Bills to change electoral system, Parliament composition pass first reading
Four versions of election-related bills passed their first reading in Parliament on Thursday.
The bills would change the single-ballot election system to two ballots and increase constituency MPs from 350 to 400 while reducing party-list MPs from 150 to 100.
The new laws are needed to reflect earlier changes made to the Constitution.
The four versions of the draft bills were proposed by the Cabinet, the opposition Pheu Thai Party; the ruling Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP) and coalition parties; and the opposition Move Forward Party.
The Cabinet’s draft received 609 votes for, 16 against, 10 abstentions, and one no-vote.
Pheu Thai’s draft received 420 votes for, 205 against. 14 abstentions, and one no-vote.
The PPRP and coalition parties’ draft received 598 votes for, 26 against with 12 abstentions.
Move Forward’s draft received 418 votes for, 202 against with 15 abstentions.
All four drafts achieved the 263-vote majority needed to clear the first reading.
The House meeting appointed 49 special committees to consider the approved draft bills. They will consist of eight Cabinet members, 14 senators, and 27 MPs from the PPRP, Pheu Thai, Democrat, Bhumjaithai, Move Forward, Thai Economic, Chartthaipattana, Thai Liberal and Prachachat parties.
The committees will have 15 days from March 1 to consider the draft bills for approval before they are sent back to Parliament for the second reading.