Fewer parties expected to contest election: Election Commission

Because of the new so-called single-ballot voting system, the internal primary election, as well as the constitution-prescribed reform, the number of political parties contesting in the next election would be much smaller, EC deputy secretary-general Sawang Boonmee said after the agency’s two-day seminar in Conburi’s Pattaya.
The political parties joining the seminar had expressed concern over the changes, Sawang said. Among the top concerns were the establishment of regional or provincial branches and the collection of the annual membership fee.
Each party had different levels of competence and management, the official explained. The smaller and the medium-sized parties especially needed to adapt to the new law, he said.
The drastic changes in the new law pose different challenges for different parties with different numbers of members, Sawang said. However, each party has to comply with the law and the EC would help ensuring that they do.
Reportedly, the seminar heard that a proposal will be submitted to the Constitution Drafting Commission (CDC) to revise the draft bill to make it easier to implement.
The EC held the seminar in Pattaya July 5 to 6 in preparation of further regulations to go with the organic law regulating political parties. Political party members had also been invited to hear suggestions and guidelines helpful for their adjustment to the new rules.
The National Legislative Assembly (NLA) passed the organic law on political parties last month. However, some key figures, including the CDC, had some concern about the implementation of the strict law and called for setting up a joint committee to review some clauses, including those related to the primary voting system.
The EC thus far remains firm that the new law is constitutional and that the difficulty in its implementation should not be an excuse to revise it, adding that it was necessary for reform.