Isaan electors call for harsh penalties for electoral fraud

The public hearing was organised by the Constitution Drafting Commission.

Speakers proposed that anyone involved in electoral fraud – including a “mastermind” or supporters of offences – should face heavy penalties including death. Election candidates who fail to fully disclose their records should earn a prison term, they said.

They also supported having a non-elected PM to solve the country’s crises. They suggested that only people born in local areas be allowed to apply as election candidates for the management of local administrative organisations – not those who only lived for in local areas for a limited period.

The public hearing was classified into five groups discussing five topics:

On rights, liberty and responsibilities of the people, residents in the Northeast wanted the charter draft to be based on the 1997 Constitution. 

On the kinds of state they desired, the group said they wanted bureaucratic reform so that the sector is small but efficient. They also wanted education reform and families strengthened by, for instance, giving longer maternity leave. 

In regard to the Senate, the group wanted direct election of senators, one per province, and indirect elections by various professionals.

For the election of MPs, the group suggested that a primary vote be held to screen candidates who most people wanted to run in the election.

The group suggested that the charter put fewer restrictions on candidates, for instance on educational credentials, as they would rather prefer people with higher moral grounds than higher education.

They said the age of MP candidates should be limited to not more than 60, reasoning that elderly people could not adjust to changes, such as reforms. They wanted at least half the election candidates to be women.

 

Calls for reform of education 

On the desired decentralisation, the group said it wanted public participation in local development, education and management of natural resources.

And on desired reform, the group wanted a restructuring of the Education Ministry, other educational institutes and upgraded qualifications for educational personnel.

Nitipan Chuabunchai, chairman of the subcommittee on public hearings, said many proposals in the meeting yesterday were new and not heard of before – but many other proposals might be included in the charter draft.

Former charter writer Kanin Boonsuwna said the main reason the charter draft written by the CDC, led by chairman Meechai Ruchupan, could be rejected in a public referendum was the issue of a non-elected PM

He said having senators gaining office from indirect elections did not justify them having the power to endorse independent agencies, such as the Constitutional Court. This was because the court had the right to impeach the PM, head of the executive branch. This would mean having indirectly elected senators tampering with the country’s balance and separation of powers.

He said having a Constitutional Court, which had the power to veto bills, charter amendments, made the court an “extra constitutional power”.