Thanathorn’s bill to free local administrations from government control trips at first hurdle

The bill, sponsored by Thanathorn, chairman of the Progressive Movement, and 75,591 voters, received more “Yes” than “No” votes but the number of approval votes was not enough for the bill to sail through the first reading.

The bill received 254 approval votes and 245 MPs and senators voted against it while 129 parliamentarians abstained.

A charter amendment bill requires the support of at least half of the current members of the House of Representatives and Senate to pass the readings. The number of approval votes must include one-third votes from senators. In this case, the bill needed 375 votes, including at least 84 votes from senators to be passed.

Voting was by roll-call voting. Results showed that only six senators had voted for the bill.

While the bill received support from opposition parties, coalition partners were divided in their stance.

Nearly all Democrat Party MPs voted for the bill while Bhumjaithai Party MPs abstained. Some of the ruling Palang Pracharath Party members abstained while all the others voted against the bill.

The bill sought to free local administrations from control of the central government, especially on budget spending and appointments of executives. The bill sought to amend Sections 249, 250, 251, 252, 253 and 254 of the charter.

Before the voting in Parliament, Move Forward Party spokesman Rangsiman Rome and Prit Watcharasin, a co-sponsor of the bill, assured senators and MPs that the bill did not seek to end election of village heads and tambon chiefs as alleged by opponents.

But the bill sought to end appointments of officials in local administrations. They added that the bill would provide a five-year grace period if it was enacted.

On November 29, Thanathorn, who is not a lawmaker, went to Parliament to stand in front of the MPs and senators to defend the bill when the two chambers started deliberating the first reading.

In his speech to a joint sitting of Parliament, Thanathorn said he hoped MPs and senators would realise the significance of decentralisation of administrative power to local administrations.

He said he was happy that his campaign for months had led to the drafting and presenting of the bill to Parliament.

Among other things, the bill aimed to allow local administrations to equally share local taxes with the central government instead of sending 70% to the government.

The bill would also have allowed local administrations to manage their public services freely, Thanathorn said.