Direct election of PM is better: P-Net

P-NET chairman Saiyud Kerdphol spoke about the six-point proposal after a seminar on ways to improve the electoral system and civilians’ role in it. The event was organised with the Anfrel Foundation.

Saiyud said the Pheu Thai-led government based its claim that it was empowered to act in ways that benefit one person on the fact that 15 million people voted for it. He also accused the government of neglecting to honour its election-campaign promises. The country’s electoral system did not deliver true democracy or a strong and highly moral national leader, he said.

“The country will be able to tackle its problems if it has a strong leader who is fiercely honest and sacrifices personal and vested interests or those of families for the benefit of the people,’’ he said.

Under the system proposed by P-NET, a candidate for prime minister would need to win more than half of the total votes, and no party dissolution would occur when party executive boards commit electoral offences.

Other changes discussed at the seminar included allowing independent constituency MPs who are not under the banner of a political party; allowing voters to choose party-list MPs according to their own listings; allowing monks and nuns to vote; reforming the Provincial Election Commission by recruiting people from all walks of life; and promoting public participation in the monitoring of election procedures to ensure clean and fair elections.

The panel also proposed that election courts be set up to improve the efficiency of the Election Commis-sion, which has had problems in the past dealing with a flood of electoral complaints.