim charter was signed establishing a 250-member National Legislative Assembly.
- 2007 – Half of the Senate is appointed, half is elected as established by referendum under the 2007 Constitution.
- 2014 – Following the military coup, an interim constitution was passed establishing a 220-member National Legislative Assembly.
- 2018 – After the signing of the 2017 Constitution, the National Assembly was reestablished and the NLA was dissolved
- 2019 – A new Senate, composed of 250 military-appointed members, was sworn in in the aftermath of the general elections held on that year.
Composition
The 250-person Senate is composed of 194 members selected by the ruling junta. Fifty senators represent ten professional and forty social groups: bureaucrats, teachers, judges, farmers, and private companies. A shortlist of 200 were proposed to the NCPO which made the final selection of fifty. The remaining six Senate positions are reserved for the supreme commander of the Armed Forces, the defence permanent secretary, the national police chief, and the heads of the army, navy, and air force, who are all senators ex officio.[4] As of 2020[update], 104 out of the 250 senators are police or military officers.[6]
Qualifications
The qualifications for the membership of the Senate could be found in section 115, Part 3, Chapter 6 of the 2007 Constitution. A candidate intent on being a member of the Senate had to be a
All other disqualifications were similar to that of the House, the individual must not have been: addicted to drugs, been
Appointment
Depending on the situation in each constitution.[4]
Term
The term of the Senate is five years.
Membership
Members of the Senate are entitled use the title Senator in front of their names (
Powers
The Senate shares many powers, if not more, than the
- Legislation
- Scrutiny
- Passing of annual Appropriations Bills
- Constitutional Amendments
Exclusive Powers:
- Creating and appointing committee to examine and investigate affairs.
- Passing approval resolutions advising the King in certain appointments.
- Judges of the Constitutional Court of Thailand
- Election Commissioners
- Ombudsmen
- Members of the National Anti-Corruption Commission, State Audit Commission (including the Auditor General) and National Human Rights Commission.
- The Senate also advised the selection and the actual selection of certain members of the Judiciary.
- Selection of its Officers.
- Expulsion of members.
- Determination of its own rules and procedures.
Leadership
The Senate elected three presiding officers; one
See also
- Constitutions of Thailand
- 2007 Constitution of Thailand
- National Assembly of Thailand
References
- ^ "Thailand's Constitution of 2017" (PDF). Constitute Project. 4 February 2020. Archived (PDF) from the original on 14 November 2022. Retrieved 18 April 2020.
- ^ a b Sapsomboon, Somroutai (7 October 2018). "Elected govt to be at mercy of Senate". The Nation. Archived from the original on 26 June 2022. Retrieved 18 April 2020.
- ^ "The World Factbook; Thailand". US Central Intelligence Agency. Archived from the original on 10 June 2021. Retrieved 18 April 2020.
- ^ a b c Kendall, Dave (2019-01-28). "Explainer: The appointed Senate". Bangkok Post. Retrieved 2019-01-28.
- ^ "Thailand election: Quick guide to the post-coup polls". BBC News. 2019-03-25. Archived from the original on 2019-06-06. Retrieved 2019-09-30.
- ^ "Gen Prayut's brother appointed to military-dominated Tourism Committee". Prachatai English. 17 April 2020. Archived from the original on 24 April 2020. Retrieved 18 April 2020.
- ^ "Thai Governmental Structure (Under Thailand's 1997 [B.E. 2540] Constitution)". Thailand Law Forum. Archived from the original on 28 January 2020. Retrieved 18 April 2020.
- ^ "Senate list ready, some cabinet ministers believed on it". Bangkok Post. 3 May 2019. Retrieved 18 April 2020.
Further reading
- Nelson, Michael H. (April 2014). "Constitutional Contestation over Thailand's Senate, 1997 to 2014". Contemporary Southeast Asia. 36 (1): 51–76. S2CID 144759585.
External links