Democrat Party members set to gather again to elect new leader
The Democrat Party will hold a second party caucus to elect a new leader and executive board on July 23, the acting spokesman said on Sunday.
Democrat Party spokesman Ramet Rattanachaweng said the second round will be held at 8.30am next Sunday in the Grand Ballroom of Miracle Grand Hotel in Bangkok’s Lak Si district.
The key meeting agenda, which had not been met during the first caucus on July 9, is the election of the new executive board and national election candidates’ selection committee, Ramet said.
At the last meeting, the party postponed the election after the caucus failed to make a quorum due to disputes over whether the party’s election rule, which gives 70% weight of the votes to the MPs and 30% to party branches and members, should be waived.
Thailand’s oldest political party called a new election for leader and executive board after Jurin Laksanawisit resigned to take responsibility for the party’s poor showing in the May 14 election. The Democrat Party captured the lowest number of House seats ever in its 77 years – winning just 25 MP seats.
Ramet, however, said he was confident that the general assembly next Sunday will have enough attendees to make a quorum. He said those who failed to attend the last meeting have promised to show up at this meeting because they want to have a hand in determining the party’s future by electing the 9th Democrat leader.
He said each candidate will be given seven minutes to deliver their visions on leading the party.
A total of 41 executives in 11 positions will be elected as well as members of a committee in charge of selecting candidates for the next MP election, the spokesman added.
Ramet said he will be one of the referees at the election, organised by acting deputy leader Ongart Klampaiboon, and promised to ensure it is free and fair.
