By Thai Newsroom Reporters
PEOPLE WHO MAY apply for elected senators will not be legally allowed to withdraw themselves from the triple-tiered race to parliament scheduled for next month.
Under the Election Commission’s rules for the election of 200 senators, all contestants will be prohibited from calling it quits for any reason after they have eligibly applied to run.
Unlike the election of MPs, all future senators will only be elected from among eligible applicants and not by constituents.
The period of the senatorial application for which each applicant will pay 2,500 baht is scheduled for May 20 to May 24, according to an official of the polling agency.
Applicants all of whom are legally prohibited from having been registered as members of political parties will be legally obliged to choose to run as contestants who may make a living with a specific occupation though they may practically have more than one, given the the Election Commission’s rules under which all applicable occupations are to be divided into 20 different categories.
The election of 200 senators is a triple-tiered process beginning with district level, then provincial level and finally national level.
The district-level election is scheduled for June 9, the provincial level is scheduled for June 16 and the national level for June 26.
At each level, each of the senatorial candidates will elect two persons from among all the eligible contestants so the 10 most elected candidates in each of the 20 categories will finally become senators. Each of the candidates may vote for themselves alongside the other.
The elected senators who will replace those appointed by a coup junta under leadership of former prime minister Prayut Chan-o-cha will be no longer constitutionally empowered to cast votes alongside MPs for head of government.
CAPTION:
Representative image of the Election Commission holding the senate election. Photo: Naewna
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