Ample precedents for direct election of PM
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Re: "Better input needed in charter debate", Letters, December 22.
It is somewhat rude and bombastic for anyone to dub the direct election of prime ministers nonsense without offering reasons.
To date I have heard no good rationales from the critics as to why the proposal by a National Reform Council committee chaired by Sombat Thamrongthanyawong is unacceptable.
Sombat is a professor in public administration and a former student activist involved in bringing down an earlier military regime.
Also, the premier in countries including Japan and Israel is elected directly by the people. The chairperson of Britain’s Political and Constitutional Reform Select Committee recently questioned the appropriateness of that country’s system, whereby MPs elect the prime minister, a system Thailand has followed since 1932.
Such examples hardly support anyone calling Khun Sombat’s direct election nonsense.
Songdej Praditsmanont
Bangkok
